G/TBT/N/SWE/136  
20 March 2020  
(20-2285) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  SWEDEN   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Regeringskansliet, Miljödepartementet (Ministry of the Environment)  
103 33 Stockholm  
SWEDEN  
Tel: 08 -405 10 00, Fax: 08 -24 46 31  
E-mail: m.registrator@regeringskansliet.se  
Name and address (includin g telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Kommerskollegium  
Box 6803, 113 86 Stockholm  
SWEDEN  
E-mail: 1535@kommers.se  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Liquid or 
gaseous fuel  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Ordinance 
amending the Fuel Ordinance (2011:346) (3 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  The relevant provision s are Sections 11  a–11 c in Annex 2. 
Those engaged in the commercial activity of providing a liquid or gaseous fuel, or who in 
that commercial activity also provide electricity as a fuel, shall provide the con sumer with 
environmental information about the  fuel that is being provided. For the pur poses of this 
ordinance environmental information about the fuel means information about a fuel's 
emission of greenhouse gases over its life cycle, which fossil raw materials or renewable 
raw materials are containe d in the fuel, and the country of origin of these raw materials. 
The information is based on data that is mandatory for the fuel supplier to report to the 
compe tent authority every calendar year. The yearly reporting requirements are laid down 
in national  legislation as well as EU legislation. The relevant informa tion is to be made 
available in its entirety on the fuel supplier's website. Cer tain information shall be made 
available to the consumers on a declaration which is affixed to the devices that ar e used by 
the companies to enable consumers to refill such fuels. The information on the declaration 
shall be given in abbreviated form – the fuel's emissions of greenhouse gases over its life 
cycle and which fossil raw materials or renewable raw materials  are con tained in the fuel – 
or through a reference to the fuel supplier's website – the country of origin of the raw 
materials. The origin shall only be made avai lable to the consumers on the fuel supplier's 
website. It shall be stated at the point of sale that the information concerns historical data G/TBT/N/SWE/136  
 
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  about the fuel that is being sold and is not specific data about the fuel that is being pro -
vided at time of purchase.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Environmental information on fuels aims to provide information concerning 
the fuels impact on the climate and environment in order to affect the con sumers behavior 
in short term and long term. Society needs to increase its efforts to lessen the green house 
gases emitted by the transport sector. The Swedish Riksdag adop ted 2017 a climate 
political framework with, among other things, specific emis sion goals. At the latest year 
2045 Sweden shall have no net emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere , and 
thereafter reach negative emissions. The Riksdag has also adopted a specific goal for the 
transport sector. The emissions from domestic transports, except domes tic flights, shall 
decrease with at least 70 percent by year 2030 com pared to year 2010.  In order to reach 
the set goals extensive efforts are needed to create and develop a more transport efficient 
society and efficient cars, electrify the national car park and increase the volume of 
biofuels. The emissions from greenhouse gases originating from the transport sector must 
decrease in a higher pace for Sweden to reach the national and international climate and 
environmental goals. A joint effort from every part of society is essential in order to 
decrease the emissions of greenhouse gases. The choice of fuel is a key part in 
contributing to the set goals. In order to enable con sumers to con tribute, the consumers 
must have access to relevant environ mental infor mation about the fuel at the time of 
purchase. The envisioned pro visions contribu te to this end. The consumer receives 
environmental information about the fuel at the time of purchase through the declarations 
that are affixed to the fuel dispensers. Since the declaration includes a refe rence to the 
fuel supplier's website the consumer  can also look up more detailed information on the 
supplied fuel. The competent authority, the Swedish Energy Agency, is mandated to adopt 
administrative provisions concerning the gra phical design of the declaration and when the 
information on the declara tions and websites shall be updated and published. Many 
suppliers do publish information concerning the fuels they supply but the information and 
data may vary and be aggregated at different levels, which may hinder adequate 
comparison. The draft ordinanc e means that all suppliers are treated equally regard less of 
whether they supply fuels with fossil raw materials or renew able materials. All in all, 
uniform information can create a level playing field and a common frame of reference. This 
will ensure th at competition is not distorted, and it is easier for consumers to compare 
fuels and for the com petent authority to enforce the rules. Information on the fuel's 
emissions of greenhouse gases and which raw mate rials are contained in the fuel give the 
consumer infor mation on which environmental impact the supplied fuel has. In addition, 
information of the country of origin adds value to the consumer as the data provides 
supple mentary information concerning the fuels environmental impact and to how the f uel 
and the raw materials in the fuel have been pro duced or extracted. Even though the 
country of origin may not provide explicit information concerning the production method of 
the raw materials, consumer or en vironmental organizations will be able to provide general 
information con cerning the production or extraction methods in different countries and can 
therefore utilize the data concerning the country of origin of the raw mate rials contained in 
the fuel. Consumer or environmental organizations can  also use the environmental 
information in order to educate consumers in general about the fuels impact on the 
environment and climate. The pro visions may also promote fuel suppliers to be more 
transparent and give additional incentive to develop more env ironmentally friendly fuels as 
many consumers want more information on fuels to make more enlightened choices.  
Consumer information, labelling; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:  See draft in attachment.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The rules may enter into force in the beginning of 2021.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The rules may enter into force in the beginning of 
2021.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  G/TBT/N/SWE/136  
 
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  11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/cr nattachments/2020/TBT/SWE/20_2099_00_e.pdf