Marknadskontrollrådet

On this website you will find information on rules that economic operators and authorities have to comply with

Market surveillance aims to ensure safety, health and consumer protection as well as fair competition between companies. Market surveillance means that public authorities inspect that products made available on the market fulfil all legal requirements, including that they are correctly marked and tested. The responsible authority shall take measures against economic operators whose products do not comply with legislation.

The Market Surveillance Council is a national coordination body for market surveillance in Sweden. It functions as a forum for information and exchange of experiences between authorities and shall facilitate contacts between competent authorities, business and consumer organisations.

Frequently asked questions and answers about Market Surveillance

Marknadskontroll aims to ensure safety, health and consumer protection and to counter distortion of competition between companies.

Marknadskontroll means that the responsible authority checks that products on the market comply with applicable legislation and that they are labeled and controlled in the prescribed manner. The authority shall take measures against the economic operators whose products do not meet the set requirements. Measures that may be relevant are, for example, a ban on sales, withdrawal of products from the market or recall of end-user products.

Market surveillance takes the form of information efforts, planned checks at manufacturers, importers or dealers or reactions to reported accidents, complaints from the public or warnings from authorities in other countries. Market control does not include ex ante checks or inspections of products in use.

Given the rapid product development and the large amount of products available on the market, it is impossible to control all products. Therefore, market control is usually done in the form of a sample after risk assessment.

In this brochure you can read more about marknadskontroll.
A product from a third country means that the product is manufactured outside the EU. Most importantly, you have to find out the legal requirements that apply for the product concerned. It could be requirements that the product itself has to fulfil regarding, e.g. different kinds of risks, such as chemical, mechanical or electrical risks. It could also concern how they should be marked, e.g. with symbols or warnings. Another aspect to consider is what kind of documentation should accompany the product and be made available to the authorities upon their request. In addition, you have to find out whether notification to competent authorities is mandatory. Such information can be obtained at the National Board of Trade or competent sector authority.

Information on whether the product is subject to any restrictions of import or fees, e.g. customs fees, VAT or other taxes, and how to declare your goods in customs, can be obtained at the Swedish customs.

The main responsibility for a product lies in principle with the manufacturer. The importer is, however, the person placing the product on the market and has therefore also far reaching obligations. If you place the product on the market under your own trade mark or modify the product in such a way that compliance with the applicable requirements may be affected, you are considered a manufacturer in legal terms.
A for numerous products mandatory marking implying that the manufacturer ensures that the product comply with all applicable legal requirements. Only those products for which are prescribed the CE marking may and should be marked.