What is SWEDAC?

Horizontal activities in Sweden
Hans-Eric Holmqvist, Director-General, SWEDAC
CONFERENCE ON EUROPEAN MARKET
SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMMING
Brussels, 10 - 11 March 2005
What is SWEDAC?
The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment
 National accreditation body
– laboratories, certification and inspection bodies
 Central administrative authority
– conformity assessment procedures
– designation of notified bodies and conformity
assessment bodies
– legal metrology and precious metals
– coordination of market surveillance
European Market Surveillance Programming Conference, 10-11 March
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Market surveillance in Sweden
Transition from pre-market approval to market surveillance
 Existing sector authorities responsible
for market surveillance
 Financing through fees and
reallocation of funds
 Appointment of a coordination and
contact body (SWEDAC)
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Market surveillance authorities
Authority
Product categories
The Swedish Work Environment Authority
machinery, PPE (professional use), pressure equipment
The National Board of Housing, Building and Planning construction products, lifts, hot water boilers
The National Electrical Safety Board
electrical products, EMC
The National Chemicals Inspectorate
poisonous gas in gas equipment, chemicals
The National Consumer Agency
GPSD, toys, PPE (private use)
The National Medical Products Agency
medical devices, medicines and associated products
The Swedish Rail Agency
trans-European conventional and high-speed rail systems
The National Food Administration
foodstuffs, including drinking water, wine, spirits
The National Post and Telecom Agency
radio and telecommunications terminal equipment
The Swedish Radio and TV Authority
electronic communications networks and services
The Swedish Maritime Administration
recreational crafts, marine equipment
The Swedish Rescue Services Agency
explosives, gas appliances, transportable pressure equipment
European Market Surveillance Programming Conference, 10-11 March
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Market surveillance authorities (cont.)
Authority
Product categories
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency exhaust cleaning requirements for vehicles, noise emissions
The Swedish Radiation Protection Authority
products that contains sources of radiation
SWEDAC
legal metrology, precious metals
The National Road Administration
motor vehicles, mobile machines
European Market Surveillance Programming Conference, 10-11 March
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Market surveillance coordination
SWEDAC’s responsibilities #1
• A national consultation, contact and information body
in overall matters and in matters of principle of a
technical nature.
• A forum for exchange of information and experience
at both national and international levels
• To monitor and evaluate market surveillance activities
and initiate changes
• To maintain an up-to-date list of Swedish market
surveillance authorities
European Market Surveillance Programming Conference, 10-11 March
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Market surveillance coordination
SWEDAC’s responsibilities #2
• To publish annual reports
• To provide the secretariat to the Market
Surveillance Council
• To serve as a contact point to EU bodies in
overall matters and in matters of principle of a
technical nature.
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Cooperation between authorities
National cooperation
 Risk assessment
 Implementation of directives into national
legislation
 Methods
 Education
 Information
International cooperation
European Market Surveillance Programming Conference, 10-11 March
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Market Surveillance Council
Representatives from
 Sector authorities
 Ministries
 Industry
 Consumer organizations
 Labour market parties
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Market surveillance problems
 Low priority within the authorities
 Lack of resources
 Lack of consistent strategies and systematic
methods
 Insufficient cooperation
 Lack of efficient system for the exchange of
information
European Market Surveillance Programming Conference, 10-11 March
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New government initiative
 Higher political profile : “Market surveillance should be
conducted in the scale needed to grant that goods on
the market fulfil the legal requirements.” (Government bill 2004/05:98)
 Specific targets for each agency
 Monitoring and reports to responsible ministers
 Enforced coordination of market surveillance
 Action plans
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Concluding remarks
 Political goals as a basis for priorities
 Efficient organization for cooperation
 Encourage cross border cooperation
 Sufficient resources
 Cross border cooperation
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Example of cooperation
CE website
www.cemarkning.se
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