The expression 'placing on the market' means, according to the Swedish Environmental Code, supplying or making a product available to third parties, e.g. by selling it. Before a product can be placed on the market, consent must be obtained. Decisions on consents for placing on the market are taken collectively by the EU member states. Then decisions are then valid throughout the European Union. There are two ways to apply for placing on the market of GMOs in the EU: according to Directive 2001/18/EC and according to Regulation (EC) no 1829/2003.Consents for the marketing of GM products may only be granted if the organisms can be considered as of no risk to human health or the environment. A monitoring plan is also required and the products have to be labelled as genetically modified.
The Swedish authorities have the right to participate in the assessment of all applications submitted in the EU.
The competent authorities in Sweden for supervising the placing on the market of GMOs are:
- The National Board of Fisheries - products containing or consisting of genetically modified aquatic organisms.
- The Swedish Chemicals Agency - products containing or consisting of genetically modified micro-organisms, nematodes, arachnids and insects.
- The National Food Administration - foods consisting wholly or partly of genetically modified organisms.
- The Medical Products Agency - medicinal products containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms.
- The National Board of Forestry - genetically modified forest trees intended for timber production.
- The Swedish Board of Agriculture - animal feed containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms, and any other products containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms.
