Swedish business organisations have called to abolish the tax, considered ineffective in promoting environmental progress. The statement signed by national trade federations covering electronics, IT & telecoms and technologies, notes that such a national measure is ineffective in driving global environmental policy and distorts competition, whereas action at the EU level is effective (citing examples of REACH, RoHS and the recent ban on PFAS halogenated chemicals). The statement notes the recent Sweden government decision to abandon a similar proposed ecotax on chemicals in clothing and footwear. The business federations consider that if the electronics ecotax is not withdrawn then it should be modified to include a 0% tax rate for products containing no specified chemicals, to remove the distinction between “reactive” and “additive” flame retardants (which is not related to substance’s health or environment properties) and to tax only halogenated FRs.
“Näringslivets gemensamma position kring skatten på elektronik” (The common position of the business community around the tax on electronics), APPLiA, ElektronikBranschen, IT & Telekomföretagen, Svensk Handel, Svenskt Näringsliv, Teknikföretagen, September 2021 https://applianytt.se/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Naringslivets-gemensamma-position-kring-skatten-p%C3%A5-elektronik.pdf