ABSTRACT
In 2000, the Swedish government presented a Strategy for an Environmentally Sound Product Policy. The strategy presents an overall view on how the government intends to drive the integrated product policy (IPP) process further, both nationally and internationally. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was commissioned by the government in 2001 to further develop the Swedish IPP. It is important that IPP covers all kinds of product, both goods and services. In order to achieve sustainable development, all actors along the product chain have to co-operate. Increasing green public procurement, technology procurement and the establishment of environmental management systems could lead to an increased demand for environmentally sound products. The Swedish EPA proposed that the strategy should be founded on three fundamental elements and made a number of different proposals on how to further develop IPP in Sweden. The fundamental elements are a more holistic approach, better conditions for market actors and greater co-operation among actors.
