. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CHE/38 
2 February 2004  
 
(04-0370) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
   
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   SWITZERLAND
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (SFOAG)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
 
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco) - WHNT Effingerstrasse 1 CH-3003 Bern 
Tel:  ++41 31 324 07  60 
Fax:  ++41 31 324 09 59 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Plant protection 
products, active substances and preparations 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Ordinance concerning 
the placing of plant protection products on th e market, approximately 280 pages (German, 
French). 
6. Description of content:   The ordinance provides the basic legislation concerning the 
placing on the market of plant protection pro ducts and specific aspects of the handling and 
use of plant protection products.  It regulates the technical and legal requirements for the 
registration of a plant protection agent as well as the processes of cooperation among the 
Federal Offices involved in the registration.   
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
The ordinance is intended to bring about e nhanced harmonization with EU legislation on 
plant protection products while maintaining or  improving the level of protection for the 
general population, employees and the environmen t against the harmful effects that may be 
caused by plant protection products.  Existing pr ovisions will be amended to take account of 
technical developments and trade barriers affec ting the most important trade partners will be 
reduced. G/TBT/N/CHE/38 
Page 2  
 
8. Relevant documents:    
Federal Law on Agriculture of 29 April 1998 (as of 24 December 2002), (RS 910.1) 
 http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/9/910.1.de.pdf
  (German) 
http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/9/910.1.fr.pdf   (French) 
 
Law of 7 October 1983 (as of 10 June 1997) rela ting to the Protection of the Environment 
(RS 814.01)  http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/8/814.01.de.pdf
  (German) 
http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/8/814.01.fr.pdf     (French) 
 Law of 15 December 2000 concerning Protec tion against Dangerous Substances and 
Preparations (Chemicals Law) (FF 1999-5887)  
http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/ff/2000/6159.pdf
 (German) 
http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/ff/2000/5733.pdf   (French)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 January 2005 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from the day of notification 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
German: 
http://www.blw.admin.ch/imperia/md/content/pflanzenschutzmittel/psmv_d.pdf          
French: 
http://www.blw.admin.ch/imperia/md/content/pflanzenschutzmittel/psmv_f.pdf