./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.99.31
28 January 1999
(99-0333)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  FRANCE
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible:
Directorate for Regional Action and Small and Medium IndustrySub-Directorate of Industrial Safety
22, rue Monge
75005 Paris
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:
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):  Pressure equipment
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Decree on Pressure
Equipment (23 pages + 51 pages of annexes)          
6. Description of content:  The purpose of the draft Decree notified is as follows:
- On the one hand, to incorporate Directive 97/23/EC of 29 May 1997 into
domestic legislation;
- on the other, to revise the French regulatory framework insofar as safety
requirements for pressure equipment in use are concerned.
The Decree notified will replace the Decrees of 2 April 1926 on steam pressure
equipment and 18 January 1943 on gas pressure equipment, which are currently the basis
for French regulations on pressure equipment.
The draft Decree deals with pressure equipment covered by Directive 97/23/EC and
also with the following:
- Simple pressure vessels covered by Directive 87/404/EEC;
- pressure equipment specially designed for nuclear applications;
- super heated water pipes;
- pressure casing for high voltage electrical equipment.
Title I contains the definitions and scope;Title II incorporates Directive 97/23/EC;G/TBT/Notif.99.31
Page 2
6. Description of content:  (cont'd)
Title III contains the safety and verification requirements for equipment in use;
Title IV sets out the procedures for approval of monitoring bodies;
Title V contains a number of provisions such as sanctions, the implementation
arrangements.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  The
main purpose of the draft Decree is to incorporate Directive 97/23/EC of 29 May 1997.  TheFrench authorities have therefore decided to replace all the existing regulations on pressure
equipment.  Consequently, the draft Decree does not only incorporate the Directive's
provisions on the sale of pressure equipment, but also sets out the general procedures for
verifying equipment in use.  The exact requirements for carrying out this verification (for
example, the periodicity of regular controls a nd the exact list of equipment subject to such
checks) will be defined in the implementing orders to be notified subsequently.
8. Relevant documents:  Directive 97/23/EC of 29 May 1997.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  20 May 1999
Proposed date of entry into force:  29 November 1999
10. Final date for comments:  31 March 1999
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X ] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body:
CINORTECH
Mrs. Vaquier (AFNOR)
Tour Europe, 92049 PARIS LA DEFENSE