. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/90 
17 March 2004  
 
(04-1186) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original: English/ 
 French 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Health 
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:   Canadian Enquiry 
Point, 200-270 Albert Street, Ottawa, Onta rio, Canada, K1P 6N7 Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222, 
Fax.:  +1 613 569 7808, E-mail:  info@scc.ca 
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):   Tanning Equipment 
(ICS:  97.170) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Amendment 
to the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations  (Tanning Equipment) (pages 621-630;  
English and French) 
6. Description of content:   
 
 The Radiation Emitting Devices Act prohibits or restricts the sale or importation of 
products that are or are likely to be a danger to the health or safety of the public.  Under the authority of that Act, the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations  (Sunlamps ) were 
introduced in 1980 to protect sunlamp us ers from ultraviolet overexposure effects by 
restricting the time of exposure to the time se t on the timer provided with the device by the 
manufacturer.    Subsequent new technology, new d esigns for tanning equipment and recent 
scientific studies have shown that the 1980 requi rements need to be updated to ensure safer 
use of new equipment entering the market and to minimize unnecessary exposure to ultraviolet radiation.    The proposed amendments to the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations  
(Sunlamps) , renamed the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations (Tanning Equipment) , set 
out the technical requirements for modern tanni ng devices and their replacement parts, sold 
in or imported into Canada.   Tanning is not safe, causes skin damage and can promote the development of skin 
cancer.  Having more stringent standards will lead to a safer use of the tanning equipment.  G/TBT/N/CAN/90 
Page 2  
 
The new standards are based on the European International Electrotechnical Commission 
Standard 335-2-27:  "Safety of household and similar electrical appliances" and are meant as much as possible to be in harmony with it.    Ultraviolet lamps used under professional s upervision by medical doctors to treat 
certain skin conditions are considered medical  devices and, therefore, are regulated under 
the Food and Drugs Act  (Medical Devices Regulations ). 
  The proposed amendments to the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations (Sunlamps) will 
apply only to equipment sold or resold after th e amendments come into force.  They will not 
be retroactive.
  
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human health 
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part I, 13 March 2004 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }Not stated 
10. Final date for comments:   3 June 2004 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses,  if available of the other body:  The electronic 
version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:  
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2004/20040313/pdf/g1-13811.pdf