./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/374
24 August 2000
(00-3366)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry Point – EC WTO TBT Enquiry Point
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):   All products to which
the Dangerous Tools Act and the Steam Act apply.
Henceforth, as a consequence of this draft, these goods shall come within the scope of the
Commodity Act.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft legislation
amending the Commodity Act in connection with the incorporation of the
Dangerous Tools Act and the Steam Act.
6. Description of content:   The draft expresses the wish of the cabinet to combine the product
safety legislation of the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport (the Commodity Act)
and the product safety legislation of the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs (theDangerous Tools Act and the Steam Act) within one legislative framework.
This desire has been prompted by the observation that the product safety legislation of the
two ministries is largely incompatible and as a result does not form an easily accessible
whole.  In order to improve clarity and compatibility in this area for judicial reasons, it has
been decided to incorporate the Dangerous Tools Act [Dutch designation: WGW] and the
Steam Act within the Commodity Act.
Consequently, the Commodity Act must now be amended.  The draft is exclusively legal in
nature.  The amended Commodity Act shall therefore not possess a larger scope than the
current Commodity Act, Dangerous Tools Act and Steam Act combined.  On the basis of
the amended Commodity Act it will not be possible to apply more requirements to productsthan can already be applied on the basis of the current legislation.  No new requirements for
products are introduced by the draft itself.
Already existing minor legislation based on the Dangerous Tools Act or the Steam Act
shall be revoked or will continue to exist on the basis of the revised Commodity Act.G/TBT/Notif.00/374
Page 2
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To improve judicial clarity and compatibility in product safety legislation of the Ministry of
Public Health, Welfare and Sport and of the Mi nistry of Employment and Social Affairs by
combining the three product safety acts of th ese ministries in one act, namely the
Commodity Act.
8. Relevant documents:   -
9. Proposed date of adoption:  1 July 2001
Proposed date of entry into force :  2 July 2001
10. Final date for comments:   10 November 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body: