. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.244
13 May 1998
(98-1915)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  BELGIUM
If applicable, name of local govern ment involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Social A ffairs, Public Health and the Environment
Federal Services for Environmental Affairs
Risk Management DivisionCité administrative de l'Etat - Quartier VésaleBoulevard Pachéco 19B-1010 Brussels
Tel.: +32 2 210 48 71
Fax: +32 2 210 48 84
Agency or authority designated to handle co mments 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 appl icable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in a ddition, where applicable):  Asbestos
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Royal Decree of
3 February 1998 Restricting the Marketing,  Manufacture and Use of Certain Dangerous
Substances and Prep arations (Asbestos)
6. Description of content:  The prohibition of the marketing, manufacture and use of
five fibres (crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos, actinolite asbestos and tremoliteasbestos) and products to which they have been added deliberately, and the prohibitionof products containing chrysotile mentioned in  paragraphs (a) to (n) of Annex 1 of the
aforementioned Royal Decree are based on Commission Directive 91/659/EEC.
Additional restrictions under paragraphs (o),  (p), (q) and (r) of Annex I have been
imposed in order to include other products containing chrysotile, and other uses, thereby
ensuring maximum protection of human health which the Belgian authorities consider tobe essential.  Temporary exemptions are made for certain uses under the lastfour paragraphs and, consequently, the total ban on marketing will not enter into force,
for the products thus exempted, until after the dates specified in the provisions, at theG/TBT/Notif.98.244
Page 2
Description of content (cont’d):
earliest 1 October 1998.  The provisions of  the Royal Decree are applied without
discrimination as to the origin of the pr oducts concerned.  The term "marketing", as
defined in Article 1, paragraph 3 of the Decree, covers the placing on the market ofdomestic as well as imported products.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  The
reason for the ban on the marketing and use of products containing the fibre chrysotile
under the aforementioned decree is that there is no threshold for the carcinogenic risksposed by chrysotile.  Partial prohibition as provided for in Commission
Directive 91/659/EEC is not efficient enough to guarantee the level of protection of human
health and life which the Belgian Government considers appropriate.  The results of the
latest scientific studies and evaluations of the risks arising from the harmfulness of
chrysotile fibres prompted, in the interest of public health and health at work, rapiddecisions and speedy implementation of these decisions.  The lack of a threshold was
confirmed by the reports mentioned at point  8 below and by the Opinion handed down by
the European Community Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the
Environment on 9 February 1998.
8. Relevant documents:  National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) report 
by the French authorities, June 1996.
Report entitled "Recent Assessments of the Hazards and Risks Posed by Asbestos
and Substitute Fibres and Recent Regulation of Fibres Worldwide" by Environmental
Resources Management (ERM), June 1997.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Publication date in the Belgian Official Journal "Moniteur
belge":  21 February 1998.
Date of entry into force of prohibitive measures on products containing chrysotile:For materials made of asbestos and cement:  1 October 1998.For friction linings used in heavy industrial equipment and installations for heavy lorries
and land vehicles:  1 January 1999.
For finished textiles treated to avoid fibre release and used in the making of heat-resistant
clothing, as well as diaphragms used in electrolysis cells for the production of chlorine:
31 December 1999.
For aircraft friction linings:  1 January 2002.For devices used in industry whenever temperatures exceed 1,000°C:  1 January 2002.For seals and gaskets used in industrial processes and installations for the circulation of
fluids aimed at preventing the risks associated with high temperatures and pressures:
1 January 2002.
For other products mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (n) of Annex 1 of the Royal Decree:
3 March 1998.
10. Final date for comments:  60 days
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
other body:  CIBELNOR