WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.97.434
18September 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-3737)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: NETHERLANDS
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofEconomic Affairs
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above: National Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Platinum, goldandsilver
works
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: BillGoverning Rules
Concerning theAssaying ofPlatinum, Gold andSilver Works (Hallmark Act1986)
6. Description ofcontent: Thepurpose ofthe1986 Hallmark Actisthepromotion of
proper economic transactions inthetrade ofplatinum, goldandsilver works (seelater:
precious metal works) andconsumer protection. Itisthereby stipulated thatprecious
metal works which aremade orimported intotheNetherlands mayonlybetraded if
theyareprovided withtheprescribed stamp marks (Chapter II).TheActdetermines
which grades canbeassayed (Chapter I),andwhich stamp marks aregenerally available
(Chapter III). Theprecise form anduseofstamps aregoverned bytheHallmark
Regulation. Chapter IIIalsocontains anumber ofstipulations concerning thewayin
which works tobeassayed must besupplied andconcerning theworking methods ofthe
Assay Institution. Works which havenot(yet)beenprovided withtherequired stamps
should beassayed byanAssay Institute appointed bytheMinister forEconomic Affairs
(Chapter II).TheActmakes itpossible toappoint oneormore institutes. Thus far,
however, onlytheWaarborg Platina, Goud enZilver N.V. hasbeen designated. In
order tomanufacture works intheNetherlands, furthermore, therequirement forthe
so-called master stamp applies which designates themanufacturer responsible forthe
work (Article 12).
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Page2
Fortheimport ofworks which were notpreviously incirculation (andwhich arenotyet
assayed abroad) therequirement forimport symbols (symbols ofthecompany forwhom
theworks areintended) ormaster stamps oftheforeign company (Chapter VI)shall
apply. Furthermore, theActcontains anumber ofadministrative obligations for
companies andAssay Institutions (Chapters IVandVIB), stipulations relating topublic
auctions andlending banks (Chapter V)andprovisions relating tomonitoring compliance
andtheappeal procedure (Chapters VIAandVID). TheActalsocontains achapter (not
yetineffect) inwhich rules arelaiddown concerning control andmarking inaccordance
with theConvention onthecontrol andmarking ofarticles ofprecious metals
(Chapter IIIA).
7. Objective andrationale: Insofarasthebillcontains quantitive import restrictions or
similar measures, these arejustified inorder tosafeguard interest relating tofairtrade
andconsumer protection. Aprovision concerning mutual recognition forprecious metal
works fromother states oftheEuropean Economic Areahasbeenincluded inArticle 5a.
8. Relevant documents:
- Billamending the1950 Hallmark Act(1986 Hallmark Act)(Parliamentary
Documents II1985/86 19372,Nos. 1to3);and
- Billamending the1986 Hallmark Actrelating totheaccession oftheNetherlands
totheConvention onthecontrol andmarking ofarticles ofprecious metals
(Parliamentary Documents II1991/92, 22530,Nos. 1to3).
9. Proposed dateofadoption: 21October 1997
Proposed dateofentry intoforce: 21October 1997
10. Final dateforcomments: 20October 1997
TheNetherlands willproceed toimplement theproposed measure after45days
ifnocomments orrequests forextension ofthetimelimithavebeenreceived from other
Members within thattime.
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: