WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.97.219
27May1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-2224)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Slovak Office ofStandards, Metrology andTesting (UNMS SR)
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [X],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Footwear -given inthe
enclosure inaform oftheUNMS Decree No.144/1997
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Decree No.144/1997
oftheSlovak Office ofStandards, Metrology andTesting of15April 1997.
Obligatory Certification ofOutdoor Shoes (1page, available inEnglish)
6. Description ofcontent: Theproposed technical regulations -Decree No.144/1997 of
theSlovak Office ofStandards, Metrology andTesting of15April 1997 "Obligatory
certification ofoutdoor shoes" states theexamination bycertification, whether the
products bytheirproperties aresuitable andwhether theyareharmless asregards the
protection ofenvironment andhuman health.
7. Objective andrationale: Thereason forimplementing obligatory certification ofoutdoor
shoes istoadopt preventive arrangements against unforeseeable increase ofuncontrolled
import oflow-quality goods. Theobligatory certification isestablished inharmony with
Article XIXofcontinuing agreement GATT of1996, where among theinstruments of
internal market protection included are(among other arrangements) certificates and
technical andhygienic conditions forimports.
./.G/TBT/Notif.97.219
Page2
7. Objective andrationale (cont'd):Certification system ofproducts approximates the
system ofcertification ofconformity valid inEUandEFTA countries (according toso-
called "Global Approach toCertification andTesting" of13June1989). Theaimof
introducing thisregulation istoachieve fullcompatibility oftheprocedure forthe
conformity certification ofproducts inaccordance with theEUdirectives, which
subsequently willsecure themutual recognition ofcertificates.
8. Relevant documents:
(a) Previous documents:
- ActNo.30/1968 Zb.onstatetesting intenor tosubsequent regulations.
- Regulation No.246/1995 oftheSlovak Office ofStandards, Metrology
andTesting oncertification ofproducts.
(b) International documents:
- Directive No. 94/11/EC ofEuropean Parliament andCouncil of
23March 1994 ontheapproximation ofregulations andadministrative
provisions ofthemember States relating tolabelling ofthematerials
usedinthemain components offootwear forsaletotheconsumer.
(c) Publication inwhich there isareference:
UNMS Bulletin No.5/1997 (Vestník ÚNMS SRc.5/97).
(d) Publication inwhich theproposal willbepublished aftertheapproval:
LawGazette oftheSlovak Republic.
9. Proposed dateofadoption:
Proposed dateofentry intoforce:1September 1997
10. Final dateforcomments: 31August 1997
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: