G/TBT/N/CHL/667  
15 December  2023 
(23-8606) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member: CHILE  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministerio  de Vivienda y Urbanismo , MINVU (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification sh all be indicated if different from above:  
Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales , SUBREI (Under -Secretariat for 
International Economic Relations) - Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores  (Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs)  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], 
other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Timber  
5. Title, number of page s and language(s) of the notified document:  Norma Chilena 
NCh 789/1 Madera - Parte 1: Durabilidad de la madera  (Chilean Standard (NCh) No. 
789/1, Timber - Part 1: Timber durability) (15 pages, in Spanish)  
6. Description of content: The notified standard s pecifies methods for determining and 
classifying the durability of timber and timber products when exposed to biotic 
degradation agents. The specified methods may be applied to timber and timber products, 
including heat -treated timber, impregnated timber, surface -treated timber and modified 
timbers. The biotic degradation agents covered under this standard are as follows:  
- Wood -destroying fungi (basidiomycetes and soft -rot fungi);  
- Wood -destroying insects (termites and coleoptera);  
- Marine xylophages.  
In the event that there is no information on the durability of a given  species, the final 
decision regarding its use for any particular purpose should be made by a specialist, taking 
into account the presence of biodegradation agents, the risks , the environmental 
conditions and other conditions that may arise. Timber used as construction material 
should be protected and maintained with products that prevent the action of 
biodegradation agents, based on the durability level established in the not ified standard. 
Accordingly, timber classed as non -durable should be preserved, and timber of a medium 
durability should be treated with protective products depending on the circumstances  and 
the specific biodegradation agent. The background information pr ovided in Annex A 
(informative) is based on the information available to, and the experience of, the 
members of the Technical Committee. The tests and other specifications contained in this G/TBT/N/CHL/667  
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  standard must be complied with when classifying the durability of timber or timber 
products.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Quality requirements  
8. Relevant documents:  
Supreme Decree No. 47 of 1992 ( Ordenanza General de Urbanismo y Construcciones ) 
9. Proposed date of adoption: - 
Proposed date of entry into force: - 
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales  
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores  
Teatinos 180, piso 11  
Tel.: (+56) -2-2827 5250  
Email: tbt_chile@subrei.gob.cl  
To view the notified Chilean Standard, go to https://www.inncoleccion.cl/  and enter the 
following details:  
Empresa  (Company): SUBREI -012-23 
Usuario  (Username): subrei  
Contraseña  (Password): subrei