G/TBT/N/CHE/241  
6 January  2020 
(20-0006) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible : Office fédéral de la santé publique , OFSP (Federal Office of Public 
Health)  
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 shall be indicated if different from above:  
Secrétariat d'Etat à l'économie , SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs)  
Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Berne  
tbt@seco.admin.ch  
www.seco.admin.ch  
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) : Chemicals 
and biocides (mixtures/preparations)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Projet de 
révision de l'ordonnance sur les produits biocides OPBio (RS 813.12)  (Draft revision of 
the Ordinance on Biocidal Products, OBP (RS 813.12)) (9 pages, in German ; 9 pages, in 
French ; 9 pages, in Italian)  
6. Description of content : Introduction of the requirement to hold a Unique Formula 
Identifier (UFI) for biocidal products, in accordance wit h EU law.  
Under the Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO), the use of the UFI is extended to preparations 
(mixtures) that already have a UFI or that are intended for professional users, as under 
EU law.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : To better protect health in the event of poisoning by chemical or biocidal 
products, through the faster and more reliable identification of the chemical substance 
mixture/preparation involved ; Protection of human health or  safety.  
8. Relevant documents:  
Explanatory report on the revision of the Ordinance on Biocidal Products : 
French: https://www.admin.ch/ch/f/gg/pc/documents/3103/OPBio_Rapport -expl_fr.pdf  
German: https://www.admin.ch/ch/d/gg/pc/documents/3103/VBP_Erl. -Bericht_de.pdf  
Italian: https://www.admin.ch/ch/i/gg/pc/documents/3103/OBioc_Rapporto -espl_it.pdf  
Ongoing consu ltation processes : https://www.admin.ch/ch/f/gg/pc/pendent.html#DFI  G/TBT/N/CHE/241  
- 2 - 
  Ordinance on Biocidal Products  (current version) : 
French: https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20021524/index.html  
German: https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified -compilation/20021524/index.html  
Italian: https://www.admin.ch/opc/it/classified -compilation/20021524/index.html  
9. Proposed date of adoption : 1 November 2 020 
Proposed date of entry into force : 1 December 2 020, with transitional periods in 
certain cases . 
10. Final date for comments : 31 March 2 020 
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
https://www.admin.ch/ch/f/gg/pc/documents/3103/OPBio_Projet_fr.pdf  
https://www.admin.ch/ch /i/gg/pc/documents/3103/OBioc_Progetto_it.pdf  
https://www.admin.ch/ch/d/gg/pc/documents/3103/VBP_Entwurf_de.pdf