G/TBT/N/EU/410  
 
6 October  2016 
(16-5331) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member : EUROPEAN UNION   
If applicable, name of local government involved  (Article 3.2 and 7.2) :  
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission  
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 :  
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2  [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [ X], 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):  Windscreen washing 
fluids, defrosting fluids and denatured alc ohol containing methanol in quantities equal to or 
greater than 0.6% by weight . 
5. Title, number of pages  and language(s)  of the notified document:  Draft Commission 
Regulation amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and 
Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards methanol (3 pages + Annex 2 pages, in 
English) . 
6. Description of content:  This draft Regulation relates to a new entry in Annex XVII  to 
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.  
It would restrict the placing on the market for the general public of windscreen washing 
fluids or defrosting fluids and denatured alcohol containing methanol in a concentration 
equal to or greater than 0.6% by weight.  
Application of the restriction is deferred for 12 months to allow stakeholders sufficient time 
to adapt and achieve compliance.  
7. Objective and rationale , including the nature of ur gent problems where applicable: 
The exposure to methanol present in windscr een washing fluids or defrosting fluids and 
denatured alcohol in a concentration equal to or above 0.6% by weight poses a risk to 
human health, in particular a risk of death, severe ocular toxicity or other severe effects of 
methanol poisoning.  
The propose d restriction aims to reduce the incidence of severe methanol poisoning 
following consumption by chronic alcoholics and sporadically by non -alcoholics of 
windscreen washing fluids or defrosting fluids and denatured alcohol used as cheap 
substitute for cons umable alcohol.  
The 12 months of transitional period before the application of the proposed restriction will 
allow stakeholders sufficient time to comply with the proposed restriction in particular to 
allow the sales of stocks and to ensure adequate commu nication within the supply chain.     G/TBT/N/EU/410  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:  Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals 
(REACH Regulation):   
http://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1423064258789&uri=CELEX:32006R1907  
The opinions of the Committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio -economic Analysis 
(SEAC) : http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/2b3f6422 -ab4d-4b85-9642-
ebe225070858  
 Further background information is available at http://echa.europa.eu/previous -
consultations -on-restriction -proposals/ -/substance -rev/7202/ter m 
9. Proposed date of adoption: First half of 2017  
Proposed date of entry into force: 20 days from publication in the Official Journal of the 
EU (the restriction will begin to apply 12 months afte r the 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 
number s and e mail and websit e address es, if available , of other body:   
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
The text is available on the Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/TBT/EEC/16_4196_00_e.pdf   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/TBT/EEC/16_4196_01_e.pdf