G/TBT/N/FRA/168  
25 July 2016  
(16-3928)  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: FRANCE 
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: Ministère de la santé, Direction générale de la santé, bureau MC2  
(Ministry of Health, Directorate-General of Health, Office MC2) 
Name and address (including telephon e 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:  
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): Objects 
directly encouraging excessive alcohol consumption that are intended for minors 
5. Title, number of pages and lang uage(s) of the notified document: Projet de décret 
fixant les types et les caractéristiques des objets incitant directement à la consommation 
excessive d'alcool interdits aux mineurs (Draft Decree establishing the types and 
characteristics of objects directly encouraging excessive alcohol consumption that are 
forbidden for sale to minors) (2 pages) 
6. Description of content: The draft Decree establishes the types and characteristics of 
objects directly encouraging excessive alcohol consumption that are forbidden to be sold or 
presented for sale to minors. Such objects include games, clothing, fashion accessories, decorative items, utensils, or accessories for electronic devices, or any other object, the 
graphics, presentation, visual aspect, name, logo, commercial name or slogan of which 
directly encourage excessive alcohol consumption. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: In France, excessive alcohol consumption by minors continues to grow. In 
2011, 28% of 17-year-olds declared that they had been drunk at least three times during 
the course of the year, compared with 26% in 2008. Furthermore, 10.5% of 17-year-olds 
regularly consume alcohol. The proportion of the young adult population (18-25 years old) that had been drunk during the course of the year was 46%. Those who had been drunk at 
least three times represented 29%. These figures have been on the increase for the past 
10 years (2014 INPES report). 
Through this draft Decree, the French authorities intend to prohibit the sale or presentation 
for sale to minors of objects directly encouraging excessive alcohol consumption. This commercial practice aimed at presenting a positive and festive image of drunkenness 
would thus be forbidden if it targeted minors, who are particularly receptive to laudatory 
messages regarding excessive alcohol consumption. From a health and social perspective, the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption are numerous and include immediate risks 
(alcoholic coma, behaviour dangerous to the person or others), as well as long-term risks 
(cancer, cirrhosis, addiction, etc.). 
This measure thus aims to better protect young people by limiting their exposure to the 
positive, funny or playful image of drunkenness to which an object may directly contribute. G/TBT/N/FRA/168 
- 2 - 
  The draft Decree will therefore help to prevent excessive alcohol consumption by minors. It 
is entirely coherent with the guidelines established by the European Union Action Plan on 
Youth Drinking and on Heavy Episodic Drinking (Binge Drinking) (2014-2016). Moreover, 
the European Union remains the region with  the world's highest alcohol consumption 
(WHO 2012). 
8. Relevant documents: Article L. 3342-1 of the Public Health Code 
9. Proposed date of adoption: As from the end of the standstill period for notification 
referred to in Directive (EU) 2015/1535. 
Proposed date of entry into force: The day after publication.  
10. Final date for comments: - 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresse s, if available, of other body:  
CINORTECH 
AFNOR 11 avenue Francis de Pressensé 93571 Saint-Denis-La Plaine Cedex 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachme nts/2016/TBT/FRA/16_2814_00_f.pdf