G/TBT/N/COL/214  
18 September 2015  
(15-4792)  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: COLOMBIA 
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social  (Ministry of Health and 
Social Welfare); Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible  (Ministry of the 
Environment and Sustainable Development) 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: Ministerio de 
Comercio, Industria y Turismo  (Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism) 
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): Detergents and soaps 
(HS codes: 3401, 3402 and 3405400000) 
5. Title, number of pages and lang uage(s) of the notified document: Proyecto de 
Resolución del Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social y el Ministerio de Ambiente y 
Desarrollo Sostenible "Por la cual se adopta el reglamento técnico que establece los límites 
máximos de fósforo  y la biodegradabilidad de los tensoactivos presentes en detergentes y 
jabones, y se dictan otras disposiciones"  (Draft Resolution of the Ministry of Health and 
Social Welfare and the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development 
"adopting the Technical Regulation establishing  the maximum levels of phosphorus and the 
biodegradability of surfactants in detergents and soaps, and introducing other provisions") 
(16 pages, in Spanish) 
6. Description of content: The notified text establishes the maximum levels of phosphorus 
and the biodegradability of surfactants in de tergents and soaps. It covers the following: 
Purpose; Scope; Definitions; Obligations of manufacturers and importers of detergents and soaps; Maximum permissible phosphorus levels ; Biodegradability requirement; Conformity 
assessment procedure; Conformity certificates; Obligation to inform of manufacturers and 
importers of detergents and soaps for institutional and industrial use; Inspection, 
monitoring and control; Penalties; Review and updating; Transitional regime; and Period of 
validity and derogations. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: To protect health and the environment. 
8. Relevant documents: Resolution ( Resolución ) No. 427 of 2 March 2009, notified in 
document G/TBT/N/COL/126, and Resolution No. 0451 of 5 March 2010, notified in document G/TBT/N/COL/126/Add.1, of the Mi nistry of the Environment, Housing and 
Regional Development; Resolution No. 1974, notified in document G/TBT/N/COL/39/Add.1, and Resolution No. 1975, notified in document G/TBT/N/COL/40/Add.1 of 19 June 2007, of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Colombian Technical Standards ( Norma Técnica 
Colombiana ) NTC 5604 of 2008 and NTC/ISO/IEC 17050, Parts 1 and 2; Council Regulation 
(EC) No. 440/2008 of 30 May 2008, Section C.4.; and the judgment in file AP 25000-23-27-000-2001-9479-01 of 28 March 2014, declared enforceable on 14 August 2014 (point 4.61). G/TBT/N/COL/214 
- 2 - 
  9. Proposed date of adoption: Date on which the Resolution is signed. 
Proposed date of entry into force: Six months from the date of publication in the 
Official Journal.  
10. Final date for comments: 14 December 2015 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresse s, if available, of other body:  
Enquiry point: 
Contact person: Daniel Héctor Rico R. 
Email: drico@mincit.gov.co /puntocontacto@mincit.gov.co  
Tel.: +(57-1) 606-7676, Ext. 1690 
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo Dirección de Regulación 
Calle 28 No. 13A - 15, tercer piso 
Bogotá, D.C. Colombia Website: http://www.mincit.gov.co/publicaciones.php?id=33051  
Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social 
Dirección de Promoción y Prevención 
Subdirección de Salud Ambiental Carrera 13 N° 32 - 76 
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia 
Tel.: +(57-1) 330-5000 Email: jmolina@minsalud.gov.co  
Website: http://www.minprotecci onsocial.gov.co/  
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible 
Dirección Técnica de Asuntos Ambientales Sectorial y Urbana Carrera 37 N° 8 - 40 
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia 
Tel.: +(57-1) 332-3400, Ext. 1146 Email: kromero@minambiente.gov.co  
Website: https://www.minambiente.gov.co/  
Also available at: 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachme nts/2015/TBT/COL/15_3656_00_S.pdf