G/TBT/N/FRA/170  
 
30 November 2016  
(16-6583) 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 government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Direction générale des entreprises , DGE (Directorate -General for Enterprise)  
Sous-Direction de la qualité pour l’industrie et de la normalisation , SQUALPI  
(Vice-Directorate, Quality for Industry and Standardization )  
Bât. Sieyès, Teledoc 151  
61, Bd Vincent Auriol  
75703 PARIS Cedex 13  
Email: d9834.france@finances.gouv.fr   
Tel.: 01 44 97 24 55  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle commen ts 
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):  Rinse -off 
cosmetic products for exfoliation or cleansing that contain solid plastic particles, with the 
exception of particles of natural origin not liable to persist in, or release active chemical or 
biological  ingredients into, the environment or to affect animal food chains  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Décret relatif à 
l'interdiction de la mise sur le marché des produits cosmétiques rincés à usage d'exfoliation 
ou de net toyage comportant des particules plastiques solides, prévue au 3ème alinéa du III 
de l’article L. 541 -10-5 du Code de l'environnement (Decree prohibiting the placing on the 
market of rinse-off cosmetic products for exfoliation or cleansing that contain sol id plastic 
particles , in accordance with the third paragraph of point III of Article L.  541-10-5 of the 
Environmental Code ) (3 pages , in French ) 
6. Description of content:  The notified Decree defines the conditions for the implementation  
of the legislativ e provisions of the Environmental Code that seek to prohibit, as from 1 
January 2018, the placing on the market of rinse -off cosmetic products for exfoliation or 
cleansing that contain solid plastic particles, with the exception of particles of natural ori gin 
not liable to persist in, or release active chemical or biological ingredients into, the 
environment or to affect animal food chains . 
In this context, it sets out the implementation procedures for  the third paragraph of 
point III of Article L.  541-10-5 of the Environmental Code and, in particular, the definitions 
and characteristics of these cosmetic products .  
An Order of the Minister for the Environment will subsequently specify  the following:  
 the degradation time and conditions for particles of natur al origin not liable to persist 
in, or release active chemical or biological ingredients into, the environment ; 
 the list of classifications of particles of natural origin not liable to affect animal food 
chains, on the grounds  of either risk to the environ ment or risk to human health .  G/TBT/N/ FRA/170  
 
- 2 - 
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  This regulatory provision is issued pursuant to a legislative provision aimed at 
reducing plastic marine litter and thereby  contribut ing to the achievement of the good 
environmental status of marine waters to which France is committed under its international 
and European obligations (Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) of 17 June 2008).  
Marine litter is one of the 11 descriptors for d etermining the good environmental status of 
marine waters defined in the MSFD .  
Furthermore , in the context of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment 
of the North -East Atlantic ( OSPAR Convention), microplastics  are a common indicator f or 
monitoring the status and quality of the marine environment . The solid plastic particles  
found in cleansing  and exfoliati on products are a primary source of pollution (microbeads 
can represent up to  10% of product  volume and some  eight billion plastic  microbeads are 
discharged  into seas and oceans every day , according to a study published in the  journal  
Environmental Science & Technology ) even though  alternatives exist that do not have an 
impact on marine ecosystems . 
France therefore intends  to combat  this pollution in order to achieve the objective of good 
environmental st atus of marine waters by 2020 . 
8. Relevant documents:  Article 124 de la loi n° 2016 -1087 du 8 août 2016 pour la 
reconquête de la biodiversité, de la nature et des paysages modifiant l'article L. 541 -10-5 
du Code de l'environnement  (Article 124 of Act No. 2016-1087 of 8 August 2016 on the 
restoration of biodiversity, nature and the countryside, amending Article L.  541-10-5 of the 
Environmental Code)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined following notification to the European 
Commission  
Proposed da te of entry into force: 1 January 2018   
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from the date of circulation  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers  and email and website addresses, if available , of other b ody:  
Ministère de l’environnement, de l’énergie et de la mer (MEEM)  
Direction générale du logement, de l’aménagement et de la nature (DGALN)  
Direction de l’eau et de la biodiversité (DEB)  
Sous-direction du littoral et des milieux marin, B ureau LM3  
92055 La Défense Cedex  
France  
Emilie Pleyber -Le Foll (Chief)  
Tel.: 01 40 81 67 57  
Email: emilie.pleyber@developpement -durable.gouv.fr   
Arthur de Cambiaire (Deputy Chief)  
Tel.: 01 40 81 32 10  
Email: arthur.de -cambiaire@developpement -durable.gouv.fr   
Text available at: 
https://members.wto.org/ crnattachments/2016/TBT/FRA/16_4917_00_f.pdf