G/TBT/N/CZE/201  
 
19 January 2017   
(17-0352) 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 : CZECH REPUBLIC  
If applicable, name of local government involved  (Article 3.2 and 7.2) : 
2. Agency responsible : State Office for Nuclear Safety  
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 : 
Czech Office for Standards M etrology and Testing  
WTO/TBT Enquiry Point  
P.O. Box 49  
Biskupsky dvur 1148/5  
110 00 Prague 1  – Czech Republic  
Telephone : (+420) 221 802 212  
Telefax : (+420) 221 802 440  
E-mail: wto.tbt@unmz.cz   
3. Notified u nder 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) : Biological agents, 
toxins, handling of high -risk biological  agents and toxins, handling of risky biological agents 
and toxins, transport of biological agents and toxins . Organic chemicals (ICS : 71.080), 
Military engineering. Military affairs. Weapons (ICS : 95.020)  
5. Title, number of pages  and language(s)  of the notified document : Draft Act amending 
Act No 281/2002 on certain measures related to the prohibition of bacteriological (biological) 
and toxin weapons and on amendments to the Trading Act, as amended (19  pages, in 
English; 18 pages, in Czech)  
6. Descripti on of content : The draft amendment to Act No. 281/2002 comprises, in 
particular:  
 adapting the definitions of legal terms,  
 refining and clarifying certain legal requirements for the handling of biological agents 
and toxins,  
 legislative and technical amendme nts in response to the latest developments in law -
making,  
 introducing the concept of security of biological agents and toxins, and  
 new provisions regarding administrative sanctioning.  G/TBT/N/CZE/201  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale , including the nature of urgent problems whe re 
applicable : The objective of the amendment is to update the existing Act based on 
experience gained from practical application of the Act in the exercise of state authority, 
including controls, and on international negotiations held under the Convention  on the 
Prohibition of Biological Weapons and international security requirements for CBRN 
(chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) substances and materials. Existing 
legislation on the prohibition of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons is no longer 
appropriate and fails to correspond to modern legislative trends.  
The draft text of the Act more clearly defines the terminology used and increases the 
standard of a number of provisions of the Act in terms of wording and legislative quality. 
At the same time, it provides for a reduction of administrative burden on all parties 
involved by abolishing the declaration of planned activities. The amendment also simplifies 
the handling of vaccines and diagnostic kits containing high -risk biological a gents. In 
addition, the amendment responds to the latest developments in administrative 
sanctioning and amends the relevant provisions in accordance with the provisions of Act 
No 250/2016 on the liability for offences and proceedings relating thereto.  
In the field of handling biological agents and toxins, the Act lays down the previously 
absent requirements for securing biological agents and toxins agai nst theft and potential 
misuse.  
8. Relevant documents : – 
9. Proposed date of adoption : November 2017  
Proposed date of entry into force : 1 January 2018   
10. Final date for comments : 60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point  [X] or address, telephone and fax 
number s and e mail and website address es, if available , of other body : 
If there will be a problem with downloading document, you can contact us:  
Czech Office for Standards Metrology and Testing  
WTO/TBT Enquiry Point  
P.O. Box 49  
Biskupsky dvur 1148/5  
110 00 Prague 1  – Czech Republic  
Telephone : (+420) 221 802 212  
Telefax : (+420) 221 802 440  
E-mail: wto.tbt@unmz.cz   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/CZE/17_0356_00_e.pdf   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/CZE/17_0356_00_x.pdf