G/TBT/N/SWE/125  
 
8 July 2013  
(13-3607)  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:  SWEDEN  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:   
National Board of Trade 
Box:  6803, 113 86  
Stockholm, Sweden Telephone:  +46 8 690 48 00 
Fax:  +46 8 30 67 59,  
Email:   kommerskollegium@kommers.se  
Website:  http://www.kommer.se  
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):  Powerful 
laser pointers. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Radiation 
Protection Ordinance, (4 pages in Swedish).     
6. Description of content:  The proposed change in the already existing Radiation 
Protection Ordinance (1988:293) entails a permit requirement for importing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, using, transferring or leasing powerful laser pointers. Powerful laser pointers covers, according to the new definition, laser pointers 
that inter alia comply with the criterion for Class 3R, 3B or 4 according to the Swedish 
laser standard SS EN 60825-1, edition 4, 2007. The Swedish laser standard corresponds to the European standard (EN 60825-1:2007). 
For importing, manufacturing, acquiring, po ssessing, using, transferring or leasing 
powerful laser pointers within the context of  professional trade, a permit can only be 
obtained if the responsible person or company is considered suitable with regard to 
knowledge, obedience to the law and other circumstances. For importing, manufacturing, 
acquiring, possessing or using powerful laser pointers in other cases than within professional trade, a permit can only be obta ined by someone who is in need of the laser 
pointer for an acceptable purpose and if it can reasonably be expected that it will not be 
misused.  
As a consequence of the proposed change in the above-mentioned ordinance, a change 
in the Act (1996:701) on the Powers of Swedish Customs at Sweden's Borders with G/TBT/N/SWE/125 
 
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  other European Union Countries is also proposed. This change amounts to powers for the 
Swedish Customs to control import of powerful laser pointers over Sweden's borders with another country within the European Union. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  During the last years powerful lasers have become more available and 
affordable to the general public. As a consequence, their misuse has increased 
dramatically. They are used for long-range ab use, e.g. flash-blinding police officers and 
disturbing air traffic or bus traffic by blindi ng pilots and bus drivers. The beam power of 
powerful laser pointers may in a split second cause permanent damage to the eye, 
resulting in partial blindness or distorted vision. 
The purpose of the proposed legislation is to overcome the increased radiation safety 
problems and health problems which the misuse of powerful laser pointers causes. 
8. Relevant documents:   Draft proposal, impact assessment. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    1 November 2013 1 November 2013 
10. Final date for comments:  3 October 2013 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/SWE/13_2607_00_x.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/SWE/13_2607_01_x.pdf