G/TBT/N/MEX/337  
19 December 2016  
(16-6893) 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 : MEXICO  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible : Secretaría de Economía  (Ministry of the Economy)  
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 : Comité 
Consultivo Nac ional de Normalización de la Secretaría de Economía , CCONNSE (National 
Advisory Committee on Standardization of the Ministry of the Economy ) 
Puente de Tecamachalco número 6Colonia Lomas de Tecamachalco,  
Sección Fuentes  
Naucalpan de Juárez  
C.P. 53950, Esta do de México  
Email: emeterio.mosso@economia.gob.mx  and francisco.delcollado@economia.gob.mx  
(comments may be submitted to this authority for cons ideration under the terms of the 
relevant law . SINEC-20160823120015245)  
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) : Primary 
cells and primary batteries (tariff heading 85.06)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Proyecto de 
Norma Oficial Mexicana PROY -NOM-212-SCFI-2016, Pilas y Baterías Primarias - Límites 
Máximos Permisibles de Mercurio y Cadmio - Especificaciones, Métodos De Prueba y 
Etiquetado  (Draft Mexican Official Standard PROY -NOM-212-SCFI-2016: Primary cells and 
primary batteries - Maximum permissible mercury and cadmium limits - Specificat ions, test 
methods and labelling) (12 pages, in Spanish)  
6. Description of content : Cells and batteries have evolved since they were first created . 
For a time, they were made with mercury to prevent the build -up of internal gases, the 
leakage of materials  from their casing, and the possibility of them exploding.  Since the 
beginning of the 1990s, technology has made it possible to eliminate the use of mercury 
and cadmium in batteries - a change that has been implemented by formal industry.  In 
Mexico, all ba tteries are imported, i.e. none are manufactured domestically, and it is 
therefore impossible to control or guarantee the type of technology used to produce the 
range of battery brands consumed throughout national territory.  
One type of battery, the mercur ic oxide button cell, the main component of which is 
mercury (32% of its total weight), has been replaced by new forms of button cell ; 
however, it is possible that this type of battery continues to be manufactured in some 
parts of the world.  
Lead-acid batt eries are commonly associated exclusively with motor vehicle batteries, and 
yet they are now used in other areas such as lighting (rechargeable lamps) and recreation, 
and in large toys such as electric ride -ons. At the end of their useful life, these batte ries G/TBT/N/MEX/337  
- 2 - 
  are considered to be hazardous waste and are subject to the regulations concerning such 
waste.  
Establishing a measure to control the manufacture and import of batteries will ensure that 
batteries marketed in Mexico have a mercury and cadmium content t hat poses no threat to 
human health and the environment.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : The notified draft Mexican Official Standard establishes and defines the 
characteristics of cells and batteries,  their classification by electrochemical system 
technology, maximum permissible mercury and cadmium limits, and battery labelling 
requirements.  
It is applicable to the primary cells and batteries imported into and marketed in national 
territory that are li sted in Table 1 of the text.  
It does not cover cells and batteries marketed as part of an electronic or electrical product, 
i.e. any cells and batteries contained in an electrical or electronic device that are required 
for its functioning.  
8. Relevant doc uments : Mexican Official Standard NOM -050-SCFI-2004: Información 
comercial - Etiquetado general de productos  (Commercial information - General product 
labelling),  published in the Official Journal on 1 June 2 004. 
Mexican Standard NMX -J-160/1 -ANCE -2013: Pilas eléctricas - parte 1 : requisitos generales 
(Electric batteries - Part 1 : General requirements) (cancels Mexican Standard NMX -J-
160/1 -ANCE -2005) . Notice of entry into force published in the Official Journal on 
28 October 2 013.  
9. Proposed date of adopt ion: The notified draft Mexican Official Standard will be adopted 
upon its publication in the Official Journal as a final Mexican Official Standard.  
Proposed date of entry into force : The notified draft Mexican Official Standard will enter 
into force 180 c alendar days after its publication in the Official Journal as a final standard.  
10. Final date for comments : 60 days from 1 2 December 2 016. 
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website a ddresses, if available, of other body:  
Secretaría de Economía  
Subsecretaría de Competitividad y Normatividad  
Dirección General de Normas  
Tel.: (+52) 55 5729 9100, Ext. 43244  
Fax: (+52) 55 5520 9715  
Website: http://www.economia -noms.gob.mx/?P=144  
Email: normasomc@economia.gob.mx  and/or sofia.pacheco@economia.gob.mx  
Text available online at:  
http://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5465033&fecha=12/12/2016  
https://members.wto.org/crnattac hments/2016/TBT/MEX/16_5149_00_s.pdf