. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/FRA/90 
24 September 2008 
 (08-4480) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   French 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  FRANCE
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  Ministère de l'agriculture et de la pêche (Ministry of Agriculture and 
Fisheries) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and e-mail and web site 
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):   Agricultural or forestry 
tractors in categories C1, C2 and C3 (track-laying tractors) and T4.3 (wheeled, low-
clearance tractors). 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  Arrêté modifiant 
l'arrêté du 30 juillet 2007 relatif à l’homol ogation nationale par type des tracteurs 
agricoles ou forestiers appartenant à une des ca tégories mentionnées a l’article 8 du décret 
n° 2005-1236 du 30 septembre 2005  (Order amending the Order of 30 July 2007 on the 
national type-approval of agricultural or forest ry tractors belonging to one of the categories 
referred to in Article 8 of Decree No. 2005-1236 of 30 September 2005) (31 pages). 
6. Description of content:  The purpose of the notified text is  to establish the national type-
approval modalities for tractors in categories C1, C2, C3 and T4.3, with a view to 
occupational safety and the placing of such vehicles on the market in France.  It authorizes CEMAGREF (National Agricultural and Envir onmental Engineering Research Centre) to 
carry out examinations and tests and to issue national approval decisions.  The text specifies 
the content of the information folder that mu st accompany an application for type-approval. 
It defines the technical conformity assessment cr iteria, including that relating to instruction 
manuals, and provides models for a certificate of  conformity and the mark of conformity. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  
 The track-laying tractors in categories C1 , C2 and C3 allow for increased traction 
capacity due to a very low slippage level, a nd strongly minimize soil compaction.  They are 
therefore suited to very difficult conditions of terrain.  The main risks linked to the use of these tractors are as follows:  they may roll ov er and, in particular, tip up, on very steep 
slopes; risks linked to accessing the driving position;  and vibrations. G/TBT/N/FRA/90 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:   
(cont'd) 
 Wheeled tractors in category T4.3 are speci al tractors mainly used in mountainous 
areas as their low clearance gives them increased  stability on steep slopes.  The difference 
between these tractors and those in categories T1 (standard) and T2 (narrow-track) is that, 
due to their special design, they often requi re a specially adapted driver's operating space.  
8. Relevant documents:  Décret n° 2005-1236 du 30 septembre 2005 relatif aux règles, 
prescriptions et procédures applicables aux tr acteurs agricoles ou forestiers et à leurs 
dispositifs, transposant la directive 2003/37/CE  (Decree No. 2005-1236 of 
30 September 2005 on the rules, requirements a nd procedures applicable to agricultural or 
forestry tractors and the devices forming part of such vehicles, transposing Directive 2003/37/EC) 
 
Arrêté du 31 juillet 2007 relatif à l'homologation nationale par type des tracteurs agricoles 
ou forestiers appartenant à une des catégories me ntionnées à l'article 8 du décret n° 2005-
1236 du 30 septembre 2005  (Order of 31 July 2007 on the national type-approval of 
agricultural or forestry tractors belonging to one of the categories referred to in Article 8 of 
Decree No. 2005-1236 of 30 September 2005) 
9. Proposed date of adoption: 
Proposed date of entry into force:  December 2008 1 January 2010 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry  point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web site addresses, if available, of other body:  
National enquiry point: 
CINORTECH 
AFNOR 11, avenue Francis de Pressensé 93571 – SAINT DENIS – LA PLAINE Cedex 
 
and:  http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2008/tbt/fra/08_2854_00_f.pdf
 
http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2008/tbt/fra/08_2854_01_f.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2008/tbt/fra/08_2854_02_f.pdf