. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CHE/109 
9 January 2009  
 (09-0048) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  SWITZERLAND
  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, CH-3003 Berne 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and web-site 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs  
Non-tariff Measures Division  Effingerstrasse 1  CH-3003 Berne  Fax: +41 31 324 09 58  
e-mail: tbt@seco.admin.ch 
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):  Perfluorooctyl Sulfonates, 
PAHs Lindane, perfluorocarbons, hydroflurocar bons, Batteries, elec tric and electronic 
equipments, Refrigeration and air conditioning equipments, fire protection systems. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft Revision of the 
Ordinance on Risk Reduction related to Chem ical Products, 33 page s, Draft 18 May 2005,  
available in German, French and Italian.     
6. Description of content:   
The amendment of the draft ordinance contains special provisions relating to certain 
hazardous chemicals. The most important amendments are:  
• Restrictions on the marketing and use of products containing Perfl uorooctyl Sulphonates 
• Restrictions on the placing on the market of Nickel Cadmium batteries 
• Restrictions on marketing and use of products containing tar 
• Labelling requirements for products and eq uipments containing hydrofluorocarbons 
(fluorinated greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol) G/TBT/N/CHE/109 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
The draft amendment of the Ordinance is intend ed to improve the level of protection for the 
general population, employees a nd the environment against harmful effects by hazardous 
substances.  The regulations on Perfluorooctyl Sulphonates, Nickel Cadmium batteries and 
fluorinated gases are in line with recent am endments of legislation in the European 
Community. The proposal of tar containing produc ts aims at eliminating remaining sources 
for releases of Polycyclic Aromatic Hy drocarbons (PAHs) into the environment.  
8. Relevant documents: 
Ordinance on Risk Reduction re lated to Chemical Products (S R 814.81), available in French, 
German and Italian http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/c814_81.html .   
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from the day of notification. 
11. Text available from: National enquiry point [  ], or addre ss, telephone and fax numbers, 
e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body: 
http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2008/tbt/CHE/08_4091_00_f.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crna ttachments/2008/tbt/CHE/08_4091_00_x.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crna ttachments/2008/tbt/CHE/08_4091_00_x2.pdf