. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/EEC/222 
21 October 2008 
 (08-5073) 
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:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   European Commission 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, 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:    
European Commission 
EC-TBT Enquiry Point Fax:  +(32) 2 299 8043 E-mail:  ec-tbt@ec.europa.eu
 
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/  
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):   Sulphuric acid (plant 
protection products active substance)         
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft Commission 
Decision concerning the non-inclusion of sul phuric acid in Annex I to Council Directive 
91/414/EEC and the withdrawal of authorisati ons for plant protection products containing 
such substance (3 pages in English). 
6. Description of content:   This draft Commission Decision provides that the substance is not 
included in the positive Community list and that Member States have to withdraw 
authorisations for plant protection products c ontaining that substance within 6 months from 
the date of adoption. This decision only concer ns the placing on the market of the substance 
and does not affect the Community or nati onal Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for 
residues of the concerned pesticides. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market 
sets up a harmonised framework for the authorisation and placing on the market of plant protection products in order to protect  human health and the environment. 
 Article 8(2) of this Directive provides a progr amme to be carried out over a period of 12 
years for the gradual examination of the active substances contained in the plant protection 
products on the market. Substances for which the outcome of the evaluation is favourable G/TBT/N/EEC/222 
Page 2  
 
  are then included in Annex I of the Directive. 
Sulphuric acid is covered by the fourth stage of this work programme.  
The substance complies with the criteria of ha rmful substances laid down in Annex VII of 
Regulation 1095/2007, and is therefore subject to a decision of non inclusion. A period of 
grace for disposal, storage, placi ng on the market and use of existing stocks of plant protection 
products containing these substances allowed by Member States, in accordance with the provisions of Article 4(6) of Directive 91/414/EEC, shall consequently expire at latest 18 
months from the date of adoption. 
8. Relevant documents:   Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing 
of plant protection products on the market, OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1. 
http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. do?uri=CONSLEG:1991L0 414:20070201:EN:PDF  
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    End of December 2008 
20 days from date of publication. 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from date of notification. 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
European Commission 
EC-TBT Enquiry Point Fax:  + (32) 2 299 8043 E-mail:  ec-tbt@ec.europa.eu
 
 
The text is available on the EC-TBT Website :  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/    
And at: 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2008/tbt/eec/08_3291_00_e.pdf