EN    EN  EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
Brussels, xxx 
C(20..) yyy final 
  
Draft 
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE .../…/EU 
of […] 
amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Annex II to Directive 
96/73/EC of the European Parliament a nd of the Council on certain methods for 
quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre mixtures 
(Text with EEA relevance)  
EN 2   EN Draft 
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE .../…/EU 
of […] 
amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Annex II to Directive 
96/73/EC of the European Parliament a nd of the Council on certain methods for 
quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre mixtures 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, 
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Directive 96/73/EC of the Eur opean Parliament and of the Council of 16 
December 1996 on certain methods for quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre mixtures
1, 
and in particular Article 5 thereof, 
Whereas: (1) Directive 2008/121/EC of the European Parl iament and of the Council of 14 January 
2009 on textile names
2 requires labelling to indicate the fibre composition of textile 
products, with checks being carried out by analysis on the conformity of these 
products with indications given on the label. 
(2) Uniform methods for quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre mixtures are provided 
for in Directive 96/73/EC. 
(3) On the basis of recent findings by a tec hnical working group, Directive 2008/121/EC 
was adapted to technical progress, by adding the fibre polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent to the list of fibres set ou t in Annexes I and V to that Directive. 
(4) It is therefore nece ssary to define uniform test methods for polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent. 
(5) Directive 96/73/EC should ther efore be amended accordingly. 
(6) The measures provided for in this Directiv e are in accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee for Directives relating to Textile Names and Labelling, 
                                                 
1 OJ L 32, 3.2.1997, p. 1.  
2 OJ L 19, 23.1.2009, p. 29  
EN 3   EN HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
Annex II to Directive 96/73/EC is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive. 
Article 2 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative 
provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by [one year after publication]  at 
the latest. They shall forthwith communicat e to the Commission the text of those 
provisions. 
When Member States adopt those provisions,  they shall contain a reference to this 
Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determin e how such reference is to be made. 
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions 
of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive. 
Article 3 
This Directive shall enter into force on the tw entieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of  the European Union . 
Article […] 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
Done at Brussels, […] 
 For the Commission 
 The President  […]  
EN 4   EN ANNEX  
Chapter 2 of Annex II to Directive 96/73/EC is amended as follows: 
(1) The Summary Table is replaced by the following: 
SUMMARY TABLE 
Field of application3 Method 
Soluble component Insoluble component Reagent 
1.  Acetate Certain other fibres Acetone 
2.  Certain protein fibres Cert ain other fibres Hypochlorite 
3.  Viscose, cupro or certain 
types of modal Certain other fibres Formic acid and 
zinc chloride 
4.  Polyamide or nylon Certain other fibres Formic acid, 80% 
m/m 
5.  Acetate Certain other fibres Benzyl alcohol 
6.  Triacetate or polylactide Cert ain other fibres Dichloromethane 
7.  Certain cellulose fibres Certai n other fibres Sulphuric acid, 75% 
m/m 
8.  Acrylics, certain 
modacrylics or certain 
chlorofibres Certain other fibres Dimethylformamide 
9.  Certain chlorofibres Ce rtain other fibres Carbon 
disulphide/acetone, 55,5/44,5 v/v 
10. Acetate Certain other fibres Glacial acetic acid 
11.  Silk, polyamide or nylon Certai n other fibres Sulphuric acid, 75% 
m/m 
12.  Jute Certain animal fibres Nitrogen content 
method 
13.  Polypropylene Certain other fibres Xylene 
14.  Certain fibres Certain other fibres Concentrated 
sulphuric acid 
                                                 
3 Detailed list of fibres under each method  
EN 5   EN method 
15. Chlorofibres, certain 
modacrylics, certain elastanes, acetates, triacetates Certain other fibres Cyclohexanone 
16. Melamine Certain other fibres Hot formic acid 90 
% m/m 
(2) Point 1.2 of method No 1 is replaced by the following: 
”2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4 ), cotton (5), flax (7) true hemp (8), jute 
(9), abaca (10), alfa (11), coir (12), broom  (13), ramie (14), sisal (15), cupro (21), 
modal (22), protein (23), viscose (25), acrylic (26) , polyamide or nylon (30), 
polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elastomu ltiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine 
(48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49). 
In no circumstances is the method applicab le to acetate fibres which have been 
deacetylated on the surface.” 
(3) Point 1.2 of method No 2 is replaced by the following: 
”2. cotton (5), cupro (21), viscose (25), acry lic (26), chlorofibres (27), polyamide or 
nylon (30), polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elastane  (43), glass fibre (44) 
elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent (49). 
If different protein fi bres are present, the method give s the total of their amounts but 
not their individual quantities.” 
(4) Method No 3 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: “VISCOSE, CUPRO OR CERTAIN TYPES OF MODAL AND CERTAIN 
OTHER FIBRES (Method using form ic acid and zinc chloride) ” 
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: ”2. cotton (5), polypropylene (37), el astolefin (47) and melamine (48). 
If a modal fibre is found to be present, a pr eliminary test shall be carried out to see 
whether it is soluble in the reagent. 
This method is not applicable to mixtures  in which the cotton has suffered extensive 
chemical degradation nor when the viscose or cupro is rendered incompletely soluble by the presence of certain dyes or finishes  that cannot be removed completely.” 
(c) Point 5 is replaced by the following: 
"5. CALCULATION AND EX PRESSION OF RESULTS  
EN 6   EN Calculate the results as described in the ge neral instructions. The value of “d” is 1,00, 
except for cotton, for which “d” = 1,02 and for melamine, for which “d” = 1,01." 
(5) Method No 5 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: "ACETATE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  (Method using benzyl alcohol) ” 
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: "2. triacetate (24), polypropylene (37), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49)."  
(6) Method No 6 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: "TRIACETATES OR POLYLACTIDE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 
(Method using dichloromethane) ”  
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: "2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), 
viscose (25), acrylic (26), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), polypropylene 
(37), glass fibre (44) elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49). 
Note 
Triacetate fibres which have received a fi nish leading to partial hydrolysis cease to 
be completely soluble in th e reagent. In such cases, th e method is not applicable". 
(7) Method No 7 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: “CERTAIN CELLULOSE FIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES (Method 
using 75% m/m sulphuric acid)”  
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: 
"2. polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elas tomultiester (46), elastolefin (47) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49)." 
(c) Point 5 is replaced by the following: “5. CALCULATION AND EX PRESSION OF RESULTS 
Calculate the results as described in the ge neral instructions. The value of "d" is 1,00, 
except for polypropylene/polyamide bicompon ent, for which the value of “d” is 
1,01."  
EN 7   EN (8) Point 1.2 of Method No 8 is replaced by the following: 
"2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), 
viscose (25), polyamide or nylon (30) , polyester (35), polypropylene (37), 
elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent (49). 
It is equally applicable to acrylics, and certain modacrylics, treated with pre-
metallised dyes, but not to those dyed with afterchrome dyes." 
(9) Point 1.2 of Method No 9 is replaced by the following: 
"2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), 
viscose (25), acrylic (26), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), polypropylene 
(37), glass fibre (44), elastomultie ster (46), melamine (48) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49). 
When the wool or silk content of the mixture exceeds 25 %, method No 2 shall be 
used. 
When the polyamide or nylon content of the mixture exceeds 25 %, method No 4 
shall be used. " 
(10) Method No 10 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: 
“ACETATE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  (Method using glacial acetic 
acid)”  
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: 
"2. certain chlorofibres (27) namely po lyvinyl chloride fibres, whether after-
chlorinated or not, polypropylene (37), el astolefin (47), melamine (48) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49)." 
(11) Method No 11 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: “SILK OR POLYAMIDE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES (Method using 75 
% m/m sulphuric acid) ” 
(b) Point 1 is replaced by the following: "1. FIELD OF APPLICATION This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 
1.silk (4) or polyamide or nylon (30) with  
EN 8   EN 2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), pol ypropylene (37), elastolefin (47), melamine 
(48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49)". 
(c) Point 2 is replaced by the following: “2. PRINCIPLE The silk or polyamide or nylon fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the 
mixture, with 75 % m/m sulphuric acid (
1). 
The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed. Its mass, corrected if necessary, 
is expressed as a percentage of the dry ma ss of the mixture. The percentage of the 
dry silk or polyamide or nylon is found by difference.” 
(d) Point 4 is replaced by the following: "4. TEST PROCEDURE Follow the procedure described in the gene ral instructions and proceed as follows: 
To the specimen contained in a glass-st oppered conical flask of at least 200 ml 
capacity, add 100 ml of 75 % m/m sulphuric acid per gram of specimen and insert 
the stopper. Shake vigorously and stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Shake 
again and stand for 30 minutes. Shake a last time and filter the contents of the flask through the weighed filter cruc ible. Wash any remaining fibres from the flask with 
the 75 % sulphuric acid reagen t. Wash the residue on the crucible successively with 
50 ml of the dilute sulphuric  acid reagent, 50 ml wate r and 50 ml of the dilute 
ammonia solution. Each time allow the fibres to remain in contact with the liquid for 
about 10 minutes before applying suction. Fi nally rinse with water,  leaving the fibres 
in contact with the water for about 30 minut es. Drain the crucible  with suction, dry 
the crucible and residue, and cool and weigh them. 
In the case of binary mi xtures of polyamide w ith polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent, after filtering fibres through the weighed fi lter crucible and before 
applying the described washing procedure, wash twice the residue on the filter crucible with 50 ml of 75 % sulphuric acid reagent each time." 
(e) Points 5 and 6 are replaced by the following: 
“5. CALCULATION AND EX PRESSION OF RESULTS 
Calculate the results as described in the ge neral instructions. The value of "d" is 1,00, 
except for wool, for which “d” = 0,985, fo r polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent, 
for which “d” = 1,005 and for melamine, for which “d” = 1,01. 
6. PRECISION On a homogeneous mixture of textile mate rials, the confidence limits of results 
obtained by this method are not greater th an ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %, 
except for binary mixtures of polyamide  with polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent 
for which the confidence limits of results are not greater than ± 2."  
EN 9   EN (12) Method No 14 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: “CERTAIN FIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES (Method using 
concentrated sulphuric acid) ” 
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: "2. chlorofibres (27) ba sed on homopolymers of vinyl  chloride, whether after-
chlorinated or not, polypropylene (37), el astolefin (47), melamine (48) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49). 
The modacrylics concerned are those which gi ve a limpid solution when immersed in 
concentrated sulphuric acid (relative density 1,84 at 20 ºC). 
This method can be used in place of methods No 8 and 9.” (c) Point 2 is replaced by the following: “2. PRINCIPLE The constituent other than th e chlorofibre, polypropylene,  elastolefin, melamine or 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (i.e. the fibres mentioned in paragraph 1.1) is 
dissolved out from a known dr y mass of the mixture with co ncentrated su lphuric acid 
(relative density 1,84 at 20 ºC). The residue, consis ting of the chlorofibre, 
polypropylene, elastolefin, melamine or polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent is 
collected, washed, dried and weighed; its ma ss, corrected if nece ssary, is expressed 
as a percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. The percentage of the second 
constituents is obtained by difference.” 
(d) Point 5 is replaced by the following: “5. CALCULATION AND EX PRESSION OF RESULTS 
Calculate the results as described in the ge neral instructions. The value of "d" is 1,00, 
except for melamine and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent, for which the value of “d” is 1,01." 
(13) Method No 16 is amended as follows: 
(a) The title is replaced by the following: “MELAMINE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBR ES (Method using hot formic 
acid) ” 
(b) Point 1.2 is replaced by the following: “2. cotton (5), aramid (31)  and polypropylene (37).”