WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/FRA/89 
7 August 2008 
 (08-3773) 
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’écologie, de l’énergie, du développement 
durable et de l’aménagement du territoire (Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable 
Development, and Town and Country Planning)/DGALN/DEB/SDPGREM/BLPDI 
20 avenue de Ségur 
75007 Paris 
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):   B10, B30 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Arrêté fixant les 
prescriptions techniques applicables aux installations d’assainissement non collectif recevant une charge brute de pollution organique inférieure ou égale à 1,2 kg/j de DBO5 
(Order establishing the technical requirements for non-collective waste water installations 
receiving a gross organic waste load not exceeding 1.2 kg./j of BOD5) (13 pages). 
6. Description of content:  
 The Water Law of 30 December 2006 h as significantly amended the existing 
regulatory framework. 
 Moreover, Article R. 2224-17 of the Ge neral Code on Local Authorities provides 
that the technical requirements applicable to non-collective waste water installations 
receiving a gross organic waste load not exceeding 1.2 kg. of BOD5 shall be established by 
joint Order of the Ministers of Health, Housing and the Environment. 
 In addition, Article L. 1331-1-1 of th e Public Health Code provides that 
maintenance procedures for non-collective waste water installations shall be defined by 
Order of the Ministers of Health, the Environment and Housing. 
 The notified draft text stems from these provisions.  Its purpose is to revise the 
Order of 6 May 1996 establishing technical requirements for non-collective waste water 
systems. G/TBT/N/FRA/89 
Page 2  
 
  6. Description of content:   (cont'd) 
 The text has been prepared on the basis of  the principles of the EC doctrine of the 
"New Approach".  Its intention is to comply with the essential requirements of the Directive 
on construction products and the technical speci fications of the reference documents that 
constitute standards.  It provides for the publi cation of such reference documents, the list of 
bodies designated to carry out technical assessme nts, the technical assessment protocol, the 
assessment request procedure, the list of  approved components and the corresponding 
specification sheet. 
 The notified draft Order comprises five sections defining general principles;  
minimum technical requirements in respect of treatment;  minimum requirements in respect 
of evacuation;  the maintenance of, and the e limination of by-products and night soil from, 
non-collective waste water installations;  and pr ovisions relating to dry toilets.  Its Annex 
sets forth the list of components approved by the co-signatory Ministries. 
 The draft text does not call into question existing technical requirements and 
reaffirms the purifying capacity of the soil and other approved materials.  Nevertheless, it 
amends the authorization procedure for i nnovatory processes which were previously 
approved by the French Public Hygiene Council. 
 The draft text provides for the drafting of a protocol to demonstrate that conditions 
concerning the use of treatment components, such as are recommended by the manufacturer, ensure that the installations into  which the components are integrated comply 
with the minimum requirements set forth in the draft Order and the following maximum 
end-of-treatment concentration levels:  30 mg ./l. for suspended particulate matter (SPM) 
and 35 mg./l. for BOD5. 
 The protocol will be drafted by the French Agency for Environmental and 
Occupational Health and Safety (AFSSET) and implemented by the bodies jointly 
designated by the Ministers co-signing the Or der, who will approve technical innovations 
by publishing them in the Official Journal.  A joint referral of the AFSSET is in the process 
of being co-signed with the Minister of Health. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where
applicable:  
 The purpose of the technical requirements for non-collective waste water 
installations is to reduce the environmental and health risks linked to waste water discharge.  
Such installations must not undermine public health, the quality of the receiving 
environment or human safety.  They must not present any risk to public health or pollute 
underground or surface water, especially that ta ken for human consumption or that with a 
particular usage, such as shellfish farming, sh ellfish picking, watercr ess growing or bathing. 
 Certain components meet the requirements described in the draft Order, in 
particular the technical specifications set forth in standards NF EN 12566 and XP DTU 64.1.  Some such components are subject to EC marking which constitutes 
authorization for the free circulation of these products.  Nevertheless, the type testing 
carried out to obtain such marking cannot c onfirm compliance in respect of purification 
performance or assess conditions of use and durability.  A component must therefore be approved by the assessment protocol and publishe d in the Official Journal in order to be 
considered a treatment component.  Moreove r, components generally relating to the 
activated sludge or fixed film method are cons idered to provide preliminary treatment and 
therefore remain in the Annex to this Order.  G/TBT/N/FRA/89 
 Page 3 
 
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where
applicable:  (cont'd) 
 Extensive consultations concerning this draft text have been held between the 
co-signatory Ministries, the representatives of the author ities and the establishments under 
their supervision, and non-collectiv e waste water installation experts. 
8. Relevant documents:  
- Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 Decemb er 1988 on the approximation of laws, 
regulations and administrative provisions  of the Member States relating to 
construction products: 
 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ /LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1989L0106:  
20031120:EN:PDF  
- Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parlia ment and of the Council of 22 June 1998, 
as amended by Directive 98/48/EC, laying down a procedure for the provision of 
information in the field of technical st andards and regulations and of rules on 
information society services: 
 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/L exUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:1998:217:0018:0026:
EN:PDF  
- Code de la construction et de l'habitation  (Building and Housing Code), in 
particular Articles L. 111-4 and R. 111-3: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI0000068
24107&cidTexte=LEGITEXT 000006074096&dateTexte=20080725  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI0000068
95886&cidTexte=LEGITEXT 000006074096&dateTexte=20080725  
- Code de l'environnement  (Environment Code), in particular Articles L. 211-1, 
R. 211-25 to R. 211-45, and R. 214-5: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI0000068
32982&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006074220& dateTexte=20080725&oldAction=re
chCodeArticle  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCode.do?idSectionTA=LEGISCTA000006195
313&cidTexte=LEGITEXT0000 06074220&dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC ode.do;jsessionid=F37944BE8AF60BBA9A0
576547FD5BE20.tpdjo04v_1?idSectionTA=LEGISCTA000006195314&cidTexte=
LEGITEXT000006074220&dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC ode.do;jsessionid=F37944BE8AF60BBA9A0
576547FD5BE20.tpdjo04v_1?idSectionTA=LEGISCTA000006195315&cidTexte=
LEGITEXT000006074220&dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=F37944BE8AF60B
BA9A0576547FD5BE20.tpdjo04v_1?idAr ticle=LEGIARTI000006835466&cidTex
te=LEGITEXT000006074 220&dateTexte=20080728  G/TBT/N/FRA/89 
Page 4  
 
  8. Relevant documents:   (cont'd) 
- Code général des collectivités territoriales (General Code on Local Authorities), in 
particular Articles L. 2212-2, L. 2224-8, L.2224-9, L. 2224-10, L. 2224-12 and 
R. 2224-17: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900
CB66BF430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?id Article=LEGIARTI000006390152&cidTe
xte=LEGITEXT000006070633& dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affich Code.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900CB66B
F430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?idSectionTA=LEGISCTA000006192274&cidTexte
=LEGITEXT000006070633&dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900
CB66BF430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?id Article=LEGIARTI000006390363&cidTe
xte=LEGITEXT000006070633& dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900
CB66BF430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?id Article=LEGIARTI000006396198&cidTe
xte=LEGITEXT000006070633& dateTexte=20080728  
- Code de la santé publique  (Public Health Code), in pa rticular Articles L. 1311-1, 
L. 1311-2 and L. 1331-1-1: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900
CB66BF430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?id Article=LEGIARTI000006686372&cidTe
xte=LEGITEXT000006072665& dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900
CB66BF430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?id Article=LEGIARTI000006686373&cidTe
xte=LEGITEXT000006072665& dateTexte=20080728  
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichC odeArticle.do;jsessionid=B0563C6FECD900
CB66BF430AC8A229FE.tpdjo04v_1?id Article=LEGIARTI000006686815&cidTe
xte=LEGITEXT000006072665& dateTexte=20080728  
- Decree No. 92-647 of 8 July 1992 concerning the suitability for use of construction 
products: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/./affich Texte.do?cidText e=JORFTEXT00000052814
3&dateTexte=20080728&fastPos=3&fastR eqId=1808922983&oldAction=rechTexte  
- Order of 24 December 2004 applying to prefabricated septic tanks 
Decree No. 92-647 of 8 July 1992, as amended, concerning the suitability for use of 
construction products: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/./affich Texte.do?cidText e=JORFTEXT00000044799
1&dateTexte=&fastPos=7&fastReqI d=366692205&oldAction=rechTexte  
- Order of 19 October 2006 applying to certa in waste water treatment installations 
Decree No. 92-647 of 8 July 1992 concerning the suitability for use of construction 
products: 
 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/./affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT 00000079120
7&dateTexte=20080728&fastPos=1&fastR eqId=2052061458&oldAction=rechTexte   G/TBT/N/FRA/89 
 Page 5 
 
 
  9. Proposed date of adoption: 
Proposed date of entry into force:  End of October Upon publication 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [   ] 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 – La Plaine Saint-Denis  Cedex