. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/EEC/89 
5 July 2005 
 (05-2937) 
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 80 43  E-mail:  ec-tbt@cec.eu.int 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [ X ], 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):   Disposable lighters 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft Commission 
Decision requiring Member States to take measu res to ensure that only disposable lighters 
which are child resistant are put on the market, (8 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content:   Temporary decision in order to rapidly make the placing on the 
market of disposable lighters subject to  the condition that they be designed and 
manufactured in such a way as to be child-resist ant.  The draft decision makes reference to 
the relevant specifications of standard EN 13869: 2002, so that lighters complying with these 
specifications or other international standards, national rules or standards or other technical 
specifications which ensure an equivalent le vel of child resistance will be presumed to 
conform to the child resistance requirements of the envisaged measure.  Producers are required to keep and provide upon request test reports concerning the child resistance of 
their lighter models. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
This temporary decision is intended to prev ent serious accidents and damage pending a 
permanent solution which should be based on an international consensus.  The standard ISO 
9994:2002 (Lighters – Safety specifications) does not cover the risk of child safety in case of child misuse. G/TBT/N/EEC/89 
Page 2  
 
 8. Relevant documents:   “European Research – Accidents Caused by Children Under 5 
Playing with Cigarette Lighters and Match es”, United Kingdom Department of Trade and 
Industry, 1997.  "Report European Home and Leisure Injury Surveillance System 
(EHLASS) Data and product safety", Aust rian “Sicher Leben”  Institute, 2000. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    September 2005  
Two months from the date of notification of 
the Decision to the Member States (see article 
5) and accompanying transitional periods 
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 80 43 
E-mail:   ec-tbt@cec.eu.int