G/TBT/N/FRA/194  
30 January  2020 
(20-0708) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  French  
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : FRANCE  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation - Direction Générale de l'Alimentation - 
SASPP - Sous-direction de la qualité, de la santé et de la protection des végétaux  
(Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Directorate -General of Food and Nutrition, Service for 
Health Interventions in Primary Production (SASPP), Sub -Directorate for Plant Quality, 
Health and Protection)  
251, rue de Vaugirard  
75732 PARIS cedex 15  
France  
Tel.: 01 49 55 81 57  
Email: sdqspv.dgal@agriculture.gouv.fr  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
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) : Mineral 
fertilizer ; Organic soil conditioner s 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Arrêté modifiant 
l'arrêté du 5 septembre 2003 portant mise en application obligatoire de normes  (Order 
amending the Order of 5 September 2 003 establishing the mandatory implementation of 
standards) . The Order contains four pages, one standard contains 12 pages, the other 
standard contains 13 pages (29 pages in total) (29 pages, in French)  
6. Descri ption of content : The notified Interministerial Order provides for the mandatory 
implementation of a standard . This measure constitutes an exemption from the marketing 
authorization referred to in Article L 255-2 of the Rural and Maritime Fisheries Code an d 
is provided for  in Article L 255-5, point 1.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Standards on fertilizing substances and growing media seek to facilitate the 
marketing of well -known products . The impleme ntation of these standards has been made 
mandatory for public health reasons . French standards NF U42 -001-1/A1 and NF U44 -
051/A3 amend existing standards.  This draft provides for the mandatory implementation 
of the following supplements: supplement A1 to standard NF U 42 -001-1 on mineral 
fertilizers : standard NF U 42 -001-1/A1 - Mineral fertilizers - Descriptions, specifications 
and marking . This standard est ablishes descriptions, specifications and marking in respect 
of mineral fertilizers . It is aimed primarily  at producers, users and official inspection G/TBT/N/FRA/194  
- 2 - 
  bodies . The amendment supplements the general standard revised in 2011 by introducing 
a description : ammo nium salts obtained by washing gas with acid ; and supplement A3 to 
standard NF U 44 -051 on organic soil conditioners : standard NF U 44 -051/A 3 - Organic 
soil conditioners  - Descriptions, specifications and marking . The standard establishes 
descriptions, spe cifications and marking in respect of organic soil conditione rs. It is aimed 
primarily  at producers, users and official inspection bodies . This second amendment 
modifies  the general standard revised in 2006 by introducing  the following : in place of 
description 3, a distinction between two descriptions , 3a and 3b (composting and 
vermicomposting) ; safety criteria regarding metal trace elements (5.1) in new tables 3 
and 4 to replace those of 2006 , and limit values specific to the island of Réunion in ta ble 
5; and certain elements in respect of mandatory marking (6 -2). Protection of human 
health or safety . 
8. Relevant documents:  
Articles L 255 -1 et seq. of the Rural and Maritime Fisheries Code ; French standards NF U 
42-001-1 and NF U 44 -051. 
9. Proposed date of adoption : End of March 2 020 
Proposed date of entry into force : 1 April 2 020 
10. Final date for comments : 60 days from the date of notification  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
CINORTECH  
AFNOR  
11 avenue Francis de Pressensé  
93571 SAINT -DENIS -LA PLAINE cedex  
France  
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