. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/ARG/208 
24 January 2007 
 (07-0337) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   ARGENTINA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible:   Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable, SADS   (Ministry 
of the Environment and Sustainable Development) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and E-mail 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 [ 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):   Cells and batteries 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Fuente de Energía 
Eléctrica Portátil:  Prohibiciones y Certificación de Pilas y Baterías (Portable electrical 
power source:  Prohibitions and certification fo r cells and batteries (5 pages, in Spanish). 
6. Description of content:   The notified document prohibits, throughout national territory, the 
manufacture, assembly and importation of cy lindrical and prismatic carbon zinc and 
alkaline manganese primary cells and batteries with a mercury, cadmium and lead content exceeding: 
 - 0.0005% by weight of mercury; 
 - 0.015% by weight of cadmium; 
 - 0.200% by weight of lead. 
 With regard to discharge tests, the cells and batteries must meet the average 
minimum duration requirements set forth in IRAM (Argentine Standards Institute) 
standards or, in the absence of updated IRAM sta ndards, in international standards issued by 
the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) or the American National Standards 
Institute (ANSI).  
 Entities responsible for manufacturing, assembling and importing such products 
must certify, for marketing purposes, that cylindrical and prismatic carbon zinc and alkaline manganese primary cells and batteries do not exceed the set limits and that they meet other relevant requirements.  Certification will be  valid for two years for all manufacturing, 
assembly and import activities.  Cells and batteries accompanied by other items or 
equipment will be excluded from certification for a period of 90 days. 
 G/TBT/N/ARG/208 
Page 2  
 
  6. Description of content:   (cont'd) 
 The National Industrial Technology Institute  (INTI), through its certification body, 
will be responsible for issuing certification.  The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development may also authorize the issuance of certification by other bodies or institutions with the necessary technical and professional capacity.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:    
 Protection of health and the environment. 
8. Relevant documents:   Law No. 26.184 and Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable 
Development (SADS) Resolution No. 14/2007 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  As stated in the text. 
Proposed date of entry into force: 16  January 2007 
10. Final date for comments:   Not stated. 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and E-mail and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
Punto Focal de la República Argentina 
Dirección Nacional de Comercio Interior Avda. J.A. Roca 651, Piso 4°, Sector 2 (C1067ABB)  Buenos Aires Tel.:  (+54) 11 4349 4067 
Fax:  (+54) 11 4349 4072  
E-mail:   focalotc@mecon.gov.ar Text available at: http://www.punt ofocal.gov.ar/notific_arg.htm