./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.99.151
30 March 1999
(99-1276)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  BELGIUM
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of the Interior
Directorate-General of the General Police of the Kingdom
Administrative Police
Rue Royale 56
B –1000 BrusselsTel:   +32 2 500 21 11
Fax:  +32 2 500 25 29
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):  This Notification refers to
Article 10 of the draft Law, which replaces Article 12 of the aforementioned Law of10 April 1990.
This provision concerns alarm systems and centres designed to warn of or draw
attention to offences against persons and/or property, and their components.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft Law Amending the
Law of 10 April 1990 on Security Firms and Internal Security Services, Amended by the
Law of 18 July 1997
6. Description of content:  Article 10 of the draft Law replacing Article 12 of the
aforementioned Law of 10 April 1990 stipulates that no alarm systems, alarm centres, nor
their components can be marketed or in any other way made available to users until theyhave first been approved by means of a procedure to be established by Royal Decree.
It is also stipulated that such equipment on the market should at all times conform
to the approved prototype.G/TBT/Notif.99.151
Page 2
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  The
marketing of alarm systems has expanded enormously, which sometimes creates
difficulties, both for the general public and for the police.  In the interests of consumer
protection, products designed to warn of or draw attention to offences against persons or
property must provide optimum guarantees of reliability.
The prior approval procedure for alarm systems and centres satisfies this concern
for consumer protection.
Malfunctions in security equipment also result in a high proportion of false alarms,
which in turn lead to repeated and pointless police interventions and disturb residents.
In order to satisfy the concern for consumer protection and to ensure the protection
of public order and the public peace, legislation has been drawn up to introduce a
compulsory prior approval procedure for all alarm systems and their components, sold,rented, offered for sale or for rent, or otherwise made available.
Once the product has been approved as a prototype, it may still be necessary to
check if the equipment put on to the market has all the characteristics of the approved
prototype.  Such checks will only be carried out if serious doubts are raised (for instance if a
complaint is made by an installation engineer familiar with the approved prototype) and ona totally exceptional basis.
8. Relevant documents:  -
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }60 days
10. Final date for comments:
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X ] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body:  CIBELNOR