. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CHE/37 
22 January 2004  
 
(04-0216) 
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:   SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Swiss Agency for environment, forests and landscape, CH 3003 
Berne 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:    
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco) - WHNT 
Effingerstrasse 1 
CH-3003 Bern 
Tel:  ++41 31 324 07 60 Fax:  ++41 31 324 09 59 
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):   Chemical substances and 
preparations 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Ordinance on the 
Reduction of Risks from Chemical Substances, approximately 115 pages (German, French 
and Italian). 
Ordinance relating to the Import and Export of Dangerous Substances and Preparations 
(PIC-Ordinance), approximately 12 pa ges (German, French and Italian) 
6. Description of content:   The Ordinance contains special provisions relating to certain 
particularly hazardous chemical substances, pr oducts and articles that as a result of their 
properties or their use may cause harm to pers ons or the environment.  The most important 
provisions deal with: 
• Restrictions and bans on marketing and use 
• Bans on manufacture, waste management requirements, special requirements on 
labelling 
• Requirements applicable to persons w ho supply or use certain particularly 
hazardous chemicals 
In addition, the ordinance relating to the Exch ange of Information for the Import and Export 
of Hazardous Substances and Preparations (PIC Ordinance) will be established.  It allows 
the Federal Council to make the export of subs tances and preparations subject to special 
conditions. G/TBT/N/CHE/37 
Page 2  
 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
The Ordinance on the Reduction of Risks from Chemical Substances is intended to bring 
about harmonization with EU legislation as we ll as international agreements and decisions 
while maintaining or improving the level of  protection for the general population, 
employees and the environment against the harm ful effects caused by particularly hazardous 
substances.  It updates and replaces the bans and restrictions of the former Ordinance 
relating to environmentally hazardous Substan ces (SR 814.013).  The main changes refer to 
brominated flame retardants, short chai ned chlorinated para ffins, nonylphenol and 
ethoxylates, heavy metals in electronic equipm ents and vehicles and to detergents, covered 
by recent amendments of EC Directive 76/769/ relating to restrictions on the marketing and 
use of certain dangerous substances and prepar ations, Directive 2002/95 on the restriction of 
the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, Directive 2000/53 on end-of-life vehicles and the EC draft regulation on detergents.  The 
new restrictions are in line with EU legisla tion and international agreements and will not 
create any new barriers to trade. 
The PIC Ordinance incorporates the provisions of the Rotterdam Convention ratified by 
Switzerland in January 2002 into Swiss law. 
8. Relevant documents:   L a w  o f  7 October 1983 (as of 10 June 1997) relating to the 
Protection of the Environment (RS 814.01)  http://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/c814_01.html
  
 
Law of 15 December 2000 concerning Protec tion against Dangerous Substances and 
Preparations (Chemicals Law) (FF 1999-5887)  http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/ff/2000/5733.pdf
  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 January 2005 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from the day 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:   
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/verne hm/d/ChemRRV_final%20draft_d__VL.pdf  
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/vernehm/f/ChemRRV_final_draft_f__VL.pdf   
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/verne hm/i/ChemRRV_%20final_draft_i__VL.pdf   
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/verne hm/d/ChemEAV_final%20draft_d__VL.pdf   
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/vernehm/f/ChemEAV_final_draft_f__VL.pdf