WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.98.25
20January 1998
ORGANIZATION
(98-0198)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: FRANCE
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofAgriculture andFisheries
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification shall be
indicated ifdifferent from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Fertilizing substances and
growing media
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Order Concerning the
Approval ofFertilizing Substances andGrowing Media
6. Description ofcontent: TheOrder establishes therules fortheapplication of
LawNo.79-595 of13July1979 subjecting themarketing (whether ornotforvalue),
theholding withaview tosale,andtheimportation from other countries offertilizing
substances andgrowing media toapproval bytheMinister forAgriculture, except inthe
caseofproducts forwhich suchapproval iswaived pursuant toArticle 2oftheabove-
mentioned Law. Inparticular, awaiver isprovided inthecaseofallproducts that
conform toaFrench orinternational standard ofmandatory application.
7. Objective andrationale, including thenature ofurgent problems where applicable: The
proposed Order doesnotcreate newobligations forapplicants withrespect tomarketing
authorizations. Therules fortheapplication oftheLawof13July1979 were already
laiddown bytheOrder of11September 1981. Thelatter willbereplaced bythisnew
Order fortwopurposes:
1. Tomake theapplicable lawmore accessible. Intheinterests ofsafety and
legibility ofthelaw,itseemed appropriate toreplace rather thanamend atext
thathadbecome obsolete andincomplete. Thepossibility isalsointroduced of
authorizing product complexes, asinmost other countries.
2. Tointroduce theprinciple ofmutual recognition ofmarketing authorizations
issued byother member States oftheEuropean Union.
./.G/TBT/Notif.98.25
Page2
8. Relevant documents:
- Council Directive No.76/116/EEC of18October 1975 ontheapproximation of
thelawsofthemember States relating tofertilizers;
- Council Directive No.89/530/EEC of18September 1989 supplementing and
amending Directive 76/116/EEC inrespect ofthetrace elements boron, cobalt,
copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum andzinccontained infertilizers;
- Consumers 'Code, inparticular Book II;
- Customs Code;
- Law No.75-1349 of31December 1975 concerning theuseoftheFrench
language;
- LawNo.79-595 of13July1979 onarrangements forthecontrol offertilizing
substances andgrowing media;
- Decree No.80-477 of16June 1980 implementing Law No.79-595 of
13July1979 onarrangements forthecontrol offertilizing substances and
growing media;
- Decree No.80-478 of16June1980 implementing thelawof1August 1905 on
fraud prevention withrespect tofertilizing substances andgrowing media.
9. Proposed dateofadoption:
Proposed dateofentry intoforce:March 1998
10. Final dateforcomments: 1March 1998
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress, e-mail andtelefax number
ofother body:
CINORTECH
Madame Vaquier (AFNOR)
Tour Europe
92049 PARIS LADEFENSE