13.5.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC121/19
II
(PreparatoryActs)
COMMISSION
ProposalforaCouncilDirectiveonthesupervisionandplacingonthemarketofexplosivesfor
civilusesandthemutualrecognitionofauthorizationsandapprovalsrelatingtosuchexplosives
(92/C121/24)
COM(92)123final—SYN409
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon13April1992)
whereas,inordertoavoidrepetitivecheckseach
amountingtobarrierstotrade,itisadvisabletoprovide
initiallyformutualrecognitionofauthorizationsgranted
bytheMemberStatestoplaceexplosivesforciviluses
onthemarket;
Whereasharmonization ofprovisionsgoverningthe
placingofsuchexplosivesonthemarketpresupposes
thatdivergentnationalrulesrelatingtoapprovaland
authorizationprocedureswillbeharmonizedinorderto
ensurethefreemovementoftheseproductswithout
loweringexistingandjustifiedlevelsofsafetyand
securityintheMemberStates;
WhereasthisDirectivedefinesonlytheessential
requirements whichmustbemetbyexplosives
conformitytests;whereas,inordertofacilitatethe
processofdemonstrating compliancewiththeessential
requirements ,itwouldbeveryusefultopossess
standardsharmonizedatEuropeanlevel,concerning,
interalia,methodsfortestingexplosives;whereassuch
standardsdonotexistatpresent;
WhereasstandardsharmonizedatEuropeanlevelare
drawnupbyprivatebodiesandmustretaintheirstatus
asnon-mandatory (voluntary)standards;whereas,inthis
connection,theEuropeanCommitteeforStandard­
ization(CEN)hasbeenrecognizedasoneofthetwo
bodiescompetenttoadoptharmonizedstandardsin
accordancewiththegeneralguidelinesforcooperation
betweentheCommissionandCENandCenelec,ratified
on13November1984;whereas,forthepurposesofthis
Directive,'harmonizedstandard'meansatextsettingout
technicalspecifications adoptedbyCENundera
mandateconferredbytheCommission ,inaccordance
withCouncilDirective83/189/EECof28March1983
layingdownaprocedurefortheprovisionofinfor­
mationinthefieldoftechnicalstandardsandregu­
lations('),aslastamendedbyCommissionDecision
90/230/EEC(2),andinkeepingwiththeabovemen­
tionedgeneralguidelines;THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity,andinparticularArticle100a
thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ,
IncooperationwiththeEuropeanParliament,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee,
WhereasArticle8aprovidesthattheinternalmarket
mustbeestablishednotlaterthan31December1992;
whereastheinternalmarketmustcompriseanarea
withoutinternalfrontiersinwhichthefreemovementof
goods,persons,servicesandcapitalisensuredin
accordancewiththeprovisionsoftheTreaty;
Whereasthefreemovementofgoodspresupposesthat
certainbasicconditionsarefulfilled;whereas,in
particular,thefreemovementofexplosivespresupposes,
interalia,mutualrecognitionofapprovalsandauth­
orizationsasapreludetoharmonization oflawson
explosives;
Whereasexplosivesforcivilusesarecoveredbydetailed
nationalregulations,mainlyinrespectofsafetyand
securityrequirements ;whereassuchnationalregulations
provide,inparticular,thatmarketingauthorizations be
grantedonlywhereexplosiveshavesatisfactorily
undergoneaseriesoftests;
Whereastheexistingsupervisionproceduresaredirected
towardsensuringthatsuchproductsmeetsafetyand
securityrequirements ;whereassuchsupervision
proceduresmaydifferappreciablyfromoneMember
Statetoanotherwithout,however,adverselyaffecting
compliancewithsafetyandsecurityrequirements ;0)OJNoL109,26.4.1983,p.8.
OOJNoL128,18.5.1990,p.15.

NoC121/20 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 13.5.92
Whereastherulesconcerningthetransportofexplosives
arecoveredbyinternational conventions and
agreements;whereas,atinternationallevel,thereare
UnitedNationsRecommendations onthetransportof
dangerousgoods(includingexplosives),thescopeof
whichextendsbeyondtheCommunityalone;whereas,in
consequence ,thisDirectivedoesnotconcernthe
transportrules;
Whereaspyrotechnical articlesfordisplayorenter­
tainmentpurposesrequirespecialmeasurestoensurethe
protectionofconsumersandthesafetyofthegeneral
public;whereas,inconsequence ,thisDirectivedoesnot
concernsuchproducts;
Whereasthedefinitionoftheproductscoveredbythis
Directiveshouldbeidenticalwiththedefinitionofsuch
productsassetoutintheabovementioned United
NationsRecommendations ;
Whereasthehealthandsafetyofworkersproducingor
usingexplosivesmustalsobeprotected;whereasa
Directiveistobepreparedcovering,interalia,thehealth
andsafetyofworkersengagedinactivitiesrelatingtothe
manufacture ,storageanduseofexplosives;
Whereasitisessentialtoestablishadministrative
cooperationmechanisms ;whereasitisappropriateinthis
connectionforthecompetentauthoritiestobasetheir
approachonCouncilRegulation(EEC)No1468/81of
19May1981onmutualassistancebetweentheadminis­
trativeauthoritiesoftheMemberStatesandcooperation
betweenthelatterandtheCommission toensurethe
correctapplicationofthelawoncustomsoragricultural
matters('),asamendedbyRegulation (EEC)No
945/87(2),
HASADOPTEDTHISDIRECTIVE :
CHAPTER 1
GENERALPROVISIONS
Article1
Definitions
1.ThisDirectiveshallapplytoexplosivesasdefined
inparagraph2.
2.ForthepurposesofthisDirective,'explosives'
meansthematerialsandarticlesconsideredtobesuchin
theUnitedNationsRecommendations onthetransport
ofdangerousgoodsandfallingwithinCategory1of
thoseRecommendations .3.ThisDirectiveshallnotapplyto:
—explosivesusedundermilitarycontrolorunderthe
controlofpoliceforces,
—pyrotechnicalarticlesusedforpurposesofdisplayor
entertainment .
4.ForthepurposesofthisDirective:
—'UnitedNationsRecommendations 'meansthe
recommendations drawnupbytheUNCommitteeof
Expertsonthetransportofdangerousgoods
(OrangeBook),aspublishedbytheUnitedNations
andasamendedonthedateofthisDirective's
adoption,
—'undertakingintheexplosivessector'meansany
naturalorlegalpersonpossessingalicenceorauth­
orizationwhichentitleshimtoengageinthemanu­
facture,storage,useandtransferofexplosivesorin
tradeinexplosives,
—'placingonthemarket'meansanydisposalagainst
paymentorfreeofchargetothirdpartiesof
explosivesorthereleaseofexplosivesforcirculation
intheCommunity .
5.ThisDirectiveshallbewithoutprejudicetothe
definitionsofexplosivessetoutinthenationalregu­
lations.
Article2
MemberStatesshalltakeallmeasuresnecessaryto
ensurethatsupervisionoftransferswithinthe
Community,theapprovalofexplosivesandthe
provisionsgoverningtheplacingofexplosivesonthe
marketaresubjecttotherequirementslaiddowninthis
Directive .
CHAPTER 2
HARMONIZATION OFLAWSRELATING TO
EXPLOSIVES
Article3
Approvalofexplosives
MemberStatesshallensurethattheplacingofexplosives
onthemarketissubjecttoapprovaloftheproduct,
substancesorpreparations .Suchapprovalshallbe
grantedonlywheretheexplosivehassatisfactorily
undergoneaseriesoftestsintendedtodemonstrateits
compliancewithrequirementsconcerningthesecurity,
safetyandhealthofpersonsandtheprotectionof
property.Suchtestsshallbecarriedoutinalaboratory
approvedbythecompetentauthorityor,failingthis,in
accordancewithproceduresprovidingguaranteessimilar
tothosethatwouldbeprovidedbyanapproved
laboratory .(l)OJNoL144,2.6.1981,p.1.
OOJNoL90,2.4.1987,p.3.

13.5.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC121/21
Article4
Mutualrecognitionofauthorizations
Approvalsofexplosivesandauthorizations toplace
explosivesonthemarketwhichhavebeengrantedina
MemberStatepursuanttothisDirectiveshallbe
acceptedbytheotherMemberStatesasapprovalsof
explosivesandmarketingauthorizations whicharevalid
withintheirterritories .
Article5
Essentialrequirements
1.MemberStatesshalltakeallappropriatemeasures
toensurethatexplosivesareplacedonthemarketonlyif
theycomplywiththeessentialrequirementssetoutin
AnnexI.
2.MemberStatesshallpresumeascomplyingwiththe
essentialrequirementsexplosiveswhichmeettherelevant
nationalstandardsadoptedpursuanttoharmonized
standardsofwhichthereferencenumbershavebeen
publishedintheOfficialJournaloftheEuropean
Communities;MemberStatesshallpublishthereference
numbersofthesaidnationalstandards .CHAPTER 3
PROVISIONS RELATING TOTHEMOVEMENT AND
SUPERVISION OFEXPLOSIVES INTHECOMMUNITY
Article7
Supervisionoftransfersofexplosives
1.CheckscarriedoutunderCommunitylawor
nationallawintheeventoftransfersofexplosivesshall
nolongertaketheformofcontrolsatfrontiers,butshall
beconductedsolelywithinthecontextofroutinechecks
performedinanon-discriminatory mannerthroughout
theterritoryofaMemberState.
2.Wherespecialsafetyrequirementssuchasthose
referredtoinparagraph3areunnecessaryorinthecase
ofregularcustomers,explosivescanbetransferred
withoutpriorprovisionofinformationwithinthe
meaningofparagraph3.Thecompetentauthoritiesshall
thengrantanapprovalvalidforamaximumperiodof
oneyearandliabletosuspensionorwithdrawalatany
timeonthebasisofareasoneddecision.Thedocument
referredtoinparagraph4shallrefersolelytosuch
approvalandmustaccompanytheexplosivesuntilthey
arriveattheirdestination .
3.Wheretransfersofexplosivesmustbespecially
supervisedinordertocomplywithspecialsafety
requirementsintheterritoryorpartoftheterritoryofa
MemberState,thefollowinginformationshallbe
impartedbytheoperatorinquestiontothecompetent
authoritiesintheMemberStatetowhichtheexplosives
aretobetransferredorthroughwhichtheshipmentisto
transit:
—thenameandaddressofthevendororconsignor,the
purchaserorconsigneeor,whereappropriate,the
owner;theseparticularsmustbedetailedenoughto
enabletheoperatorstobecontactedandconfir­
mationtobeobtainedthatthepersonsinquestion
holdtherequisiteapprovalsorauthorizations ,
—thenumberandquantityofexplosivesbeingtrans­
ferred,
—afulldescriptionoftheexplosiveinquestionandof
themeansofidentification ,
—particularsoftheapprovalreferredtoinArticle3,
—themeansoftransfer,
—thedatesofdepartureandofarrival.
Thecompetentauthoritiesshallexaminetheconditions
underwhichthetransferistotakeplace,inparticular
withregardtospecialsafetyandsecurityrequirements .3.WhereaMemberStateortheCommission
considersthatharmonizedstandardsdonotfullycomply
withtheessentialrequirements ,theCommissionorthe
MemberStateconcernedshallplacethematterbefore
theStandingCommitteesetupunderDirective
83/189/EEC.
ThatCommitteeshalldeliveranopinionassoonas
possible.Inthelightofthatopinion,theCommission
shallnotifytheMemberStatesofthemeasurestobe
takenwithregardtothestandardsandthepublication
thereof.
Article6
Declarationofconformity
1.MemberStatesshallpresumeascomplyingwiththe
essentialrequirementsreferredtoinArticle5all
explosivesinrespectofwhichthemanufacturerorthe
agentresponsibleforplacingthemonthemarketcan
produceonrequestthedeclarationofconformity
describedinAnnexII.
2.Whereanexplosivedoesnotcomplywiththe
requirementssetoutinAnnexI,MemberStatesshall
takeappropriatemeasuresinrespectoftheperson
responsibleforthedeclarationofconformity .Theyshall
informtheCommissionandtheotherMemberStates
thereof.

NoC121/22 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 13.5.92
Theopinionshallberecordedintheminutes;in
addition,eachMemberStateshallhavetherighttoask
tohaveitspositionrecordedintheminutes.
TheCommission shalltaketheutmostaccountofthe
opiniondeliveredbythecommittee.Itshallinformthe
committeeofthemannerinwhichitsopinionhasbeen
takenintoaccount.Intheeventoftransitthroughtheterritoryofathird
MemberState,thatStateshalllikewiseexaminethe
transferconditions .
4.WhereaMemberStateauthorizesatransfer,it
shallissueadocumentwhichincludesalltheinformation
referredtoinparagraph3.Suchadocumentmust
accompanytheexplosivesuntiltheyarriveattheirdesti­
nation.Itmustbeproducedforperusalbythecompetent
authoritieswhenevertheysorequest.
5.EachMemberStateshallforwardallrelevantinfor­
mationatitsdisposalonthesubjectofdefinitive
transfersofexplosivestoMemberStatesfromwhich
explosivesaretobetransferred,throughtheterritoryof
whichtheyaretotransitortowhichtheyaretobe
transferred .Article11
Documents
MemberStatesshallcompilearegisterofallunder­
takingsintheexplosivessectorwhichholdapprovalsor
authorizations .
MemberStatesshalldeterminewhethersuchunder­
takingspossessasystemforkeepingtrackofexplosives
suchthatthoseholdingexplosivescanbeidentifiedat
anytime.Article8
1.MemberStatesshallsetupinformationexchange
networksfortheimplementation ofthisDirectivenot
laterthan31December1992.Theyshallnotifytheother
MemberStatesandtheCommissionofthenational
authoritiesresponsibleforforwardingorreceivinginfor­
mationandforapplyingtheproceduresreferredtoin
Articles3and7.
2.ForthepurposeofimplementingthisDirective,the
provisionsofRegulation (EEC)No1468/81,in
particularthoserelatingtoconfidentiality ,shallapply
mutatismutandis.Undertakings intheexplosivessectorshallkeepsuch
recordsoftheirtransactionsasarenecessarytofulfilthe
obligationssetoutinthisArticle.
Therecordsmustbekeptforaperiodofnotlessthan
threeyearsfromtheendofthecalendaryearinwhich
thetransactionrecordedtookplace,eveniftheunder­
takinghasceasedtrading.
Therecordsmustbekeptreadilyavailableforinspection
bythecompetentauthoritiesattheirrequest.CHAPTER 4
OTHERPROVISIONS
Article9
AnyamendmentsnecessarytoadapttheAnnexesto
scientificandtechnicalprogressinthefieldscoveredby
thisDirectiveandtotakeaccountoffutureamendments
totheUnitedNationsRecommendations shallbe
adoptedinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddownin
Article10.Article12
Penalties
EachMemberStateshalltakeappropriatemeasuresto
ensureproperimplementation ofalltheprovisionsofthis
Directiveand,inparticular,shallspecifythepenaltiesto
beimposedincaseofbreachofthesaidmeasures;such
penaltiesmustbeeffective,proportionateanddissuasive.Article10
TheCommissionshallbeassistedbyacommitteeofan
advisorynaturecomposedoftherepresentativesofthe
MemberStatesandchairedbytherepresentativeofthe
Commission .
TherepresentativeoftheCommissionshallsubmittothe
committeeadraftofthemeasurestobetaken.The
committeeshalldeliveritsopiniononthedraft,withina
timelimitwhichthechairmanmaylaydownaccording
totheurgencyofthematter,ifnecessarybytakinga
vote.Article13
1.MemberStatesshalladoptandpublishthelaws,
regulationsandadministrative provisionsnecessaryto
complywiththisDirectivebefore31December1992.
TheyshallforthwithinformtheCommissionthereof.
Theyshallapplytheprovisionsasfrom1January1993.

13.5.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC121/23
WhenMemberStatesadopttheseprovisions,theseshalllawwhichtheyadoptinthefieldgovernedbythis
containareferencetothisDirectiveorshallbeaccom-Directive .
paniedbysuchreferenceatthetimeoftheirofficial
publication .Theprocedureforsuchreferenceshallbe
adoptedbyMemberStates.
2.MemberStatesshallcommunicatetothe Article14
CommissionthetextsoftheprovisionsofnationalThisDirectiveisaddressedtotheMemberStates.
ANNEXI
ESSENTIALREQUIREMENTS
I.Generalrequirements
1.Explosivesmustbesodesigned,manufacturedandtestedthattheirusedoesnotcompromisethesafety,
securityandhealthofpersonsorjeopardizepropertyortheenvironment .
2.Explosivesmustattainthelevelsofeffectivenessintendedbytheirmanufacturerwithoutgivingriseto
risksorothernuisancefactors.
3.Explosivesmustbesodesigned,manufacturedandpackagedthattheirsafetyfeaturesandtheeffec­
tivenessthereofarenotimpairedundertheconditionsofstorage,transferorusetowhichtheproductis
likelytobeexposed.
4.Risklevelsandcategories:
theoptimumsafetyleveltobetakenintoaccountduringthedesignoftheproductshallbethatbeyond
whichconstraintsarisingduringmanufacture,transfer,storageorusewouldprecludetheproduct's
beingplacedonthemarketorused.
II.Additionalrequirementsspecifictothehazardstobeaverted
1.Stabilityinheat
Explosivesmustremainstableattemperaturestowhichtheymaybeexposedduringtheirstorage,
transferoruse.
2.Sensitivitytoimpactandfriction
Explosivesmustmeetminimumsafetycriteriainrespectofimpactandfrictionsothattheycanbe
manufactured ,stored,transferredandusedwithoutdanger.
3.Detonationsensitivity
Explosivesmustbereliabledetonatedbytherecommendeddetonatorseries.Whereexplosivesareinthe
formofcartridges,thedetonationmustbereliablytransmittedthroughasetofcartridges.
4.Compatibilityofcomponents
Explosivesmustcontainonlychemicallyandphysicallycompatiblecomponentsandmustnotgiveriseto
anyriskofchemicalinstability.

NoC121/24 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 13.5.92
ANNEXII
Contentsofthedeclarationbythemanufacturerorbytheagentresponsibleforplacingtheproductonthe
market
Thedeclarationbythemanufacturerorbytheagentresponsibleforplacingtheproductonthemarket,
whichisreferredtoinArticle6(1),mustcontainthefollowinginformation :
—thenameandaddressofthemanufacturerortheagent,
—adescriptionofthetestsundergonebytheexplosive,
—theidentityofthepersonresponsibleforthedeclaration .