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COM(77)718
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COMMISSION OPTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(77)718final
Brussels,SJanuary1978
Proposalfora
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
amendingDirective 73/*73/EEContheaporoximation
ofMemberStates'laws,regulations andadministrative
provisionsrelatingtotheclassification ,packaging and
labellingofdangerouspreparations (solvents)
COM(77)718final

EXPLANATORY M5M0RANDLift
•ι-. Νί.,,ΗΠ.ν^
;*'"*Jun®tl,eCounciladoptedach'rectiveontheapproximation ofthe
«.aus,requlationsandsdmnistrativeprovisionsofthefier.berbtatesrelating
yjlpgclossiiication,packaqinnandlabellin$iofdangerouspreparations(-OiVwtsMl).Inthiscontext,esolventisunderstoodtobealiquid
vol-tilesubstancecapableofabsorbingethersubstances,withwhichitmerelyforr.,r,alipoidphasewithoutanychemicalreaction.
Anumberofamendmentsnowhavetobemadetothetextofthedirectivein
oraertosd-.ptittothestateoftheartinsciencessndtechnologyandbrinq
w*,ththebasic-irectiveondanyeroussubstancesof27June
1.6/(2/,aslostamendedbythedirectiveof14July1976(3).
Ithasalsobeenfoundthatthescopeofthe"solvents"directiveneedsto
beextended,sinceitisverylimitedandtherearelartje "numbersofdanoerous
substanceswn-.charenot_coveredbythedirective.Furthermore,thatdirective
nee^scobeclearlydistinguished frometherexistingdirectivesrelatingtooroductswhichlikewisecontainsolvents.
itvs^Uonecessarytoprovidegreaterprotectionforthepublicand
especiaIlyforpersonswhofrequentlyconeintocontactwithdangeroussolventsintnecourseoftheirworkortheirhobbybycompellingmanu-
.r'CLurcrslonotifythecompositionoftoxicsolvtntmixturestothepoisons
mrormationcentres,therebyensuringthatpromptandeffectiveaidcanberonceredintneeventofpoisoningaccidents.
Thenecessary _amendmentstotheAnnextotheDirective(listofdangeroussocvents)willbeeffectedundertheprocedurelaiddowninArticle10of
tnedirective,i.e.throughtheCoir-nitteeonAdaptationtoTechnicalProgress.
Dangerouspreparationswhichdonotcomewithinthescope-ofthisdirectivewillcoveredbyanotherdirectivenowinthecourseofpreparation.Thisclosethelastgapinthelabellingofdangeroussubstancesand
-"r-p-ir-tiGMS.
(1)C.J.MoL139,11.7.1973,p.7
(??G.j.No196,16.S.1967,o.1
(3)O.J.NoL36C,30.12.1976,p.1

.PE".ASKSONTHEINDIVIDUAL ARTICLES
Artide2
Paragraph 1extendsthescopeofthedirectivetocovermixturesofsolvents
Listedinthedirectivewithothernor,-hazardous substances .
.Hitherto,thedirective hascoveredonlymixturesofsolvents
withothersolvents;hencethedirectivecouldeasilybecircum­
ventedbyaddingothernon-hazardous substances tomixturesof
thiskind.
Paragraphs 2and3drawacleardistinction frorcexistingdirectivesreU.tin
toproductsthatalsocontainsolvents (e.g.cosmeticarticles).
Horeover,thetextisadaptedtothatofthe"dangeroussubstanc
directiveof27June1967.
ι
Article 3
Tmsarticlegivesaprecisedefinition oftheimpurities andadditivesthat
donothavetobetakenintoaccount.Itprovidesforthadeletionofthe
finalcolumnofthetable,whichissuperfluous andhasmerelyledto
confusion .
Itstipulatesthatcorrosive,irritant,easilyflammable andflammable :
solventsshalllikewisecomewithinthescopeofthedirective andlays
downexactnomenclatures forthosedangercategories .
ι
Article4
Thisreferstothedangeroussubstances"directiveof27June1967witha
viewtoharmonizing theprovisions onpackaging andclosures.
Article 5
Thissetsouttherequirements asregardstheinforinetionappearing onthe
labelandprovidesfortheassignmentofthevariousdangersymbols.
/-.rticles6and7
Theseareintendedtoensurethattheparticulars statedonthelabeland
certainexceptions intheratteroflabellingareinaccordwiththe
provisionsofthe"dangeroussubstances"directive.
Article 8
Thisrequiresthemanufacturer tonotifythepoisonsinformation centreof
thecomposition oftoxicsolventMixturesandrequiresthememberstateto
notifythelistsofthepoisorssinformation centrestotheCommission andthe
otherMemberStates.

-3-
III.?'T-?:»ATIor' OFTHEPROPOSAL FOPADIRECTIVE
Theproposr.Lforrdirective wasdraftedinconsultation withaworking
:>r.riycomposedofexpertsinthefieldsofpublichealth,hygiene,industrial
safety,industryandtrade,andinclosecooperation withtherelevant
professional organizations .
IV.CG*-SliLTATTO.M OFTUECUPOPEAN PARLIAMEI-T ANDTHEECONOMIC ANDSOCIALCOMPIITTEE
Astheimplementation oftheprovisions ofthisproposalforrdirective
involvetheamendmentoflegislation intheMemberStates,theOpinionof
boththesebodiesisrequiredpursuanttothesecondparagraphofArticle100
oftheEECTreaty.

-H-
ProposalforaCouncilDirective ?
amending Directive73/173/EEC
^ontheapproximation ofMemberStates'laws,'regulations
andadministrativeprovisionsrelatingtotheclassification ./
packagingandlabellingofdnnuerouspreparations (solvents)
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
andinparticular ;Article100thereof;
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission;
HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEuropeanParliament;
HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEconomicandSocialCommittee;
Whereas,forthebetterprotectionofthegeneralpublicandinparticular
ofpersonswhocomeintocontactwithdangeroussolventpreparations inthe
courseoftheirworkorinthepursuitofahobby,itisnecessarytoextend
thescopeoftheexistingDirectiveof4Juno1973(73/173/EEC)onthe
approximation ofMemberStates'laws,regulations andadministrative
provisionsrelatingtotheclassification ,packagingandlabellingof
dangerouspreparations (solvents)(1);
WhereastheDirectivewillhenceforthapplynotonlytomixturesoftwoor
moresolventsbutalsotomixturesofsolventswithothernon-dangerous
substances whentheyareintendedtobeusedassolvents;whereascorrosive,
irritantandeasilyflammablesolventsarenowlikewisebroughtwithinthe
scopeoftheDirective;
WhereasitisdesirablethatthescopeoftheDirectivebemoreclearly
definedwithrespecttootherDirectivesrelatingtoproductswhichlikewise
containsolvents;
(1)O.J.NoL189,11.7.1973,p.7

WhereascertainprovisionsoftheMrectivehavealsotobobroughtintoLine
withCouncilDirective 67/548/F:ECof27June1967ontheapproximation of
MemberStates'laws,.regulations andadministrative provisionsrelatingto
theclassification ,packaging andlabellingofdangeroussubstances (1),as
lastarrendedbyDirective 76/907/EEC(2),notablyinrespectofthe
infornation appearing ontheLabel,thedimensions oftheLabelandthe
assignmentofthevariousdangersymbols;
'•Jhereasitisfurthermore necessarytoimposeuponmanufacturers theobligation
tonotifythepoisonsinformation centresofthecomposition oftoxic
solventmixturesinorderthatpromptandeffectiveaidmayberenderedin
theeventofaccidents;
Uhereasthenecessar/amendment andamplification oftheAnnextotheCouncil
Directive 73/173/EF.Cof4June1973(solvents)willbeeffectedunderthe
procedureprovidedforinArticle10thereof,
HASADOPTEDTHISDIRECTIVE :.
(1)
(2)O.J.No196of16.8.1967,p.1
O.J.NoL360of30.12.1976,p.1

Article 1
CouncilDirective73/173/EECof4June1973isamendedinaccordancewith
thefollowingArticle?.
Article2
1.Article1(1),<2)and(3)a)shallbereplacedbythefollowing:
i
(1)ThisDirectiveconcerns:
-theclassification,
-thepackaging,and
-thelabelling
ofthefollowingpreparations whichareplacedonthemarketintheMember
StatesoftheCommunityandareregardedasdangerouswithinthemeaningof
Article2ofthisDirective :
(a)Preparations intendedforuseassolventsandcontainingonlythecon­
stituentslistedintheAnnexhereto,includingthosewhichcontain -
impuritiesinquantitiesexceedingthelimitslaiddowninArticle2(5);
(b)preparations intendedforuseassolventsandcontaining,inadditionto
theconstituents listedintheAnnexhereto,othernon~dangerous substances
withinthemeaningofArticle2(2)ofCouncilDirective67/548/EECof
27June1967(hereinafter referredtoas"theDirectiveof27June1967").
ι
(2)ThisDirectiveshallnotapplytocosmeticproductsiftheycomeunder
CouncilDirective76/768/EECof27July1976(1).
(3)furthermore,thisDirectiveshallnotapplytothefollowing:
medicines,narcotics,radioactivepreparations,fuels,foodstuffs,planthealth
productsandpesticides,insofarastheirclassification ,packagingand
labellingaregovernedbyanappropriateDirective.
(1)O.J.NoL262of27.9.1976,p.169

Article 1(3)sh?»llbosupplemented byanewsubparagraph f)wordedasfollows:
"(f)Articles 4to6ofthisDirectiveshallnotapplytocontainersfor
qas'Jouspreparations whicharecompressed,liquefiedordissolvedunder
pressure,withtheexceptionofaerosols,whicharegovernedby
Directive 75/324/EEC."(1)
Article3
■
ThefirstsentenceofArticle2(1)shallboreplacedbythefollowingtext:
"(1)DangeroussubstanceswithinthemeaningoftheDirectiveof27June1967
whichareusedassolventsshallbedividedintoclassesandsub-classes
inaccordance withtheAnnexhereto."
ThelastcolumnofthetableinArticle2(1)(Concentration limittoqualify
forexemption £%)shallbedeleted.
Article2(5)shallbereplacedbythefollowingtext:
"SubstanceslistedintheAnnexheretowhicharepresent,whetherasimpurities
orasadditives,inthepreparations governedbythisDirectiveshallnotbe
takenintoaccountiftheirconcentrations donotexceedthefollowingvalues:
-0.2%inthecaseofClassIsubstances;
-1%inthocaseofClassIIsubstancesorsubstancesclassified ascorrosive;
-2%inthecaseofsubstances classified asirritant
ThefollowingparagraphsshallbeinsertedafterArticle2(5):
"(6)Preparations shallbeconsideredcorrosiveiftheycontainoneormore
ofthesubstances classified ascorrosiveintheAnnexheretoin
concentrations exceedingthelimitspecifiedtherein.
• · .
(1)O.J.NoL147of9.6.1975,p.40

(7)Preparations shallbeconsideredirritantiftheycontainoneormoreof
thesubstancesclassified asirritantorcorrosiveintheAnnexhereto
inanindividualconcentration exceedingthelimitspecifiedthereinin
atotalconcentration exceeding 25%.
Ifthereorefactstojustifytheassumptionthatapreparationcontaining
atleasttwoirritantsubstancesiscorrosive,orifsuchhasbeenfound
tobethecaseinpractice,testsshallbecarriedouttodeterminethe
categorytowhichthepreparation belongsinaccordancewiththe
proceduredescribedinAnnexVIIIoftheDirectiveof27June1967(1).
Thepreparation shallbeclassifiedaccordingtotheresultsobtained.
(8)Preparations shallbeconsideredeasilyflammableiftheyareinliquid
formandtheirflashpoint,asdetermined bythemethodlaiddowriin:
Anne*Vto"theDirectiveof27June1967,isbelow21°C.
(9)Preparations shallbeconsideredflammableiftheyareinliquidformand
theirflashpoint,'asdetermined bythemethodreferredtoabove,is•
between21and55°C. ,
(-10)Preparations intheformofaerosolsshallbesubjecttotheflair.mability
criteriasetoutinitem1.8oftheAnnextoDirective 75/324/EEC."
(11)ForthepurposeofthisDirective"market"means"commonmarket".
Article4
Artict6'4shallbereplacedbythefollowing ;
"MemberStatesshalltakeallnecessarymeasurestoensurethatdeingerous
preparations (solvents)cannotbeplacedonthemarketunlesstheir
packagings andclosuressatisfytherequirements ofArticle5ofthe
DirectiveofT?June1967."
(1)TheproposalforasixthamendmentoftheDirectiveof27June1967
transmitted totheCouncilon20September 1976containsAnnexVIII.

Article 5
Article 5(1)to(4)shall bereplaced bythefollowing :
(1)Member St'"Jt3s shall take allnecessary measures toensure that preparations
classified asdangerous inaccordance with Article 2cannot beplaced on
themarket unless thelabelling onthepackage fulfils thefollowing
conditions .
(2)Thefollowing information shall beclearly andindelibly inscribed onthe
P'-CKageofanypreparation classified asdangerous inaccordance with
Article 2:
(a)thetrade name ordesignation ofthepreparation ;
(b)-thechemical name(s )ofthetoxic ingredient(s )andthepercentage
contained ; •'
thechemical name(s )oftheharmful ingredient Cs)iftheconcen­
tration thereof exceeds thefollowing lvalues :
inthecase ofclass Il/asubstances 3%byweight -
inthecase ofclass Il/bsubstances 6%byweight
inthecase ofclass XI/csubstances 10%byweight
inthecase ofclass Il/dsubstances . .20%byweight ;
thechemical name ofthecorrosive ingredient (s)iftheconcentration
thereof exceeds thelowest values mentioned intheAnnex -
~theinscription irritant solvents "ifthepreparation contains
irritant ingredients inaconcentration exceeding thevalue specified
inArticle 2(7)andif,furthermore ,itcontains notoxic ,harmful
•and/orcorrosive ingredients *
Thechemical name shall bethedesignation listed inAnnex Itothe
Directive of27June 1967 .
Thechemical name(s )oftheingredient(s )need notbestated ifthe
preparation ,isclassified merely aseasily flammable orflammable .

-10-
(c)ther?mcandaddressoftr.emanufacturer orofanyotherpersonplacing
thepreparation onthemarket;
(d)symbolswherespecifiedinthisDirective,andindicationofdanger
inaccordancewithArticle6(2)(c)oftheDirectiveof27June1967,readi
/
conjunctionwithAnnexVthereto/and,inthecaseofaerosolprepar­
ations,inaccordancewithitem1.8oftheAnnextoDirective75/324/EEC
whereflammability hazardsareconcerned;
Ce)oneormorestandardinscriptions indicatingthenatureofanyspecial
risksinvolvedinthehandlingofthepreparations .Inthecaseof
harmful,irritantoreasilyflammablepreparations,suchspecialrisks
neednotbeindicatedifthecontentofthepackagedoesnotexceed
125ml;
(f)inthecaseoftoxicpreparations,thenotice:"Thefullcomposition
ofthispreparation hasbeennotifiedtothepoisonsinformation
centre(s)underthefollowingreference:"X>
(3)Thenoticeconcerningspecialrisksshallbefurnishedbythemanufacturer
oranyotherpersonmarketingthepreparation,accordingtotheimportance
of.theprincipalhazards. .
(ThenoticeshallconformtothewbrdinginAnnexIIItotheDirectiveof
27June1967.
Nomorethanfour.standardinscriptions needbefurnished.Iftheprepar­
ationfallswithinseveraldangercategories,thenoticeshallcoverall
theprincipalhazardsassociatedwiththepreparation.
(4)Thepackagingshallbeaccompanied bysafetyadvicerelatingtotheuse
ofthesubstancewhereitismateriallyimpossibleforthistobegiven
onthelabelorpackageitself.Suchadviceshallbeselectedbythe
X)Thefulladdressandtelephonenumberofthecentre<s)mustbegiven.

11
manufactureroranyother person placing thepreparation onthejnerka't .
from among theitems setoutinAnnex IVtotheDirective of27June 1967."
?.Thefollowing paragraphs shall beadded toArticle 5:
(6)Whonmorethanonedanger symbol isassigned toopreparation ,thefollowing
shall apply :
whore thesymbol Thastobeaffixed ,thesymbol Cisgenerally notrequired
rndthesymbol Xisnever required ; '
where thesymbol Chastobeaffixed ,thesymbol Xisnotrequired .
(7)Ifapreparation isclassified asbothharmful andirritant ,itshall be
labelled harmful andattention shall bedrawn toitsharmful andirritant
characteristics byappropriate warnings inaccordance withAnnex IIIto
theDirective of27June 1967 ." '
Article 6
Article 6shall bereplaced bythefollowing :
"Article 7oftheDirective of27June1967shall beapplicable inrespect
ofthelabelling details ." , . ■'.?
''t < *
'•y ' •
Article 7
Article 7shall bereplaced bythefollowing :
"Article 8oftheDirective of27June1967shall beapplicable inrespect
ofderogations from thelabelling requirements *" .!i
• 4 ;I'' .. -
< *
* ' •
* *
.\ •:'V7 ' I, '•*' .V-.' : ' ', •t, i* *^•

-12-
Article8 >
Thefollowingparagraphsshrillbeaddedto'Article 8:
"(2MemberStatesshalltakeallnecessarymeasurestoensurethatthe
manufacturer oranyotherpersonmarketingatoxicpreparationnotifies
itscompositiontothepoisonsinformationcentresdesignated bythe
competentauthorities .
(3)EachMemberStateshr*llnotifytotheotherMemberStatesandtothe
Commissionthefollowing:
-alistofthePoisonsInformation Centresdesignatedtoreceivethe
Informationreferredtointhesecondparagraph;
-anysubsequentchangeinsuchlist.
Theselistsshallbepublishedforihformstion purposesintheOfficialJournal
oftheEuropeanCommunities .11
Articte9
Article10shallbereplacedbythefollowing:
"AnnexestothisDirectiveshallbeadoptedinaccordancewithArticle8(c)
oftheCouncilDirectiveof27June1967."
Article10
(1)MemberStatesshalladopt.andpublishwithin12monthsfromthe
notification ofthefirstDirectivebasedonArticle10ofthisDirective
thelaws,regulationsandadministrative provisionsneededtocomplywith
thisDirective.
Theyshallapplytheseprovisionswithin18monthsfromthenotification
ofthefirstDirectivebasedonArticle10ofthisDirective.
(2)Onnotification ofthisDirective,MemberStatesshallInformthe
Commission,intimetoenableittoputforwardItscomments,ofall
draftlaws,regulationsoradministrative provisionswhichtheyintend
toadoptinthefieldcoveredbytheDirective.
Article11
ThisDirective1saddressedtotheMemberStates.