. / .WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/250
25 May  2000
(00-2129)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   FRANCE
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of  Regional Development and the Environment –
Directorate for the Prevention of Pollution and Hazards – Industrial Environmental Service
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [     ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [ X ], 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):   -
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Ministerial Order
Establishing Approval Procedures for Laboratories or Other Bodies with regard to Certain
Kinds of Sampling and Testing for the Emission of Substances into the Atmosphere.
(9 pages)
6. Description of content:   Defines approval procedures for laboratories with regard to certain
kinds of sampling or testing for the emission of substances into the atmosphere.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
This Draft Order, establishing approval procedure for laboratories with regard to
certain kinds of sampling and testing for the emission of substances into the atmosphere, isdesigned to replace the Order of 7 November 1985 concerning conditions of approval for
bodies carrying out emission checks and desc ribes the new approval procedures for
laboratories carrying out sampling and measurement of emissions.  From 1 January 2002,
the granting of approval will depend, firstly, on a laboratory receiving accreditation either
from the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC – Comité Français d'Accreditation) orfrom any European body signatory to the Multilateral European Cooperation for
Accreditation (EA) Agreement and, secondly, on a favourable opinion from the approval
commission chaired by the Director for the Prevention of Pollution and Hazards.
Its principal objective is to improve the quality of measurements carried out by
laboratories or other bodies involved in the periodic checking of emissions from classified
plants for the purpose of environmental protection.G/TBT/Notif.00/250
Page 2
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
(cont'd)
To date the only approved laboratories are those carrying out measurement of dust
emissions.  The new approval procedures will al so extend the list of pollutants for which
laboratories can be approved (heavy metals, dioxins, total volatile organic compounds, …)
8. Relevant documents:   -
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }1 October 2000
10. Final date for comments:   1 September 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:   CINORTECH