./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.99.331
20 July 1999
(99-3013)
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 Employment and Solidarity
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
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):   Toys and child-care
articles to be put into the mouth by children under three years of age and containing
phthalates
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Decree introduced in
application of Article L.143 of the Public Health Code and supplementing the list of
poisonous or dangerous substances whose use is prohibited in the manufacture of toys orplaythings (1 page)
6. Description of content:   The proposal prohibits the use and marketing of toys and child-
care articles containing certain phthalates, which are intended to be put in the mouth by
children under three years of age.          
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
The purpose of these measures is to protect the health of children.  It has been proved that
the phthalates present in the toys that children put into their mouths very easily migrate into
the saliva.  The risk assessments carried out at the request of the European Commission
show that the safety margin for children that put such toys into their mouths is very narrow
as compared with the amounts having no effect.  The EU Scientific Committee on
toxicology and ecotoxicology and the environment has expressed its anxiety regarding the
exposure of children to the various phthalates.  Finally, in its recommendation of July 1998
the European Commission invited the Member states to take measures to ensure a high level
of safety for children.  This draft text is in response to that.
8. Relevant documents:   Public Health Code, Article L. 143;  Decree No. 45 - 1330 of
15 June 1945 establishing the list of poisonous or dangerous substances whose use is
prohibited in the manufacture of toys or playthings, as amended by Decrees No. 48–1066 of
30 June 1948, No. 61–1406 of 18 December 1961, No. 69–886 of 24 September 1969,No. 79-95 of 21 January 1979, No. 81–720 of 20 July 1981 and No. 83–709 of
26 July 1983.G/TBT/Notif.99.331
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9. Proposed date of entry into force:  End of 1999
10. Final date for comments:   End of September 1999          
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, e-mail and telefax number
of the other body:   CINORTECH