. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CHE/36 
22 January 2004  
 
(04-0215) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (SFOPH)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco) -WHNT 
Effingerstrasse 1 
CH-3003 Bern Tel:  ++41 31 324 07 60 Fax:  ++41 31 324 09 59 
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):   Biocide Products 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Ordinance relating to 
Biocidal Products, approximately 45 pa ges (German, French and Italian) 
6. Description of content:   The ordinance regulates the requirements for authorization of 
biocidal products to be placed on the mark et.  It contains rules on the assessment, 
classification, packaging and labelling of bioc idal products as well as their appropriate 
handling and use. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
The ordinance is intended to incorporate the Directive 98/8/EC (Biocidal Products 
Directive) into Swiss legislation.  It adopts annexes I and IA of Directive 98/8/EC and the 
list of notified active substances.  Rules are established for biocidal products containing 
active substances not yet in the mentioned annexes.  The ordinance aims to improve the level of protection for the general public, the professional and industrial users and the 
environment. 
8. Relevant documents:   Law of 7 October 1983 (as of 10 June 1997) relating to the 
Protection of the Environment (RS 814.01) 
http://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/c814_01.html   
 Law of 15 December 2000 concerning Protec tion against Dangerous Substances and 
Preparations (Chemicals Law) (FF 1999-5887)  
http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/ff/2000/5733.pdf
  G/TBT/N/CHE/36 
Page 2  
 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 January 2005 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from the day of notification 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:        
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/vernehm/d/VBP_final%20draft_d__VL.pdf   
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/vernehm/f/VBP_final_draft_f__VL.pdf    
http://www.bag.admin.ch/parchem/ver nehm/i/VBP_final%20draft_i__VL.pdf  
 