. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/FRA/18
7 January 2003
(03-0032)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  French
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:
Interministerial Director for Standards
Sub-Directorate of Quality for I ndustry and Standardization (SQUALPI)
64-70 Allée de Bercy
Télédoc 811
75574 PARIS Cedex 12
Tel.: 01 53 44 97 04Fax: 01 53 44 98 88
E-mail: suzanne.piau@industrie.gouv.fr or syrte@industrie.gouv.fr
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and 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:
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):  Basic mineral
amendments (enriching agents) and growing media
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Order Establishing the
Mandatory Implementation of Standards  (4 pages).
6. Description of content:
Mandatory implementation of two updated standards - Updating of the former Orders
establishing the mandatory implementation of existing standards without modification -
Updating of the mutual recognition procedure in accordance with the provisions adopted by
the Commission in October 2001.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Permit the use of two Standards approved by  AFNOR (French Standards Association): NF
U 44-001, basic mineral amendments, and NF U 44-551, growing media. Harmonize the
procedure for all existing standards.G/TBT/N/FRA/18
Page 2
8. Relevant documents:
Customs Code, in particular Article 38;
Consumer Code, in particular Article L214-1;
Rural Code, in particular Article L 255-2;
Law No. 41-1987 of 24 May 1941 on standardization;Decree No. 84-74 of 26 January 1984, as amended, establishing the Standardization Code, in
particular Article 12;
Order of 4 December 1974 approving and cancelling standards.
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force:
10. Final date for comments:   
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers and E-mail and Web site addresses, if available, of other body:
Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs
Directorate-General of Food and Nutrition
Department of Plant Protection and Quality251, rue de Vaugirard
75732 PARIS Cedex 15
Tel.: 01 49 55 81 41
Fax: 01 49 55 59 49
E-mail: odile.petit@agriculture.gouv.fr
National enquiry point
CINORTECH (National Information Centre on Standards and Technical Regulations)
AFNOR (French Standards Association)
11, avenue Francis de Pressensé
93571 SAINT-DENIS-LA PLAINE Cedex