. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/49
1 February 2000
(00-0395)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated 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 Agency of Environment, Forests and Landscape
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco), Berne
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):   Products containing
living genetically modified organisms (LGMO), such as seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, animal
feedstuffs, foodstuffs and live vaccines.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Amendment to the
Federal Law on the Protection of the Environment (Gen Lex) (10 pages, available in French
and German)
6. Description of content:   The Law establishes the basic rules and requirements for the use
of organisms in general with emphasis on the use of LGMO.  Since 1 July 1997, it containsnotification and authorization procedures based on safety criteria for contained use,
experimental releases and commercialization of products containing living organisms as
well as labelling requirements for LGMO.
The draft amendment introduces a number of new requirements relating to organisms such
as (1) new ethical criteria for the assessment and the approval of research projects, of
experimental releases and of products (intrinsic value of animals and plants), (2) the
establishment of a consultative expert committee for ethical issues, (3) improved access forthe public to non-confidential information and (4) new liability requirements (compensation
of financial losses in agriculture by the manufacturer, prolongation of the period for claims
of compensation up to 30 years).
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Protection of human or animal health and plant life, protection of the environment,
protection of sustainable use of biodivers ity/genetic resources, consumer information.
8. Relevant documents:   Federal Law on the Protection of the Environment (SR 814.01)G/TBT/Notif.00/49
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9. Proposed date of adoption:  2001
Proposed date of entry into force:  2002
10. Final date for comments:   31 March 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:           