. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/SWE/4
16 July 2001
(01-3505)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   SWEDEN
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of the Environment
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:           
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):   Ammunition containing
lead
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Ordinance (1998:944)
on the prohibition, etc. in certain cases in conjunction with the handling, importation and
export of chemical products (3 pages in English)
6. Description of content:   Introduction of a prohibition against using ammunition containing
lead. As regards ammunition containing lead shot, a prohibition on offering for sale and
transfer is also introduced.  Ammunition that contains lead shot may not be used for huntingin areas of wetlands or for shooting after 31 December 2001 and may not be used for
hunting in other areas after 31 December 2005.  After the latter date, ammunition that
contains lead shot may not be commercially offered for sale or transferred.  After the end of
2007, bullet ammunition that contains lead may not be used for hunting or shooting.  An
exception is made for shooting at a shooting gallery or shooting range where ammunition
after use is collected in an environmental bullet backstop or taken care of in another way
that is acceptable from a health and environmental perspective.  The SwedishEnvironmental Protection Agency is empowered to make regulations concerning exceptions
from certain prohibitions if, having regard to the purpose of or the security in use, there is
no acceptable lead-free alternative ammunition.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Exposure to lead may have adverse effects on the health of humans and the environment.
The discharge of lead shot has caused manifest problems, particularly in wetlands.  In the
opinion of the Government, contained in the Swedish Environment Goals (Government Bill
1997/98:145 p. 240 ff), the use of lead shot should be prohibited for all hunting and
basically for all shooting. Furthermore, the use of lead should be phased-out over time.  The
proposal implements these intentions as regards lead in ammunition.G/TBT/N/SWE/4
Page 2
8. Relevant documents:   Ordinance (1998:944) on the prohibition, etc. in certain cases in
conjunction with the handling, importation and export of chemical products.
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }17 October 2001(proposed date of adoption), 1January 2002 (regarding § 14.d- 1 January
2006), (regarding § 14.e- 1 January 2008) (date
of entry into force).
10. Final date for comments:   11 October 2001
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:           