WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.96.129
20May1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-1911)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: NETHERLANDS
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Commodity Board forSoftDrinks andWaters
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Returnable glass and
plastic bottles, aswellascrates forsoftdrinks andwaters
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Draft Regulation
Governing Compensation forHandling Extra Returned Empties 1996 with
Accompanying Implementing Order (6pages, available inEnglish)
6. Description ofcontent: The objective ofthedraft regulation andassociated
implementing order istoeliminate anydistortions inthedistribution ofsoftdrinks and
waters inreturnable bottles andcrates, such distortions being thedirect result ofthe
haphazard collection behaviour onthepartofconsumers withregard toempty bottles
andcrates. Additionally, theregulation aims toimprove sorting bywholesalers and
retailers ofbottles andcrates. There isnofinancial gainforindustry pursuant tothis
regulation. Asfortheretailers, theyonlystand tobenefit from thepresent system if
theycollect more empties thantheysoldinthefirstplace.
7. Objective andrationale: Thelong established deposit-money system leads tothe
disparities inthedistribution ofempty crates andbottles. TheVBR system, whereby
retailers receive compensation forhandling extra returned empties, namely thepackaging
which iscollected ontopofthequantity sold, hasbeenfirmly inplace formany years to
ensure this. Since theamounts havebeen adjusted inlinewiththeriseincosts, itis
deemed necessary tolaydown thissystem inaregulation.
8. Relevant documents:
- Business Organisation Act(Law Gazette K22, 27January 1950);
- Establishment Order onSoftDrinks andWater 1992.
9. Proposed dateofadoption: 1January 1997
Proposed dateofentry intoforce:
10. Final dateforcomments: 12July1996
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: