G/TBT/N/KOR/207
Page 1

World Trade
Organization
G/TBT/N/KOR/207
9 March 2009
(09-1184)
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: Republic of Korea
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):
2. / Agency responsible: Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS)
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
96, Gyoyukwongil, Gwacheon-Si
Gyonggi-Do, 427-716
KOREA
Tel: (+82) 2 509 7254/7255
Fax: (+82) 2 509 7307
E-mail:
Homepage: http://www.kats.go.kr
3. / Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [X], 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):
Children’s Metal Jewelry (HS: 9503-00-3300)
5. / Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:
Proposed amendment of Safety Criteria for consumer products subject to the self-regulatory safety confirmation (26 pages, in Korean)
6. / Description of content:
KATS will:
- Revise existing safety criteria for 'Children's Metal Jewelry' subject to the self-regulatory safety confirmation.
- Clarify that all jewelry being used by children are subject to the 'Self-Regulatory Safety Confirmation' system after changing the name of items from 'Children's Metal Jewelry' to 'Children's Jewelry.'
- Publish a new regulation which lead-free solder shall be used in the connecting parts of soldering of the jewelry.
- Strengthen criteria for the total lead limit from 600 mg/kg to 300 mg/kg.
- Publish a new regulation on the jewelry which uses high molecular substance, including plastics, having a certain specific phthalates ― DEHP, DBP, BBP ― of less than 0.1 %.
- Prepare new test methods for measuring the total amount of lead and phthalates by substances of the jewelry.
- Improve the method of indication in order to avoid overlapping the name of products and models of jewelry.
- Regarding consumer products subject to the self-regulatory safety confirmation, manufacturers or importers are required to confirm safety by reporting to safety certification body with attachment of test report and safety certificates from testing laboratories and inspection bodies respectively by models prior to delivery of goods to the market or clearance through the customs to identify whether they conform to the safety criteria.
7. / Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:
Consumer protection
8. / Relevant documents: KATS Public Notice No. 2009-41 (16 Feb 2009)
9. / Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: / } / 01 January 2010, or later
10. / Final date for comments: 60 days from date of notification
11. / Text available from: National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
TBT Division
KATS
96, Gyoyukwongil, Gwacheon-Si
Gyonggi-Do, 427-716
KOREA
Tel: (+82) 2 509 7254/7255
Fax: (+82) 2 509 7307
E-mail:
Website: http://www.kats.go.kr
Full texts are available on the Internet at URLs:
http://kats.go.kr/english/cm_02/cm_02_06.asp?OlapCode=ATSU2106