WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.97.429
22September 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-3847)
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: Ministry ofJustice
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above: National Enquiry Point
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): Gaming machines, both
gambling machines andgames-of-skill machines
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Betting andGaming
Act,TitleVa(Gaming Machines).
6. Description ofcontent: Title VaoftheBetting andGaming Actregulates thehaving
available, operating, trading andmanufacturing ofgaming machines. Regarding gaming
machines intended forcasinos, thishasbeenstipulated inArticle 8oftheCasino Games
Decision 1996, intheGaming Machines Decree andtheGaming Machines Regulation.
Inthecaseofgaming machines intended forother premises, thishasbeenlaiddown in
theGaming Machines Decree andtheGaming Machines Regulation. These instruments
willbenotified together withtheAct. According totheDutch Government, TitleVaof
thisActprobably contains technical regulations inthesense oftheAgreement on
Technical Barriers toTrade. Anindictive summary canbefound below:
- Inaccordance with Article 30m, Paragraph 1andArticle 30t,Paragraph 1,
gaming machines shallcorrespond withtheapproved model ofagaming machine. Ifthis
isnotthecase, agaming machine shallnotbemanufactured, imported, introduced onto
themarket, sold, keptinstock, offered forsaleorsupplied, operated orkeptavailable.
- Inaccordance with article 30nofthebill,regulations areissued which the
model istofulfil. Thisisdonethrough theabove-mentioned instruments.
./.G/TBT/Notif.97.429
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7. Objective andrationale: IfTitleVaoftheActcontains technical barriers totrade, these
arejustified toprotect theplayers against fraud andabuse (lawandorder andConsumer
protection) andexcessive andproblematic game behaviour (public health). Aclause of
mutual recognition regarding inspection institutes hasbeenadded toArticle 17aofthe
Gaming Machines Decree forproducts approved abroad.
8. Relevant documents: Thefollowing documents areofimportance fortheevaluation of
thisdraft:
- Parliamentary documents regarding the"Revision oftheBetting andGaming Act
(gaming machine)" (Parliamentary Documents II,1981-1982, 16481);
- theGaming Machines Decree;
- theGaming Machines Regulation; and
- theCasino Games Decision (Article 8).
9. Proposed dateofadoption: 1November 1997
Proposed dateofentry intoforce: 2November 1997
10. Final dateforcomments: 31October 1997
TheNetherlands willproceed toimplement theproposed measure after 45daysifno
comments orrequests forextension ofthetimelimit have been received from other
Members within thattime.
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: