WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/NLD/52
1 October 2002
(02-5243)
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:   THE NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management
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):   Retro-reflective material
with which the dimensions of a vehicle are more clearly visible.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft Decree
amending the Vehicle Rules in connection with the authorisation of retro-reflective material
on heavy company cars and trailers.
6. Description of content:   The draft Decree aims to permit the use of the material in heavy
company cars and trailers under certain conditions.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
The draft Decree serves to implement Rule UN/ECE No 104. In anticipation of the
inclusion of this Rule in the Community type  approval scheme of Directive 70/156/EEC,
the Netherlands would like the use of the material, which this Rule provides for, to be
permitted for heavy company cars and trailers.  The use of the material is therefore, for
clarity's sake, not obligatory but optional.  If the material is to be used, then this shall only
be possible under certain conditions. These provisions have been adopted from UN/ECE
Rule No 104.  The reason which has been given for not waiting for the rule to be includedwithin the framework of Directive 70/156/EEC, is th e fact that there is much interest in the
use of the material in industry and moreover its use may have a positive effect on traffic
safety.
8. Relevant documents:   Vehicle rules
9. Proposed date of adoption:  February 2003
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 March 2003
10. Final date for comments:   7 December 2003
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:           