WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.98.242
13May1998
ORGANIZATION
(98-1913)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: FRANCE
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofPublic Works, Transport andHousing. Ministry of
Town andCountry Planning andtheEnvironment
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification shallbe
indicated ifdifferent from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [],2.10.1 [X],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Identification ofvehicles
contributing toairpollution abatement.
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Draft Decree
Amending Certain Provisions oftheRoad Code Relating totheIdentification ofMotor
Vehicles which Contribute toAirPollution Abatement (3pages)
6. Description ofcontent: Thedraft Decree hasmodified certain provisions oftheRoad
Code. Ithasadded aclass ofvehicle "considered tocontribute toairpollution
abatement", andindicates howtoidentify thisnewcategory ofvehicle.
7. Objective andrationale, including thenature ofurgent problems where applicable:
- Article 24ofLawNo.96-1236 of30December 1996 onairandtherational use
ofenergy states that"motor vehicles areidentified based ontheircontribution to
airpollution abatement. Vehicles thusidentified stand togainprivileged traffic
andparking conditions". A"green sticker" willidentify vehicles considered to
betheleastpolluting.
- Carmanufacturers willassist indrawing upalistofvehicles referred toin(5),
(6),(9)and(10)tofacilitate theallocation of"green stickers" tothese vehicles.
- Article 1oftheLawonairandtherational useofenergy of30December 1996
recognizes theright ofeachperson "tobreathe healthy air"andentrusts public
authorities withtheobligation totake"action inthegeneral interest".
./.G/TBT/Notif.98.242
Page2
7. Objective andrationale, including thenature ofurgent problems where applicable
(cont'd):
Epidemiological studies have shown theimpact ofhigh pollution levels on
human health. Article 12ofthesame Lawstates thatwhen alertthresholds arereached
oralmost reached, theprefect should inform thepublic immediately andtakeappropriate
steps toreduce thelevelandimpact ofthepollution peakonthepopulation.
Itwasonthebasis ofthese provisions thattheinter-prefectorial Decree of
11April 1997 relating totheuseofalternating traffic inParis andinthedepartments of
Hauts-de-Seine, Seine Saint-Denis andValdeMarne, should there behighpollution
levels intheIledeFrance region, wasissued bytheprefects concerned.
However, anapplication forcancellation ofthisDecree hasbeen made tothe
State Council (Conseil d'Etat). Ifcancelled, alternating traffic arrangements intheParis
agglomeration cannot beimplemented asprovided forintheDecree.
TheFrench Government hasdecided toissue theDecree ontheuseofthe
"green sticker" withaviewtoreducing traffic intheevent ofpollution peaks. Thiswill
bebased ontheextent towhich carsarepolluting ornotpolluting theair.
Forthismeasure totakeeffect asofsummer 1998, when pollution levels are
usually high, itseems thattheDecree willhavetobeconsidered inaccordance withthe
emergency procedure.
8. Relevant documents:
- Council Directive 70/220/EC of6April 1970 concerning theharmonization of
member States 'legislation with respect tomeasures tobetaken against air
pollution caused bycarswithmodified engines;
- Council Directive 96/62/EC of27September 1996 concerning ambient air
quality assessment andmanagement;
- LawNo.96-1236 of30December 1996 onairandtherational useofenergy;
- Amended Decree No.74-415 of13May 1974 relating tothecontrol ofair
polluting emissions andcertain usesofenergy.
9. Proposed dateofadoption: May1998
Proposed dateofentry intoforce: Summer 1998
10. Final dateforcomments: 1June1998
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress, e-mail andtelefax number
ofother body:
- METL
- CINORTECH