./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.99.365
9 August 1999
(99-3381)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   FRANCE
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Regional Development and the Environment -
Directorate for the Prevention of Pollution and Hazards – Industrial Environmental Service
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 [ X ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [ X ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Petrol station pumps
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Decree on the
Reduction of Emissions of Volatile Organi c Compounds (VOC) in connection with the
Fuelling of Motor Vehicles in Petrol Stations (11 pages)
6. Description of content:   This decree concerns new petrol stations with a throughput of
between 500m3/year and 3000m3/year of petrol.  It establishes the technical provisions
concerning vapour recovery systems for these installations to ensure 80 per cent efficiency,
as well as for periodic equipment checks.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:   
Since the Geneva Protocol (November 1991), it has been confirmed that COV
emissions contribute to formation of tropo spheric ozone and photochemical pollution.
While COV emissions in the petrol distribution chain from terminals to petrol
stations are covered by a European directive, there is no Community regulation concerning
COV emissions during the fuelling of motor vehicles in petrol stations.
A number of European countries have drawn up specific national regulations in this
area.  In France, the Law of 31 December 1996 on air and rational use of energy firstimposed the need to reduce COV emissions or new and existing petrol stations with a
throughput in excess of 3000m3/year.  This decree supplements the provisions of that law
for new petrol stations with the throughpu t of between 500m3/year and 3000m3/year.
8. Relevant documents:           
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }1 October 1999          G/TBT/Notif.99.365
Page 2
10. Final date for comments:   1 October 1999
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] (CINORTECH) or address, e-mail
and telefax number of the other body:           