./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.519
30 October 1998
(98-4237)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying: BELGIUM
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Economic Affairs
Quality and Safety Administration
Safety Division
Product Safety ServiceNorth Gate III
Boulevard Emile Jacqmain 154
B-1000 Brussels
Tel:  +32 2 206 46 63
Fax:  +32 2 206 57 41
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):  Calculators and electronic
converters specially equipped for converting Belgian francs into euros and vice versa
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Royal Order Concerning
the Approval of Appliances for the Conversion of Belgian Francs into euros and Vice Versa
6. Description of content:  The draft Order provid es for the optional certification of calculators
and electronic appliances specially equipped to convert Belgian francs into Euros and vice
versa.  Manufacturers, importers and distributors of such appliances are under no obligation
to have them examined for conformity before placing them on the market.  The draft Order
lays down the principle of equivalency of similar action that may have been taken in thecountries of the European Economic Area.
The controls carried out on the appliances are statistical controls.  The appliances
which, upon examination, are certified to be in conformity with the Royal Order, and hence
with Council Regulation (EC) No. 1103/1997 of 17 June 1997 on certain provisions relating
to the introduction of the euro, are given a certification mark consisting of the logo of theMinistry of Economic Affairs.
This certification pertains to the use of the right conversion rate as well as the
proper application of the rounding-off rules in accordance with the above-mentioned
Regulation.  It will be conducted by bodies authorized to do so by the Ministry of Economic
Affairs.  The authorization is based on an accreditation in accordance with Europeanstandards (EN 45 000) and pursuant to the Law of 20 July 1990 on the accreditation of
certification and control bodies and of testing laboratories.G/TBT/Notif.98.519
Page 2
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  The
purpose of the certification mark is to reassure the user as to the validity of the conversions
carried out on the type of appliances in question.  The appliances marked with the logo of
the Ministry of Economic Affairs will have significant added value in comparison to those
which do not.
Thus, there will be a clear distinction between appliances which may be considered
reliable in communicating precise information and those for which there is no such
guarantee.  Indeed, there are already appliances on the market which convert various
national currency units into euro units and vice versa despite the fact that the exact
conversion rate is not yet known.  Moreover, they do not round off properly.  It will
therefore be extremely helpful in the future to provide the consumer with greater certainty
as to the accuracy of the operations carried out.
8. Relevant documents:  -
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: } 60 days
10. Final date for comments:  -
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X ] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body:  CIBELNOR