WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.496
16 October 1998
(98-4009)
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 Small Firms and Traders and Agriculture
Department of Raw Material Qua lity and the Plant Sector – DG 4
WTC 3 –Boulevard S. Bolivar 30
B – 1000 Brussels
Tel:  + 32 2 208 38 45 Fax:  + 32 2 208 38 66
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall beindicated 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):  Agricultural pesticides
containing the active substances Mecoprop and Dichlorprop
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Ministerial Decision on
Withdrawing Approval of Agricultural Pesticides Containing the Active Substances
Mecoprop and Dichlorprop
6. Description of content:  The aim is to withdraw from the Belgian market agricultural
pesticides containing the herbicide active substances (A.S.) Mecoprop and Dichlorprop.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  The
measure is part of a project to limit the use of agricultural pesticides.  The A.S. concerned
by this measure can be replaced with other A.S. that are biologically comparable in terms oftheir active isomers but are used in much smaller quantities.
According to the uniform principles in Directive 91/414, the amount applied must
allow the smallest possible quantity to be used. Mecoprop has been found in underground
water in concentrations exceeding 0.1 ig/l.  The patents for the production of alternative
A.S. are no longer in effect.
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