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Commercial
Information Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref : EIC 230/2/11
22 December 2004
Dear Sirs,
Commercial
Information Circular No. 346/2004
European
Union (EU)* : Restrictions on the Marketing and
Use of Pentabromodiphenyl Ether
Further to Commercial
Information Circular No. 92/2003 of 1 April 2003, the European Commission
(the Commission) has adopted a Directive to relax the current restrictions
on the marketing and use of pentabromodiphenyl either (pentaBDE) in
aircraft emergency evacuation systems. Details are set out in Commission
Directive 2004/98/EC (the Directive), a copy of which is attached
(pdf format) to this circular for reference. Member States are required
to put the Directive into force by 1 January 2005 at the latest.
DETAILS
- PentaBDE is used as a brominated flame
retardant in order to protect plastics, fabrics and other articles
against fire. On the basis of a risk assessment, the marketing and
use of the substance is restricted under certain conditions as detailed
in Commercial Information Circular No. 92/2003. Recently, new information
has become available showing that pentaBDE is used in specific fabrics
for aircraft evacuation slides and slide-rafts and cannot be replaced
by suitable alternatives due to the extensive safety testing and regulatory
requirements. In light of the limited application of pentaBDE in aircraft
emergency evacuation systems and the negligible risks posed by pentaBDE
to health and the environment, the Commission has adopted the Directive
to exempt the existing restrictions on pentaBDE from applying to aircraft
emergency evacuation systems until 31 March 2006.
ENQUIRIES
- For enquiries about the content of this
circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398
5684.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Sandra SOU)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
*
The EU includes Austria,
Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
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Electronic services
for Restrained Textiles Export Licence, Production Notification
and Certificate of Origin enable traders to make the relevant
applications directly throughtheir office computer faster and
easier. Electronic service has now been extended to the submission
of Cargo Manifests and Textiles Notifications. For details and
enquiries, please call Tradelink at 2599 1700.
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Note : While every effort is made
to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot
guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance
placed on the same.
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