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Commercial Information Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref : EIC 230/4/1
20 December 2006
Dear Sirs,
Commercial Information Circular No. 508/2006
European Union (EU)* : Community Eco-label Award Scheme
Further to Commercial Information Circulars No. 198/2005 and 147/2001 of 4 June 2005 and 25 September 2001 respectively, the European Commission has adopted a Decision to divide the product group of soil improvers and growing media into two and establish the new ecological criteria for soil improvers. Details are set out in Commission Decision 2006/799/EC (the Decision), copy (pdf format) of which is attached to this circular for reference.
DETAILS
- Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 1980/2000 on the revised Community eco-label award scheme, a review has been carried out for the ecological criteria for soil improvers and growing media. It is decided that the product group for soil improvers and growing media should be divided into two separate product groups. Hence, Commission Decision 2001/688/EC concerning the ecological criteria for soil improvers and growing media should therefore be replaced by two separate Decisions.
- Under the new Decision, the product group "soil improvers" shall comprise materials to be added to the soil in situ primarily to maintain or improve its physical properties, and which may improve its chemical and/or biological properties or activity. To qualify for the Community eco-label, the soil improver must comply with the revised ecological criteria on certain areas including ingredients, hazardous substances, physical contaminants, nitrogen, product performance, etc. Details are set out in the Annex of the Decision. The revised ecological criteria will be valid for four years.
- To allow sufficient time for producers to adapt to the revision, eco-label awarded to soil improver and growing media before 1 October 2006 may continue to be used until 30 April 2008. For applications of eco-label made before 1 October 2006, eco-label may still be awarded under the terms of previous ecological criteria which is applicable until 28 August 2007. Eco-label so awarded in these cases may also be used until 30 April 2008.
ENQUIRIES
- For enquiries about the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5500.
Yours faithfully,
(K H NG)
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 Production Notification and Certificate of Origin enable traders to make the relevant applications directly through their 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 the following service providers:
Global e-Trading Services Limited (Tel. : 8109 1820)
Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited (Tel. : 2599 1700) |
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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