Trade and Industry Department Commercial Information Circular No. 480/2009

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

Ref : EIC 230/6/14

24 September 2009

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 480/2009

European Union (EU)* : Restrictions on the Manufacture, Placing on the Market, and
Use of Certain Dangerous Substances, Mixtures and Articles under REACH

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 300/2009 of 11 June 2009, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Regulation to amend Annex XVII on the restrictions on the manufacture, placing on the market, and use of certain dangerous substances, mixtures and articles under REACH. Details are set out in the Commission Regulation (EC) 552/2009 (the Regulation), which can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:164:0007:0031:EN:PDF

DETAIL

With effect from 1 June 2009, REACH has repealed and replaced Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations. The relevant restrictions are now set out in Annex XVII of REACH. To harmonise the terminology for different entries in Directive 76/769/EEC and REACH and allow operators and enforcement authorities to apply the restrictions correctly, the Commission has revised Annex XVII of REACH. Details are set out in the Annex of the Regulation.

ENQUIRIES

For enquiries concerning 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, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Electronic services for Production Notification, Certificate of Origin, Textiles Notifications, and Cargo Manifests enable traders to lodge/make the relevant applications directly through their office computer faster and easier. Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited currently runs services for the above documents,
and Global e-Trading Services Limited is providing electronic services for Cargo Manifests. Please call the service providers for enquiries on their services:

Global e-Trading Services Limited (Tel. : 8109 1820)
Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited (Tel. : 2599 1700)

Note 1:	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.
Note 2:	The biweekly newsletter "Business Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. The newsletter is available for free e-subscription and can be accessed through http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/eualert.htm.