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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 617/2

20 March 2009

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 149/2009

Korea : Amendment of Safety Criteria for Children's Metal Jewelry

According to a communication circulated by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) has recently proposed amendment of safety criteria for consumer products. The communication (document number 09-1184) can be obtained from the WTO's website at: <http://docsonline.wto.org>.

DETAILS

  1. The product concerned is Children's Metal Jewelry (HS: 9503-00-3300). The proposed effective date is 1 January 2010. Details of the proposed amendment are :
     

    - Revise existing safety criteria for "Children's Metal Jewelry" subject to the self-regulatory safety confirmation;
    - Clarify that all jewelry being used by children are subject to the "Self-Regulatory Safety Confirmation" system after changing the name of items from "Children's Metal Jewelry" to "Children's Jewelry";
    - Publish a new regulation which lead-free solder shall be used in the connecting parts of soldering of the jewelry;
    - Strengthen criteria for the total lead limit from 600 mg/kg to 300 mg/kg;
    - Publish a new regulation on the jewelry which uses high molecular substance, including plastics, having a certain specific phthalates - DEHP, DBP, BBP - of less than 0.1 %;
    - Prepare new test methods for measuring the total amount of lead and phthalates by substances of the jewelry;
    - Improve the method of indication in order to avoid overlapping the name of products and models of jewelry; and
    - Regarding consumer products subject to the self-regulatory safety confirmation, manufacturers or importers are required to confirm safety by reporting to safety certification body with attachment of test report and safety certificates from testing laboratories and inspection bodies respectively by models prior to delivery of goods to the market or clearance through the customs to identify whether they conform to the safety criteria.

  1. Any comments on the proposed amendment should reach the following within 60 days from 16 February 2009: 

TBT Division, KATS
96, Gyoyukwongil, Gwacheon-Si
Gyonggi-Do, 427-716, KOREA
Tel: (+82) 2 509 7254/7255; Fax: (+82) 2 509 7307; 
E-mail: tbt@kats.go.kr

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5650 or jimwong@tid.gov.hk.

Yours faithfully,

 

(Jim WONG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry