Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline: 23 922 922

Ref : EIC 230/2

1 September 1999

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 132/99

EU : Restrictions on the Use of Nickel in Products Intended to be in
Contact with the Skin

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 82/94 of 7 September 1994, the Department has received information that the European Commission (EC) has published the standards on test methods required for implementing the 1994 Directive restricting the use of nickel in products intended to be in contact with the skin. Member States (MSS) are now required to implement the Directive, including introducing a ban on the manufacture, import and sale of products not conforming to the requirements of the Directive within specific timeframes. A copy of the Directive and the Official Journal publishing the standards are appended to this circular for reference.

DETAILS

2.Commercial Information Circular No. 82/94 informed the trade that the EC had adopted a Directive restricting the use of nickel in products intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin on the basis that such products may lead to allergic reactions. The Directive stipulates that the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) should develop standards on all the test methods used for demonstrating conformity, and that the Commission should publish such standards in the Official Journal. Six months after the publication, MSS are required to transpose the measures of the Directive into national legislation.

3.The EC published the relevant CEN standards on 20 July 1999. They cover reference test methods for the determination of nickel content, and the release of nickel from product intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin, and wear and corrosion test for the detection of nickel release from coated items. MSS should now transpose the measures of the Directive into national legislation six months from publication of the standards i.e. 20 January 2000 (the expiry period). Six months thereafter, i.e. 20 July 2000, the manufacture and import of products not conforming to the Directive will be banned. The ban on sale will take effect 18 months after the expiry period, i.e. 20 July 2001. However, products which have been placed on the market before the expiry period may continue to be sold.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries about the contents of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Helen YUNG)

for Director-General of Trade

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.