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

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref : EIC 230/4/1

5 February 2003

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 41/2003

European Union (EU)* :Community Eco-label Award Scheme

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 62/2002 of 3 April 2002, the European Commission (EC) has revised the ecological criteria and their validity period for the award of the Community eco-label to detergents for dishwashers in order to reflect the developments in the market. Besides, the EC has modified the definition of the product group. Details are set out in the Commission Decision (2003/31/EC) and the corresponding corrigenda, copies of which are at Attachment I and II (pdf format) respectively for reference.

DETAILS

Revised Product Group Definition and Eco-label Criteria

  1.  
  2. The existing product group definition and eco-label criteria were established in July 1999. The product group definition is now revised to comprise all detergents intended for use exclusively in automatic domestic dishwashers and all detergents intended for use in automatic dishwashers operated by professional users but similar to automatic domestic dishwashers in terms of machine size and usage. As for the revised eco-label criteria on ingredients, product packaging, etc., please refer to the Attachments for the relevant details. The revised product group definition and eco-label criteria have taken effect on 1 January 2003 and will be valid until 31 December 2007.

Transitional Arrangements

  1. To allow time for companies to adapt to the revisions, the existing product group definition and eco-label criteria will be valid until 31 May 2004. Eco-label awarded to this group of product before 1 January 2003 may continue to be used until 31?May 2004. For applications of eco-label made before 1 January 2003, eco-label may be awarded under the terms of the existing product group definition and eco-label criteria. In these cases, eco-label so awarded may be used until 31 May 2004.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries about the contents 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 member states are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.



  • 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.