SLOVAK REPUBLIC: OBLIGATORY CERTIFICATION OF WOOD AND FURNITURE PRODUCTS The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/Notif. 96.64. 1. Member to Agreement notifying: SLOVAK REPUBLIC. If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2). 2. Agency responsible: Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing (UNMS SR) Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification can be indicated if different from above. 3. Notified under Article 5.6.2. 4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Given in the enclosure in a form of UNMS Decree No. 119/1995. 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Decree No. 119/1995 of the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing of 22 December 1995. Obligatory Certification of Wood and Furniture Products. 6. Description of content: The proposed technical regulations - Decree No. 119/1995 of the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing of 22 December 1995 ``Obligatory certification of wood and furniture products'' states examining of mechanical, fire and electrical safety, hygienic soundness, health and environmental protection, safety at work and energy saving, and subsequent certification of conformity of these products to the specified technical standards and legislative regulations. 7. Objective and rationale: The reason for introducing the obligatory testing instead of current obligatory products type approval is to harmonize the conformity certification system valid in the countries of EU and EFTA according to so-called ``Global Approach to Certification and Testing'' of 13 June 1989. The aim of introducing this regulation is to achieve full compatibility of the procedure for the conformity certification of products in accordance with the EU directives, which subsequently will secure the mutual recognition of certificates. 8. Relevant documents: (a) Previous documents: Act No. 30/1968 Zb on State testing in tenor to subsequent regulations. Regulation No. 246/1995 of the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing on certification of products. TBT/Notif. 94.234 (Draft Classification of Furniture and Materials for Furniture Production According to the Formaldehyde Content...). (b) International documents: 67/548 EEC (Council Directive); 77/728 EEC (Council Directive); 78/142 EEC (Council Directive); 80/766 EEC (Commission Directive); 82/711 EEC (Council Directive); 85/572 EEC (Council Directive); 90/128 EEC (Commission Directive); 93/8/EEC (Commission Directive); 93/9/EEC (Commission Directive); 88/378 EEC (Council Directive); 89/106 EEC (Council Directive); 92/59 EEC (Council Directive); 93/67 EEC (Commission Directive); Council Regulation (EEC) No. 793/93; Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1488/94; Council Decision 93/580 EEC. (c) Publication in which there is a reference: UNMS Bulletin No. 1-2/1996 (Vestnik UNMS SR c.1-2/1996). (d) Publication in which the proposal will be published after the approval: Official Gazette of the Slovak Republic. 9. Proposed date of adoption: 1 July 1996. Proposed date of entry into force. 10. Final date for comments: 30 June 1996. (093)

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