CANADA: MOTOR VEHICLE RESTRAINT AND BOOSTER CUSHIONS The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/Notif.96.236. 1. Member to Agreement notifying: Canada. If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2): 2. Agency responsible: Department of Transport. Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification can be indicated if different from above: 3. Notified under Article 2.9.2. 4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Motor vehicle restraint and booster cushions. 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Regulations Respecting Motor Vehicle Equipment for Use in the Restraint of Children and Disabled Persons (pages 1948-1991). 6. Description of content: The new Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which came into force on 12 April 1995, gives the Department of Transport explicit authority to regulate ``add-on'' motor vehicle restraint equipment, which is installed after purchase by users. At present, the requirements governing add-on restraint equipment are contained in the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR) under Sections 213, 213.1, and 213.3. These Sections are entitled Child Restraint Systems, Infant Seating and Restraint Systems, Booster Cushions, and Restraint Systems for Disabled Persons, respectively. Since the purpose of the MVSRs is to specify safety standards for motor vehicles and their components, which do not normally include add-on restraint equipment, a separate body of regulations entitled the Regulations Respecting Motor Vehicle Equipment for Use in the Restraint of Children and Disabled Persons is being created. The short title will be: the Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Cushions Safety Regulations. The proposed Regulations will incorporate the same technical standards now contained in the MVSRs; however, pursuant to new requirements imposed by the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, they will also specify a number of additional provisions of a non-technical nature. One is that any company wishing to affix a national safety mark to restraint equipment must apply to the Minister of Transport for authorization in the form set out in Schedule I of the Regulations. In addition, records relating to the design, manufacture, testing, and field performance of restraint equipment must be kept by or on behalf of a company for five years after the date of the equipment's manufacture, and these records must be made available to an inspector within 30 working days of the date of the request. The Regulations also specify requirements governing the registration system by which purchasers may be identified, the documentation required in order to import restraint equipment, and the information that Notices of Defect and the follow-up reports to the Minister must contain. 7. Objective and rationale: Protection of human safety. 8. Relevant documents: Canada Gazette, Part 1, 13 July 1996. 9. Proposed date of adoption: Proposed date of entry into force: Not stated. 10. Final date for comments: 11 October 1996. (249)

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