SLOVAK REPUBLIC: DECREE NO. 144/1997 OF THE SLOVAK OFFICE 000OF STANDARDS, METROLOGY AND TESTING OF 15 APRIL 1997. OBLIGATORY CERTIFICATION OF OUTDOOR SHOES. The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/Notif.97.219. 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): Footwear -- given in the enclosure in a form of the UNMS Decree No. 144/1997. 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Decree No. 144/1997 of the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing of 15 April 1997. Obligatory Certification of Outdoor Shoes (1 page, available in English) 6. Description of content: The proposed technical regulations -- Decree No. 144/1997 of the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing of 15 April 1997 "Obligatory certification of outdoor shoes" states the examination by certification, whether the products by their properties are suitable and whether they are harmless as regards the protection of environment and human health. 7. Objective and rationale: The reason for implementing obligatory certification of outdoor shoes is to adopt preventive arrangements against unforeseeable increase of uncontrolled import of low-quality goods. The obligatory certification is established in harmony with Article XIX of continuing agreement GATT of 1996, where among the instruments of internal market protection included are (among other arrangements) certificates and technical and hygienic conditions for imports. Certification system of products approximates the system of certification of conformity valid in EU and EFTA countries (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. (b) International documents: Directive No. 94/11/EC of European Parliament and Council of 23 March 1994 on the approximation of regulations and administrative provisions of the member States relating to labelling of the materials used in the main components of footwear for sale to the consumer. (c) Publication in which there is a reference: UNMS Bulletin No. 5/1997 (Vestni

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AC T='5'>. 5/97). (d) Publication in which the proposal will be published after the approval: Law Gazette of the Slovak Republic. 9. Proposed date of adoption: 1 September 1997; Proposed date of entry into force: 1 September 1997. 10. Final date for comments: 31 August 1997. 11. Text available from: National enquiry point. (0150)

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