Directive 2004/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

1. For the purposes of this Directive, paints and varnishes means products listed in the subcategories below, excluding aerosols. They are coatings applied to buildings, their trim and fittings, and associated structures for decorative, functional and protective purpose. U.K.

1.1. Subcategories: U.K.

a) ‘matt coatings for interior walls and ceilings’

means coatings designed for application to indoor walls and ceilings with a degree of gloss ≤ 25@60°.

b) ‘glossy coatings for interior walls and ceilings’

means coatings designed for application to indoor walls and ceilings with a degree of gloss > 25@60°.

c) ‘coatings for exterior walls of mineral substrate’

means coatings designed for application to outdoor walls of masonry, brick or stucco;

d) ‘interior/exterior trim and cladding paints for wood, metal or plastic’

means coatings designed for application to trim and cladding which produce an opaque film. These coatings are designed for either a wood, metal or a plastic substrate. This subcategory includes undercoats and intermediate coatings;

e) ‘interior/exterior trim varnishes and woodstains’

means coatings designed for application to trim which produce a transparent or semi-transparent film for decoration and protection of wood, metal and plastics. This subcategory includes opaque woodstains. Opaque woodstains means coatings producing an opaque film for the decoration and protection of wood, against weathering, as defined in EN 927-1, within the semi-stable category;

f) ‘minimal build woodstains’

means woodstains which, in accordance with EN 927-1:1996, have a mean thickness of less than 5μm when tested according to ISO 2808: 1997, method 5A;

g) ‘primers’

means coatings with sealing and/or blocking properties designed for use on wood or walls and ceilings;

h) ‘binding primers’

means coatings designed to stabilise loose substrate particles or impart hydrophobic properties and/or to protect wood against blue stain;

i) ‘one-pack performance coatings’

means performance coatings based on film-forming material. They are designed for applications requiring a special performance, such as primer and topcoats for plastics, primer coat for ferrous substrates, primer coat for reactive metals such as zinc and aluminium, anticorrosion finishes, floor coatings, including for wood and cement floors, graffiti resistance, flame retardant, and hygiene standards in the food or drink industry or health services;

j) ‘two-pack performance coatings’

means coatings with the same use as one-performance coatings, but with a second component (e.g. tertiary amines) added prior to application;

k) ‘multicoloured coatings’

means coatings designed to give a two-tone or multiple-colour effect, directly from the primary application;

l) ‘decorative effect coatings’

means coatings designed to give special aesthetic effects over specially prepared pre-painted substrates or base coats and subsequently treated with various tools during the drying period.