Commission Directive 2004/73/ECShow full title

Commission Directive 2004/73/EC

of 29 April 2004

adapting to technical progress for the twenty-ninth time Council Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances(1), and in particular Article 28 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Annex I to Directive 67/548/EEC contains a list of dangerous substances, together with particulars of the classification and labelling of each substance. That list needs to be updated to include further notified new substances and further existing substances as well adapting the existing entries to technical progress such as setting environmental concentration limits for certain substances. Accordingly it is also necessary to delete entries for certain substances and to split some entries because the classification no longer applies to all the substances under those entries. The labelling of substances containing 1,3-butadiene should be changed in order to reflect that that substance will be classified as a mutagen by the present Directive.

(2) Annex V to Directive 67/548/EEC lays down the methods for the determination of the physicochemical properties, toxicity and ecotoxicity of substances and preparations. It is appropriate to amend that Annex in order to obtain a reduction to a minimum of the number of animals used for experimental purposes, in accordance with Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes(2). The methods for sub-chronic oral toxicity in Chapters B.1, B.4, B.5, B.31 and B.35 should be revised accordingly. Furthermore, Chapter B.42 should be added to Annex V in order to make available a refined method on sub-chronic oral toxicity. Finally, Chapter A.21 on physico-chemical properties, Chapter B.43 on sub-chronic oral toxicity and Chapters C.21 to C.24 on environmental toxicity should be added in order to allow for the determination of properties which are not yet sufficiently covered by the methods in Annex V.

(3) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on the Adaptation to Technical Progress of the Directives for the Elimination of Technical Barriers to Trade with Dangerous Substances and Preparations,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

(1)

OJ 196,16.8.1967, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2001/59/EC (OJ L 225, 6.8.2001, p. 1)

(2)

OJ L 358, 18.12.1986, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 2003/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 230,16.9.2003, p. 32).