CHAPTER 2

OBLIGATIONS OF ECONOMIC OPERATORS

Obligations of the manufacturers
Article 8
1
When placing their pyrotechnic articles on the market, manufacturers shall ensure that they have been designed and manufactured in accordance with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I.
2
Manufacturers shall draw up the technical documentation referred to in Annex II and have the relevant conformity assessment procedure referred to in Article 17 carried out.
Where compliance of a pyrotechnic article with the applicable requirements has been demonstrated by that procedure, manufacturers shall draw up an EU declaration of conformity and affix the CE marking.
3
Manufacturers shall keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the pyrotechnic article has been placed on the market.
4
Manufacturers shall ensure that procedures are in place for series production to remain in conformity with this Directive. Changes in pyrotechnic article design or characteristics and changes in the harmonised standards or in other technical specifications by reference to which conformity of a pyrotechnic article is declared shall be adequately taken into account.
When deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by a pyrotechnic article, manufacturers shall, to protect the health and safety of consumers, upon a duly justified request of the competent authorities, carry out sample testing of pyrotechnic articles made available on the market, investigate, and, if necessary, keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming pyrotechnic articles and pyrotechnic article recalls, and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring.
5
Manufacturers shall ensure that pyrotechnic articles which they have placed on the market are labelled in accordance with Article 10 or Article 11.
6
Manufacturers shall indicate on the pyrotechnic article their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the pyrotechnic article. The address shall indicate a single point at which the manufacturer can be contacted. The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by end-users and market surveillance authorities.
7
Manufacturers shall ensure that the pyrotechnic article is accompanied by instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, as determined by the Member State concerned. Such instructions and safety information, as well as any labelling, shall be clear, understandable and intelligible.
8
Manufacturers who consider or have reason to believe that a pyrotechnic article which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with this Directive shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring that pyrotechnic article into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate. Furthermore, where the pyrotechnic article presents a risk, manufacturers shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the pyrotechnic article available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
9
Manufacturers shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation in paper or electronic form necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the pyrotechnic article with this Directive, in a language which can be easily understood by that authority. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by pyrotechnic articles which they have placed on the market.

Traceability
Article 9
1
In order to facilitate the traceability of pyrotechnic articles, manufacturers shall label them with a registration number assigned by the notified body carrying out the conformity assessment pursuant to Article 17. The numbering shall be done in accordance with a uniform system determined by the Commission.
2
Manufacturers and importers shall maintain records of the registration numbers of the pyrotechnic articles they make available on the market and shall make this information available to the relevant authorities upon request.

Labelling of pyrotechnic articles other than pyrotechnic articles for vehicles
Article 10
1
Manufacturers shall ensure that pyrotechnic articles other than pyrotechnic articles for vehicles are labelled visibly, legibly and indelibly in the official language(s) of the Member State in which the pyrotechnic article is made available to the consumer. Such labelling shall be clear, understandable and intelligible.
2
The labelling of pyrotechnic articles shall include as a minimum the information about the manufacturer set out in Article 8(6) and, where the manufacturer is not established in the Union, the information about the manufacturer and the importer set out in Article 8(6) and Article 12(3) respectively, the name and type of the pyrotechnic article, its registration number and its product, batch or serial number, the minimum age limits set out in Article 7(1) and (2), the relevant category and instructions for use, the year of production for category F3 and F4 fireworks and, where appropriate, a minimum safety distance. The labelling shall include the net explosive content (NEC).
3
Fireworks shall also display the following minimum information:
a
category F1: where appropriate: ‘for outdoor use only’ and a minimum safety distance;
b
category F2: ‘for outdoor use only’ and, where appropriate, minimum safety distance(s);
c
category F3: ‘for outdoor use only’ and minimum safety distance(s);
d
category F4: ‘for use only by persons with specialist knowledge’ and minimum safety distance(s).
4
Theatrical pyrotechnic articles shall also display the following minimum information:
a
category T1: where appropriate: ‘for outdoor use only’ and minimum safety distance(s);
b
category T2: ‘for use only by persons with specialist knowledge’ and minimum safety distance(s).
5
If the pyrotechnic article does not provide sufficient space for the labelling requirements referred to in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, the information shall be provided on the smallest piece of packaging.

Labelling of pyrotechnic articles for vehicles
Article 11
1
The labelling of pyrotechnic articles for vehicles shall include the information about the manufacturer set out in Article 8(6), the name and type of the pyrotechnic article, its registration number and its product, batch or serial number and, where necessary, the safety instructions.
2
If the pyrotechnic article for vehicles does not provide sufficient space for the labelling requirements referred to in paragraph 1, the information shall be provided on the packaging.
3
A safety data sheet for the pyrotechnic article for vehicles, compiled in accordance with Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency and which takes into account the specific needs of professional users, shall be supplied to those users in the language requested by them.
The safety data sheet may be supplied on paper or electronically, provided that the professional user has the necessary means of accessing it.

Obligations of importers
Article 12
1
Importers shall place only compliant pyrotechnic articles on the market.
2
Before placing a pyrotechnic article on the market importers shall ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure referred to in Article 17 has been carried out by the manufacturer. They shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation, that the pyrotechnic article bears the CE marking and is accompanied by the required documents, and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in Article 8(5) and (6).
Where an importer considers or has reason to believe that a pyrotechnic article is not in conformity with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I, he shall not place the pyrotechnic article on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the pyrotechnic article presents a risk, the importer shall inform the manufacturer and the market surveillance authorities to that effect.
3
Importers shall indicate on the pyrotechnic article their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the pyrotechnic article. The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by end-users and market surveillance authorities.
4
Importers shall ensure that the pyrotechnic article is accompanied by instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, as determined by the Member State concerned.
5
Importers shall ensure that, while a pyrotechnic article is under their responsibility, its storage or transport conditions do not jeopardise its compliance with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I.
6
When deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by a pyrotechnic article, importers shall, to protect the health and safety of consumers, upon a duly justified request of the competent authorities, carry out sample testing of pyrotechnic articles made available on the market, investigate, and, if necessary, keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming pyrotechnic articles and pyrotechnic articles recalls, and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring.
7
Importers who consider or have reason to believe that a pyrotechnic article which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with this Directive shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring that pyrotechnic article into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate. Furthermore, where the pyrotechnic article presents a risk, importers shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the pyrotechnic article available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
8
Importers shall, for 10 years after the pyrotechnic article has been placed on the market, keep a copy of the EU declaration of conformity at the disposal of the market surveillance authorities and ensure that the technical documentation can be made available to those authorities, upon request.
9
Importers shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation in paper or electronic form necessary to demonstrate the conformity of a pyrotechnic article in a language which can be easily understood by that authority. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by pyrotechnic articles which they have placed on the market.

Obligations of distributors
Article 13
1
When making a pyrotechnic article available on the market distributors shall act with due care in relation to the requirements of this Directive.
2
Before making a pyrotechnic article available on the market distributors shall verify that the pyrotechnic article bears the CE marking, that it is accompanied by the required documents, and by instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users in the Member State in which the pyrotechnic article is to be made available on the market, and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 8(5) and (6) and Article 12(3) respectively.
Where a distributor considers or has reason to believe that a pyrotechnic article is not in conformity with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I, he shall not make the pyrotechnic article available on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the pyrotechnic article presents a risk, the distributor shall inform the manufacturer or the importer to that effect as well as the market surveillance authorities.
3
Distributors shall ensure that, while a pyrotechnic article is under their responsibility, its storage or transport conditions do not jeopardise its compliance with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I.
4
Distributors who consider or have reason to believe that a pyrotechnic article which they have made available on the market is not in conformity with this Directive shall make sure that the corrective measures necessary to bring that pyrotechnic article into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate, are taken. Furthermore, where the pyrotechnic article presents a risk, distributors shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the pyrotechnic article available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
5
Distributors shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation in paper or electronic form necessary to demonstrate the conformity of a pyrotechnic article. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by pyrotechnic articles which they have made available on the market.

Cases in which obligations of manufacturers apply to importers and distributors
Article 14
An importer or distributor shall be considered a manufacturer for the purposes of this Directive and he shall be subject to the obligations of the manufacturer under Article 8, where he places a pyrotechnic article on the market under his name or trademark or modifies a pyrotechnic article already placed on the market in such a way that compliance with the requirements of this Directive may be affected.

Identification of economic operators
Article 15
Economic operators shall, on request, identify the following to the market surveillance authorities:
1. any economic operator who has supplied them with a pyrotechnic article;
2. any economic operator to whom they have supplied a pyrotechnic article.
Economic operators shall be able to present the information referred to in the first paragraph for a period of 10 years after they have been supplied with the pyrotechnic article and for a period of 10 years after they have supplied the pyrotechnic article.
OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1.