CHAPTER 6UNION MARKET SURVEILLANCE, CONTROL OF EXPLOSIVES ENTERING THE UNION MARKET AND UNION SAFEGUARD PROCEDURE

Article 42Procedure for dealing with explosives presenting a risk at national level

1.

Where the market surveillance authorities of one Member State have sufficient reason to believe that an explosive presents a risk to the health or safety of persons, or to property or the environment, they shall carry out an evaluation in relation to the explosive concerned covering all relevant requirements laid down in this Directive. The relevant economic operators shall cooperate as necessary with the market surveillance authorities for that purpose.

Where, in the course of the evaluation referred to in the first subparagraph, the market surveillance authorities find that the explosive does not comply with the requirements laid down in this Directive, they shall without delay require the relevant economic operator to take all appropriate corrective actions to bring the explosive into compliance with those requirements, to withdraw the explosive from the market, or to recall it within a reasonable period, commensurate with the nature of the risk, as they may prescribe.

The market surveillance authorities shall inform the relevant notified body accordingly.

Article 21 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 shall apply to the measures referred to in the second subparagraph of this paragraph.

2.

Where the market surveillance authorities consider that non-compliance is not restricted to their national territory, they shall inform the Commission and the other Member States of the results of the evaluation and of the actions which they have required the economic operator to take.

3.

The economic operator shall ensure that all appropriate corrective action is taken in respect of all the explosives concerned that it has made available on the market throughout the Union.

4.

Where the relevant economic operator does not take adequate corrective action within the period referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1, the market surveillance authorities shall take all appropriate provisional measures to prohibit or restrict the explosive’s being made available on their national market, to withdraw the explosive from that market or to recall it.

The market surveillance authorities shall inform the Commission and the other Member States, without delay, of those measures.

5.

The information referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 4 shall include all available details, in particular the data necessary for the identification of the non-compliant explosive, the origin of the explosive, the nature of the non-compliance alleged and the risk involved, the nature and duration of the national measures taken and the arguments put forward by the relevant economic operator. In particular, the market surveillance authorities shall indicate whether the non-compliance is due to either of the following:

(a)

failure of the explosive to meet requirements relating to the health or safety of persons, or to the protection of property or the environment; or

(b)

shortcomings in the harmonised standards referred to in Article 19 conferring a presumption of conformity.

6.

Member States other than the Member State initiating the procedure under this Article shall without delay inform the Commission and the other Member States of any measures adopted and of any additional information at their disposal relating to the non-compliance of the explosive concerned, and, in the event of disagreement with the adopted national measure, of their objections.

7.

Where, within three months of receipt of the information referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 4, no objection has been raised by either a Member State or the Commission in respect of a provisional measure taken by a Member State, that measure shall be deemed justified.

8.

Member States shall ensure that appropriate restrictive measures, such as withdrawal of the explosive from the market are taken in respect of the explosive concerned without delay.