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WTO notification · TBT

New ZealandProposed measure, not in force yet

Tanning or dyeing extracts; Miscellaneous manufactured

Official title

Graphic Materials Group Standard amendment – consultation document – APP205008

New Zealand notified this proposed TBT measure to the WTO on 29 July 2026. The comment period closed on 27 September 2026.

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Source: WTO ePing (opens in a new tab). Summaries by Expodite, which is independent of the WTO.

Published here:

At a glance

Products

Paint (under heading 3208 and 3209) Graphic materials (under heading 9608 and 9609)

HS codes
  • 32 · Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments and other colouring matter; paints, varnishes; putty, other mastics; inks
    • 3208 Paints and varnishes, incl. enamels and lacquers, based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous…
    • 3209 Paints and varnishes, incl. enamels and lacquers, based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous…
  • 96 · Miscellaneous manufactured articles
    • 9608 Ball-point pens; felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers; fountain pens, stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating stylos; propelling or…
    • 9609 Pencils, crayons, pencil leads, pastels, drawing charcoals, writing or drawing chalks and tailors' chalks (excl. articles of heading 9608)
Notifying member
New Zealand
Status
Proposed measure, not in force yet
Objectives
  • Other
Area
TBT: Technical product rulesTechnical barriers to trade
Notification type
Regular notification
Document symbol
G/TBT/N/NZL/155

Key dates

Distributed by the WTO
Comment deadline
Closed on 27 September 2026
Proposed adoption
To be determined
Proposed entry into force
6 months from adoption

How to comment

The comment period closed on 27 September 2026. You can still raise concerns about the measure with your country's WTO TBT enquiry point, quoting the document symbol G/TBT/N/NZL/155; it can take them up with New Zealand.

Find your country's enquiry point on WTO ePing (opens in a new tab)

What the notification says

The New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is proposing to amend the Graphic Materials Group Standard 2020: We propose to amend the definition of child for the purposes of the group standard (from 0 to 12 years) to 0 to up to 8 years. We propose to amend the definition of graphic materials in the group standard to exclude negligible risk items such as pens and pencils, so these graphic materials are no longer regulated under HSNO. We propose to amend the wording in the scope (clause 4) to explicitly state that the group standard applies to products that do not trigger a hazard classification but contain one or more hazardous ingredients. We propose that a substance can be assigned to the group standard if it is classified for a human health hazard in New Zealand only because New Zealand uses lower GHS cut-off thresholds for mixtures. This would only apply where the same substance would not be classified by recognised international regulators; We propose that graphic materials that trigger a hazard classification in New Zealand only because New Zealand applies lower GHS cut-off thresholds for mixtures are exempt from complying with the Labelling Notice, where the same materials would not be classified by recognised international regulators. We propose that graphic materials that trigger a hazard classification in New Zealand only because New Zealand applies lower GHS cut-off thresholds for mixtures are exempt from complying with the SDS Notice, where the same…

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