ANNEXU.K.

In Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, the entry 18a is amended as follows:

(1)

paragraph 4 is deleted;

(2)

the following paragraphs 5 to 8 are added:

5.The following mercury-containing measuring devices intended for industrial and professional uses shall not be placed on the market after 10 April 2014:

(a)

barometers;

(b)

hygrometers;

(c)

manometers;

(d)

sphygmomanometers;

(e)

strain gauges to be used with plethysmographs;

(f)

tensiometers;

(g)

thermometers and other non-electrical thermometric applications.

The restriction shall also apply to measuring devices under points (a) to (g) which are placed on the market empty if intended to be filled with mercury.

6.The restriction in paragraph 5 shall not apply to:

(a)

sphygmomanometers to be used:

(i)

in epidemiological studies which are ongoing on 10 October 2012;

(ii)

as reference standards in clinical validation studies of mercury-free sphygmomanometers;

(b)

thermometers exclusively intended to perform tests according to standards that require the use of mercury thermometers until 10 October 2017;

(c)

mercury triple point cells which are used for the calibration of platinum resistance thermometers.

7.The following mercury-using measuring devices intended for professional and industrial uses shall not be placed on the market after 10 April 2014:

(a)

mercury pycnometers;

(b)

mercury metering devices for determination of the softening point.

8.The restrictions in paragraphs 5 and 7 shall not apply to:

(a)

measuring devices more than 50 years old on 3 October 2007;

(b)

measuring devices which are to be displayed in public exhibitions for cultural and historical purposes.