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1. Economic operators shall not manufacture or place on the market mercury-added products that were not being manufactured prior to 1 January 2018 (‘new mercury-added products’) unless authorised to do so by means of a decision taken pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Article or allowed to do so under Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (). The first subparagraph shall not apply to any of the following:

(a) equipment which is necessary for the protection of the essential interests of the security of Member States, including arms, munitions and war material intended for specifically military purposes;

(b) equipment designed to be sent into space;

(c) technical improvements made to or the redesign of mercury-added products that were being manufactured prior to 1 January 2018 provided that such improvements or redesign lead to less mercury being used in those products.

2. Economic operators shall not use manufacturing processes involving the use of mercury or mercury compounds that were not processes used prior to 1 January 2018 (‘new manufacturing processes’) unless authorised to do so by means of a decision taken pursuant to paragraph 6. The first subparagraph of this paragraph shall not apply to processes manufacturing or using mercury-added products other than those subject to the prohibition laid down in paragraph 1.

3. Where an economic operator intends to apply for a decision pursuant to paragraph 6 in order to manufacture or place on the market a new mercury-added product, or to use a new manufacturing process, that would provide significant environmental or health benefits and pose no significant risks either to the environment or to human health, and where no technically practicable mercury-free alternatives providing such benefits are available, that economic operator shall notify the competent authorities of the Member State concerned. That notification shall include the following information:

(a) a technical description of the product or process concerned;

(b) an assessment of its environmental and health benefits and risks;

(c) evidence demonstrating the absence of technically practicable mercury-free alternatives providing significant environmental or health benefits;

(d) a detailed explanation of the manner in which the process is to be operated or the product is to be manufactured, used and disposed of as waste after use, in order to ensure a high level of protection of the environment and of human health.

4. The Member State concerned shall forward to the Commission the notification received from the economic operator if it considers on the basis of its own assessment of the information provided therein that the criteria referred to in the first subparagraph of paragraph 6 are fulfilled. The Member State concerned shall inform the Commission of cases in which it considers that the criteria referred to in the first subparagraph of paragraph 6 were not fulfilled.

5. Where the Member State forwards a notification pursuant to the first subparagraph of paragraph 4 of this Article, the Commission shall immediately make the notification available to the committee referred to in Article 22(1).

6. The Commission shall examine the notification received and assess whether it has been demonstrated that the new mercury-added product or new manufacturing process would provide significant environmental or health benefits and pose no significant risks either to the environment or to human health, and that no technically practicable mercury-free alternatives providing such benefits are available. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the outcome of the assessment.

The Commission shall adopt decisions, by means of implementing acts, specifying whether the relevant new mercury-added product or new manufacturing process is authorised. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 22(2).

7. By 30 June 2018, the Commission shall make publicly available on the internet an inventory of manufacturing processes involving the use of mercury or mercury-compounds that were processes used prior to 1 January 2018 and of mercury-added products that were being manufactured prior to 1 January 2018 and of any applicable marketing restrictions.