Search Legislation

Council Directive of 15 December 1969 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to crystal glass (69/493/EEC)

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

More Resources

Close

This is a legislation item that originated from the EU

After exit day there will be three versions of this legislation to consult for different purposes. The legislation.gov.uk version is the version that applies in the UK. The EU Version currently on EUR-lex is the version that currently applies in the EU i.e you may need this if you operate a business in the EU.

The web archive version is the official version of this legislation item as it stood on exit day before being published to legislation.gov.uk and any subsequent UK changes and effects applied. The web archive also captured associated case law and other language formats from EUR-Lex.

Changes over time for: Council Directive of 15 December 1969 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to crystal glass (69/493/EEC)

 Help about opening options

Status:

EU Directives are being published on this site to aid cross referencing from UK legislation. After IP completion day (31 December 2020 11pm) no further amendments will be applied to this version.

Council Directive

of 15 December 1969

on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to crystal glass

(69/493/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof;

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament(1);

Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;

Whereas, with regard to the use of a special description for crystal glass products and the consequent obligation concerning the composition of such products, there are differences between the rules of certain Member States; whereas those differences hinder trade in such products and can lead to distortions in competition within the Community;

Whereas those obstacles to the establishment and proper functioning of the common market can be eliminated by adoption of the same requirements by all the Member States;

Whereas, with regard to the descriptions laid down for the various categories of crystal glass and to the characteristics of those categories, the purpose of the Community provisions to be adopted is to protect both the buyer against fraud and the manufacturer who complies with those provisions;

Whereas implementation of a system of Community rules requires the establishment of standard methods for determining the chemical and physical properties of crystal glass products bearing descriptions laid down in this Directive;

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1U.K.

This Directive shall apply to the products falling within heading No 70.13 of the Common Customs Tariff.

Article 2U.K.

Member States shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the composition, characteristics of manufacture and labelling of the products referred to in Article 1, and all forms of publicity for such products, conform to the definitions and rules laid down in this Directive and in the Annexes thereto.

Article 3U.K.

Member States shall take all necessary steps to prevent the descriptions in column (b) of Annex I from being used commercially for products which do not have the corresponding characteristics specified in columns (d) to (g) of Annex I.

Article 4U.K.

1.If a product covered by this Directive bears one of the descriptions listed in column (b) of Annex I, it may also bear the corresponding identifying symbol shown and described in columns (h) and (i) of that Annex.

2.Where a trade mark, the name of an undertaking or any other inscription contains, as a main part, as an adjective or as a root, a description appearing in columns (b) and (c) of Annex I or a description liable to be confused therewith, Member States shall take all necessary steps to ensure that that trade mark, name or inscription is immediately preceded by the following, in very prominent lettering:

(a)the description of the product, where that product has characteristics specified in columns (d) to (g) of Annex I;

(b)a statement of the exact nature of the product, where that product does not have characteristics specified in columns (d) to (g) of Annex I.

Article 5U.K.

The description and identifying symbols given in Annex I may appear on one and the same label.

Article 6U.K.

The methods laid down in Annex II, and only those methods, shall be used to verify that products bearing descriptions and identifying symbols have the characteristics corresponding thereto as specified in columns (d) to (g) of Annex I.

Article 7U.K.

Products intended for export from the Community shall not be subject to the provisions of this Directive.

Article 8U.K.

Member States shall put into force the measures needed in order to comply with this Directive within eighteen months of its notification and shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. As soon as this Directive has been notified, Member States shall also ensure that they inform the Commission in time for it to submit its observations, of any subsequent drafts of main laws, regulations or administrative provisions which they propose to adopt in the field covered by this Directive.

Article 9U.K.

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

ANNEX IU.K.List of crystal categories

a

nD ≥ 1·545 as a criterion for an additional non-destructive determination of the products (at the time of import).

b

In Belgium.

c

In the Netherlands.

NoDescription of categoryCharacteristicsLabelling
Explanatory notesMetal oxides (%)DensityRefractive indexSurface hardnessShape of symbolRemarks
—a——b——c——d——e——f——g——h——i—
1CRISTAL SUPERIEUR30%

Description may be freely used, whatever the country of origin or the country of destination

The percentage figure refers to the lead oxide content

PbO ≥ 30%≥ 3·00 a

Round label.

Colour: gold

≥ 1 cm

CRISTALLO SUPERIORE30%
HOCHBLEIKRISTALL30%
VOLLOODKRISTAL30%
[F1FULL LEAD CRYSTAL 30 %
KRYSTAL 30 %]
[F2]
[F3κρύσταλλα υψηλής περιεκτικότητος σε μόλυβδο 30 %]
[F4CRISTAL SUPERIOR 30 %
CRISTAL DE CHUMBO SUPERIOR 30 %]
[F5VYSOCE OLOVNATÉ KŘIŠŤÁLOVÉ SKLO] [F530 %]
[F5KÕRGKVALITEETNE KRISTALL] [F530 %]
[F5AUGSTĀKĀ LABUMA KRISTĀLS] [F530 %]
[F5DAUGIAŠVINIS KRIŠTOLAS] [F530 %]
[F5NEHÉZ ÓLOMKRISTÁLY] [F530 %]
[F5KRISTALL SUPERJURI] [F530 %]
[F5SZKŁO KRYSZTAŁOWE WYSOKOOŁOWIOWE] [F530 %]
[F5KRISTAL Z VISOKO VSEBNOSTJO SVINCA] [F530 %]
[F5VYSOKOOLOVNATÉ KRIŠTÁĽOVÉ SKLO] [F530 % PbO]
[F6ТЕЖЪК ОЛОВЕН КРИСТАЛ 30 %
CRISTAL SUPERIOR 30 %]
2CRISTAL AU PLOMB24%PbO ≥ 24%≥ 2·90 a
CRISTALLO AL PIOMBO24%
BLEIKRISTALL24%
LOODKRISTAL24%
[F1LEAD CRYSTAL 24 %
KRYSTAL 24 %]
[F2]
[F3μολυβδούχα κρύσταλλα 25 %]
[F4ΜΟΛΥΒΔΟΥΧΑ ΚΡΥΣΤΑΛΛΑ 24 %
CRISTAL AL PLOMO 24 %
CRISTAL DE CHUMBO 24 %]
[F5OLOVNATÉ KŘIŠŤÁLOVÉ SKLO] [F524 %]
[F5KVALITEETKRISTALL] [F524 %]
[F5KVALITEETKRISTALL] [F524 %]
[F5ŠVINO KRIŠTOLAS] [F524 %]
[F5ÓLOMKRISTÁLY] [F524 %]
[F5KRISTALL BIC-ĊOMB] [F524 %]
[F5SZKŁO KRYSZTAŁOWE OŁOWIOWE] [F524 %]
[F5SVINČEV KRISTAL] [F524 %]
[F5OLOVNATÉ KRIŠTÁĽOVÉ SKLO] [F524 % PbO]
[F6ОЛОВЕН КРИСТАЛ 24 %
CRISTAL CU PLUMB 24 %]
3CRISTALLIN

Only the description in the language or languages of the country in which the goods are marketed may be used

Exception:

On the German market pressed glass containing 18% PbO and having a density of at least 2·70 may be sold under the description ‘PRESSBLEIKRISTALL’ or ‘BLEIKRISTALL GEPRESST’ (in capital letters)

ZnO BaO PbO K2O singly or together ≥ 10%≥ 2·45nD ≥ 1·520

Square label.

Colour: silver

Side: ≥ 1 cm

VETRO SONORO SUPERIORE
KRISTALLGLAS
KRISTALLIJNGLASb
SONOORGLASc
[F1CRYSTAL GLASS, CRYSTALLIN
KRYSTALLIN]
[F2]
[F3υαλοκρύσταλλα]
[F4VIDRIO SONORO SUPERIOR
VIDRO SONORO SUPERIOR]
[F5KŘIŠŤÁLOVÉ SKLO KRYSTALIN]
[F5KRISTALLIINKLAAS]
[F5KRISTĀLSTIKLS]
[F5KRIŠTOLAS]
[F5KRISZTALLIN ÜVEG]
[F5KRISTALLIN]
[F5SZKŁO KRYSZTAŁOWE S]
[F5KRISTALNO STEKLO (KRISTALIN)]
[F5KRIŠTALÍN]
[F6КРИСТАЛИН
STICLĂ CRISTALINĂ]
4VERRE SONOREBaO PbO K2O single or together ≥ 10%≥ 2·40

Vickers

— 550

± 20

Label in the shape of an equilateral triangle.

Colour: silver

Side: ≥ 1 cm

VETRO SONORO
KRISTALLGLAS
SONOORGLAS
[F1CRYSTAL GLASS, CRYSTALLIN
KRYSTALLIN]
[F2]
[F3υαλοκρύσταλλα]
[F4VIDRIO SONORO
VIDRO SONORO]
[F5KŘIŠŤÁLOVÉ SKLO]
[F5KRISTALLKLAAS]
[F5KRISTĀLSTIKLS]
[F5KRIŠTOLO STIKLAS]
[F5KRISZTALIN ÜVEG]
[F5KRISTALLIN]
[F5SZKŁO KRYSZTAŁOWE]
[F5KRISTALNO STEKLO]
[F5KRIŠTÁĽOVÉ SKLO]
[F6КРИСТАЛНО СТЪКЛО
CRISTALIN — STICLĂ SONORĂ]

ANNEX IIU.K.METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF CATEGORIES OF CRYSTAL GLASS

1.CHEMICAL ANALYSESU.K.

1.1.BaO and PbOU.K.

1.1.1.Determination of the combination BaO + PbOU.K.

Weigh, to within 0·0001 grammes, approximately 0·5 grammes of powdered glass and place in a platinum dish. Moisten with water and add 10 millilitres of a 15% solution of sulphuric acid and 10 millilitres hydrofluoric acid. Heat in sand bath until white fumes are given off. Allow to cool and treat again with 10 millilitres hydrofluoric acid. Heat until reappearance of white fumes. Allow to cool and rinse the sides of the dish with water. Heat until reappearance of white fumes. Allow to cool, carefully add 10 millilitres of water, then transfer to a 400 millilitres beaker. Rinse the dish several times with a 10% sulphuric acid solution and dilute to 100 millilitres with same solution. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Leave to stand overnight.

Pass through a filtering crucible of 4 porosity, wash first of all with a 10% solution of sulphuric acid, then two or three times with ethyl alcohol. Dry for one hour in an oven at 150 °C. Weigh BaSO4 + PbSO4.

1.1.2.Determination of BaOU.K.

Weigh, to within 0·0001 grammes, about 0·5 grammes of powdered glass and place in a platinum dish. Moisten with water and add 10 millilitres of hydrofluoric acid and 5 millilitres perchloric acid. Heat in sand bath until white fumes are given off.

Allow to cool and add a further 10 millilitres hydrofluoric acid. Heat until reappearance of white fumes. Allow to cool and rinse the sides of the dish with distilled water. Heat again and evaporate until almost dry. Start again with 50 millilitres of a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid and heat gently to aid dissolution. Transfer to a 400 millilitres beaker and dilute to 200 millilitres with water. Bring to boil and pass a current of hydrogen sulphide through the hot solution. When the precipitate of lead sulphide drops to the bottom of the beaker, turn off the hydrogen sulphide. Pass through a fine filter paper and wash with cold water saturated with hydrogen sulphide.

Boil the filtrates and then, if necessary, reduce them by evaporation to 300 millilitres. Add to boiling mixture 10 millilitres of a 10% solution of sulphuric acid. Remove from heat and leave to stand for at least four hours.

Pass through a fine filter paper, wash with cold water. Calcine the precipitate to 1050 °C, and weigh the BaSO4.

1.2.Determination of ZnOU.K.

Evaporate the filtrates from the separation of BaSO4 so as to reduce their volume to 200 millilitres. Neutralise with ammonia in the presence of methyl red and add 20 millilitres of N/10 sulphuric acid. Adjust the pH to 2 (pH meter) by adding N/10 sulphuric acid or N/10 caustic soda whichever the case, and precipitate the zinc sulphide in the cold by passing a current of hydrogen sulphide. Let the precipitate settle for four hours, then collect on a fine filter paper. Wash with cold water saturated with hydrogen sulphide. Dissolve the precipitate on the filter by pouring through it 25 millilitres of a hot 10% solution of hydrochloric acid. Wash the filter with boiling water until a volume of about 150 millilitres is obtained. Neutralise with ammonia in the presence of litmus paper, then add 1-2 grammes solid urotropine to buffer the solution to about pH 5. Add a few drops of a 0·5% freshly prepared aqueous solution of xylenol orange and titrate with an N/10 solution of Complexon III until the pink changes to citron yellow.

1.3.Determination of K2OU.K.

by precipitation and weighing of potassium tetraphenylborate.

Procedure:

2 grammes of glass are attacked, after crushing and sieving, by

2 millilitres concentrated HNO3

[X115 millilitres NClO4]

25 millilitres HF

in a platinum dish on a water-bath then in a sand bath. After dense fumes of perchloric acid have been given off (continue until dry), dissolve with 20 millilitres of hot water and 2-3 millilitres concentrated HCl.

Transfer to a 200 millilitres graduated flask and adjust to volume with distilled water.

Reagents: 6% solution of sodium tetraphenylborate: dissolve 1·5 grammes of the reagent in 250 millilitres distilled water. Remove the light cloudiness which remains by adding 1 gramme of hydrated aluminia. Shake for five minutes and filter, taking care to re-filter the first 20 millilitres obtained.

Washing solution for the precipitate: prepare a little of the potassium salt by precipitation in a solution of about 0·1 grammes KCl to 50 millilitres N/10 HCl into which the solution of tetraphenylborate is poured while stirring, until precipitation ceases. Filter through a sinter. Wash with distilled water. Dry in a desiccator at room temperature. Then pour 20-30 milligrammes of that salt into 250 millilitres of distilled water. Stir from time to time. After thirty minutes, add 0·5-1 gramme of hydrated alumina. Stir for a few minutes. Filter.

Method of operation: Take an aliquot of the acid digest corresponding to about 10 milligrammes of K2O. Dilute to about 100 millilitres. Slowly add the reagent solution, about 10 millilitres per assumed 5 milligrammes of K2O, while gently stirring. Allow to stand for a maximum of fifteen minutes then filter through a tared sintered crucible of porosity 3 or 4. Wash with washing solution. Dry for thirty minutes at 120 °C. Conversion factor 0·13143 for K2O.

1.4.TolerancesU.K.

± 0·1 in absolute value for each determination. If the analysis gives a lower value, within the tolerances, than the limits fixed (30, 24 or 10%), the average of at least three analyses must be taken. If that average is greater than or equal to 29·95, 23·95 or 9·95 respectively, the glass must be accepted in the category corresponding to 30, 24 and 10% respectively.

2.PHYSICAL DETERMINATIONSU.K.

2.1.DensityU.K.

Method by hydrostatic balance to within ± 0·01. A sample of at least 20 grammes is weighed in air and weighed immersed in distilled water at 20 °C.

2.2.Refractive indexU.K.

The index is measured on the refractometer to within ± 0·001.

2.3.MicrohardnessU.K.

Vickers hardness is to be measured according to the standard ASTM E 92-65 (Revision 1965) but using a load of 50 grammes and taking the average of 15 determinations.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As adopted by EU): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was first adopted in the EU. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as adopted version that was used for the EU Official Journal
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different versions taken from EUR-Lex before exit day and during the implementation period as well as any subsequent versions created after the implementation period as a result of changes made by UK legislation.

The dates for the EU versions are taken from the document dates on EUR-Lex and may not always coincide with when the changes came into force for the document.

For any versions created after the implementation period as a result of changes made by UK legislation the date will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. For further information see our guide to revised legislation on Understanding Legislation.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as adopted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources