The Department of Labour Inspection is the competent and enforcing authority for the
VOCs Directive 2004/42/EC on the limitation of emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds due to the use of organic solvents in decorative paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products, known better as the Paints Directive. The Paints Directive aims to prevent the negative environmental impacts of emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from decorative paints and vehicle refinishing products.
The products covered by the Paints Directive are paints for use in buildings, their trims and fittings and structures associated to buildings and products for vehicle refinishing. The specific sub-categories of products covered are listed in Annex I of the Paints Directive.
The provisions of the Paints Directive have been transposed to
National Legislation. According to this legislation products falling within its scope should carry a special label when placed on the market which
shall indicate:
(a) the subcategory of the product and the legal limit value for VOCs content and
(b) the maximum content of VOCs of the product in its ready to use condition.
Annex I A of
Law 35(I)/2006 sets out specific limit values for the maximum VOCs contents of decorative paints and varnishes. For vehicle refinishing products the limit values are set in Annex I B.