I. USTAVNA OSNOVA ZA DONOŠENJE ZAKONA

Ustavna osnova za donošenje Zakona o potvrđivanju Konvencije o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina sadržana je u odredbi članka 139. i 140. Ustava Republike Hrvatske („Narodne novine“, broj 85/10 - pročišćeni tekst i 5/14 - Odluka Ustavnog suda Republike Hrvatske).

II. OCJENA STANJA I CILJ KOJI SE DONOŠENJEM ZAKONA ŽELI POSTIĆI

Zbog različitih sustava nadzora (kontrole čistoće) predmeta od plemenitih kovina i razlika u tehničkim i zakonskim zahtjevima pojedinih europskih zemalja u području nadzora predmeta od plemenitih kovina koje su predstavljale zapreke slobodnom kretanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina i otežavali međunarodnu trgovinu tim predmetima, šezdesetih godina prošlog stoljeća zemlje Europske slobodne trgovinske zone (EFTE) Austrija, Finska, Norveška, Portugal, Švedska, Švicarska i Ujedinjeno Kraljevstvo, povele su pregovore o radi rješavanja problema slobodnog kretanja predmeta od plemenitih kovina što je rezultiralo potpisivanjem Konvencije o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina ( ( u daljnjem tekstu: Konvencija) u Beču u studenom 1972. Godine. Konvencija je stupila na snagu 27. lipnja 1975. godine. Izmijene i dopune Konvencije od 18. svibnja 1988.  stupile su na snagu 16. kolovoza 1993., a Izmjene i dopune Konvencije od 9. siječnja 2001. stupile su na snagu 27. veljače 2010. Konvenciju  je potpisalo 19 zemalja, a 5 zemalja uključujući Republiku Hrvatsku ima status promatrača. Republika Hrvatska dobila je status promatrača 2011. godine upućivanjem Pisma namjere kojim je Republika Hrvatska izrazila spremnost pristupiti Konvenciji - Zaključak Vlade Republike Hrvatske o prihvaćanju Pisma namjere (Klasa: 310-07/11-03/01, Urbroj 5030105-11-1 od 8. travnja 2011. godine).

Konvencija o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina (u daljnjem tekstu: Konvencija) je međunarodni ugovor država ugovornica Konvencije kojoj je osnovni cilj poticanje slobodne trgovine predmetima od plemenitih kovina i uklanjanje mogućih prepreka u toj trgovini, zaštita proizvođača predmeta od plemenitih kovina uz istovremenu zaštitu potrošača opravdanu osobitom prirodom predmeta od plemenitih kovina

Konvencijom su utvrđeni tehnički zahtjevi za neovisno ispitivanje predmeta od plemenitih kovina i utiskivanje oznake Konvencije CCM (Common Control Mark) na ispitane predmete od plemenitih kovina, koje provodi nadležni ured za ispitivanje predmeta od plemenitih kovina države ugovornice. Oznaka Konvencije za označivanje propisanih stupnjeva čistoće predmeta od plemenitih kovina koja se utiskuje na predmete od plemenitih kovina prva je i jedina međunarodno priznata oznaka za predmete od plemenitih kovina i predstavlja dodatnu zaštitu za kupce u pogledu stupnja čistoće predmeta od plemenitih kovina i oznaku kvalitete.

Konvencija uspostavlja načelo dobrovoljnosti koje podrazumijeva da proizvođač predmeta od plemenitih kovina koji želi plasirati svoje predmete od plemenitih kovina na tržište druge države ugovornice Konvencije može zatražiti utiskivanje CCM oznake u svojoj matičnoj državi.

Predmet označen oznakom Konvencije, oznakom nadležnog ureda za ispitivanje predmeta od plemenitih kovina države ugovornice, znakom proizvođača i oznakom čistoće ne podliježe ponovnom ispitivanju prilikom stavljanja na tržište druge države ugovornice Konvencije, ali sukladno odredbama Konvencije predmet od plemenitih kovina označen oznakom Konvencije mora biti sukladan s propisanim nacionalnim zakonodavstvom druge  države ugovornice kako u pogledu propisanih stupnjeva čistoće tako i u pogledu zdravstvene ispravnosti u odnosu na prisutnost nikla i kadmija i u pogledu drugih aspekata trgovine predmetima od plemenitih kovina.

Stupanjem na snagu Zakona o nadzoru predmeta od plemenitih kovina  („Narodne novine“, broj 36/15) osigurana je zakonska osnova za primjenu Konvencije u pogledu međunarodne trgovine predmetima od plemenitih kovina, zaštite potrošača, usklađivanja normi, tehničkih propisa i smjernica za metode i postupke nadzora predmeta od plemenitih kovina te za konačno pristupanje Republike Hrvatske Konvenciji o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina.

III. OSNOVNA PITANJA KOJA SE PREDLAŽU UREDITI ZAKONOM

Ovim Zakonom potvrđuje se Konvencija o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina u cilju da njene odredbe, u smislu članka 141. Ustava Republike Hrvatske („Narodne novine“ br. 41/01 – pročišćeni tekst i 55/01 – ispravak) postanu dio unutarnjeg pravnog poretka Republike Hrvatske.

Uzimajući u obzir svrhu i dosege Konvencije ocjenjuje se da postoji interes da Republika Hrvatska postane njezina stranka jer će se na taj  način povećati mogućnost  pristupa međunarodnom tržištu predmeta od plemenitih kovina koji nose  oznaku Konvencije i time poboljšati položaj proizvođača predmeta od plemenitih kovina te u konačnici unaprijediti zaštita potrošača. Zakon o potvrđivanju Konvencije omogućit će  da Republika Hrvatska ostvari isti status na međunarodnom tržištu kakav imaju ostale  države ugovornice Konvencije, a s time u vezi i njeno aktivno sudjelovanje u razvoju i usklađivanju međunarodnih normi  o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina. Primjenom ovoga Zakona ostvarit će se i pretpostavka za poboljšanje kvalitete laboratorijskih ispitivanja predmeta od plemenitih kovina.  

IV. OCJENA I IZVORI POTREBNIH SREDSTAVA ZA PROVOĐENJE ZAKONA

Provedba ovoga Zakona ne zahtijeva osiguranje dodatnih financijskih sredstava u Državnom proračunu Republike Hrvatske   osim sredstava za plaćanje članarine.

V. RAZLOZI ZA DONOŠENJE ZAKONA PO HITNOM POSTUPKU

Temelj za donošenje ovoga Zakona po hitnom postupku nalazi se u članku 204. Poslovnika Hrvatskog sabora („Narodne novine“, br. 81/13 i 113/16).

S obzirom na prirodu postupka potvrđivanja međunarodnih ugovora, kojima država i formalno izražava spremnost da bude vezana već sklopljenim međunarodnim ugovorom, kao i na činjenicu da se u ovoj fazi postupka, u pravilu, ne mogu vršiti izmjene ili dopune teksta međunarodnog ugovora, predlaže se ovaj prijedlog Zakona raspraviti i prihvatiti po hitnom postupku, objedinjavajući prvo i drugo čitanje

ZAKON O POTVRĐIVANJU KONVENCIJE O NADZORU I OZNAČIVANJU PREDMETA OD PLEMENITIH KOVINA

Članak 1.

Potvrđuje se Konvencija o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina sastavljena 15. studenoga 1972. godine u Beču, Izmjene i dopune Konvencije o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina od 18. svibnja 1988. godine i Izmjene i dopune Konvencije o nadzoru i označivanju predmeta od plemenitih kovina od 9. siječnja 2001. godine.

Članak 2.

Tekst Konvencije iz članka 1. ovoga Zakona i tekstovi izmjena i dopuna Konvencije iz članka 1. ovoga Zakona u izvorniku na engleskom jeziku i u prijevodu na hrvatski jezik, glase:

CONVENTION ON THE CONTROL AND MARKING OF ARTICLES OF PRECIOUS METALS

Consolidated text in English

PREAMBLE

The Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Portuguese Republic, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland*;

Desiring to facilitate international trade in articles of precious metals while at the same time maintaining consumer protection justified by the particular nature of these articles;

Considering that the international harmonisation of standards and technical regulations and guidelines for methods and procedures for the control and marking of precious metal articles is a valuable contribution to the free movement of such products;

Considering that this harmonisation should be supplemented by mutual recognition of control and marking and desiring therefore to promote and maintain co-operation between their assay offices and concerned authorities;

Having regard to the fact that compulsory hallmarking is not required from the Contracting States to the Convention and that the marking of articles of precious metals with the Convention marks is carried out on a voluntary basis;

Have agreed as follows:

*The following States have acceded to the Convention: Ireland (8.11.1983), Denmark (17.01.1988), Czech Republic (2.11.1994) and the Netherlands (16.07.1999)

I Scope and Operation

ARTICLE 1

1. Articles controlled and marked by an authorised assay office in accordance with the provisions of this Convention shall not be submitted to further compulsory assaying or marking in an importing Contracting State. This does not prevent an importing Contracting State from carrying out check tests in accordance with Article 6.

2. Nothing in this Convention shall require a Contracting State to allow the importation or sale of articles of precious metals which are not defined in its national legislation or do not comply with its national standards of fineness.

ARTICLE 2

For the purposes of this Convention "articles of precious metals" means articles of platinum, gold, palladium, silver, or alloys thereof, as defined in Annex I.

ARTICLE 3

1. In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 1, articles of precious metals must:

(a) be submitted to an authorised assay office appointed in accordance with Article 5;

(b) fulfil the technical requirements of this Convention as laid down in Annex I;

(c) be controlled in accordance with the rules and procedures - laid down in Annex II;

(d) be marked, with the marks as prescribed in Annex II.

2. The benefits of Article 1 shall not be applicable to articles of precious metals which, after being marked as prescribed in Annex II, have had any of these marks altered or obliterated.

ARTICLE 4

The Contracting States shall not be obliged to apply the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 1 to articles of precious metals which, since being submitted to an authorised assay office, and controlled and marked as prescribed in Article 3, have been altered by addition or in any other manner.

II Control and Sanctions

ARTICLE 5

1. Each Contracting State shall appoint one or more authorised assay offices for the control and marking of articles of precious metals as provided for in Annex II.

2. The authorised assay offices shall satisfy the following conditions:

- availability of staff and of the necessary means and equipment;

- technical competence and professional integrity of the staff;

- in carrying out the requirements of the Convention, the management and technical staff of the authorised assay office must be independent of all circles, grouping or persons with direct or indirect interest in the area concerned;

- staff must be bound by professional secrecy.

3. Each Contracting State shall notify the depositary of the appointment of such assay offices and of their marks and any withdrawal of this authorisation from any assay office previously appointed. The depositary shall immediately notify all other Contracting States accordingly.

ARTICLE 6

The provisions of this Convention shall not prevent a Contracting State from carrying out check tests on articles of precious metals bearing the marks provided for in this Convention. Such tests shall not be carried out in such a way as to hamper unduly the importation or sale of articles of precious metals marked in conformity with the provisions of this Convention.

ARTICLE 7

The Contracting States hereby empower the depositary to register with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPQ), in accordance with the Convention of Paris for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Common Control Mark described in Annex II as a national hallmark of each Contracting State. The depositary shall also do so in the case of a Contracting State in relation to which this Convention enters into force at a later date or in the case of an acceding State.

ARTICLE 8

1. Each Contracting State shall have and maintain legislation prohibiting, subject to penalties, any forgery, unauthorised alteration or misuse of the Common Control Mark or of the marks of the authorised assay offices which have been notified in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article. 5, and any unauthorised alteration to the article or alteration or obliteration of the fineness mark or responsibility mark after the Common Control Mark has been applied.

2. Each Contracting State undertakes to institute proceedings under such legislation when sufficient evidence of forgery or misuse of the Common Control Mark or marks of the authorised assay offices, or unauthorised alteration to the article or alteration or obliteration of the fineness mark or responsibility mark after the Common Control Mark has been applied is discovered or brought to its attention by another Contracting State or, where more appropriate, to take other suitable action.

ARTICLE 9

1. If an importing Contracting State or one of its authorised assay offices has reason to believe that an assay office in an exporting Contracting State has affixed the Common Control Mark without having complied with the relevant provisions of this Convention, the assay office by which the articles are purported to have been marked shall be immediately consulted and shall promptly lend all reasonable assistance for the investigation of the case. If no satisfactory settlement is reached, either of the parties may refer the case to the Standing Committee by notifying its Chairman. In such a case the Chairman shall convene a meeting of the Standing Committee.

2. If any matter has been referred to the Standing Committee under paragraph 1, the Standing Committee may, after having given an opportunity for the parties concerned to be heard, make recommendations as to the appropriate action to be taken.

3. If within a reasonable time a recommendation referred to in paragraph 2 has not been complied with, or the Standing Committee has failed to make any recommendation, the importing Contracting State may then introduce such additional surveillance of articles of precious metals marked by that particular assay office and entering its territory, as it considers necessary, including the right temporarily to refuse to accept such articles. Such measures shall immediately be notified to all Contracting States and shall be reviewed from time to time by the Standing Committee.

4. Where there is evidence of repeated and grave misapplication of the Common Control Mark the importing Contracting State may temporarily refuse to accept articles bearing the assay office mark of the assay office concerned whether or not controlled and marked in accordance with this Convention. In such a case the importing Contracting State shall immediately notify all other Contracting States and the Standing Committee shall meet within one month to consider the matter.

III Standing Committee and Amendments

ARTICLE 10

1. A Standing Committee is hereby established on which each Contracting State shall be represented. Each Contracting State shall have one vote.

2. The tasks of the Standing Committee shall be:

to consider and review the operation of this Convention;

to review and, where necessary, propose amendments to the Annexes to

this Convention;

to take decisions on technical matters, as provided for in the Annexes;

to promote and maintain technical and administrative co-operation between the Contracting States in matters dealt with by this Convention;

to consider measures for securing uniform interpretation and application of the provisions of this Convention;

to encourage the adequate protection of the marks against forgery and misuse;

to make recommendations in the case of any matter referred to it under the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 9, or for the settlement of any dispute arising out of the operation of this Convention which is presented to the Standing Committee;

to examine whether the arrangements of a State interested in acceding to this Convention comply with the conditions of the Convention and its Annexes and to make a report in that respect for consideration by the Contracting States.

3. The Standing Committee shall adopt rules of procedure for its meeting including rules for the convening of such meetings. This Committee shall meet at least once a year.

4. In accordance with paragraph 2 above, the Standing Committee shall take decisions on technical matters, as provided for in the Armex.es, by unanimous vote.

5. The Standing Committee may make recommendations on any question relating to the implementation of this Convention or make proposals for the amendment of this Convention. Such recommendations or proposals shall be transmitted to the depositary which shall notify all Contracting States.

ARTICLE 11

Amendment to the Convention

1. In the case of a proposal received from the Standing Committee for the amendment of the Articles to the Convention, or in the case of a proposal for amendment of the Convention received from a Contracting State, the depositary shall submit such proposals for acceptance to all Contracting States.

2. If within three months from the date of the submission of a proposal for amendment under paragraph 1 a Contracting State requests that negotiations be opened on the proposal, the depositary shall arrange for such negotiations to be held.

3. Provided it is accepted by all Contracting States, an amendment to this Convention shall enter into force one month after deposit of the last instrument of acceptance unless another date is provided for in the amendment. Instruments of acceptance shall be deposited with the depositary which shall notify all Contracting States.

Amendment to the Annexes

4. In the case of a proposal made by the Standing Committee for amendment of the Annexes to the Convention, the depositary shall notify all Contracting States.

5. The amendment to the Annexes shall come into force six months after the date of notification by the depositary unless an objection has been received from the Government of a Contracting State or unless a later date for its entry into force has been provided for in the amendment.

IV Final Provisions Accession

ARTICLE 12

1. Any State being a Member of the United Nations or of any of the specialised agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency or a Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice and having arrangements for the assay and marking of articles of precious metals necessary to comply with the requirements of the Convention and its Annexes may, upon invitation of the Contracting States to be transmitted by the depositary, accede to this Convention.

2. The Governments of the Contracting States shall notify their reply to the depositary within four months after receipt of the request by the depositary asking them whether they agree to the invitation. Any Government not replying within that period shall be deemed to have consented to the invitation.

3. The Governments of the Contracting States shall base their decision whether to invite a State to accede primarily on the report referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 10.

4. The invited State may accede to this Convention by depositing an instrument of accession with the depositary which shall notify all other Contracting States. The accession shall become effective three months after deposit of that instrument.

ARTICLE 13

1. The Government of any signatory or acceding State may, when depositing its instrument of ratification or accession, or at any time thereafter, declare in writing to the depositary that this Convention shall apply to all or part of the territories, designated in the declaration, for the external relations of which it is responsible. The depositary shall communicate any such declaration to the Governments of all other Contracting States.

2. If the declaration was made at the time of the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession this Convention shall enter into force in relation to those territories on the same date as the Convention enters into force in relation to the State having made the declaration. In all other cases the Convention shall enter into force in relation to those territories three months after the declaration has been received by the depositary.

3. The application of this Convention to all or part of such territories may be terminated by the Government of the State having made the declaration referred to in paragraph 1 provided that it gives three months' notice in writing to the depositary which shall notify all other Contracting States.

Withdrawal

ARTICLE 14

Any Contracting State may withdraw from this Convention provided that it gives twelve months' notice in writing to the depositary which shall notify all Contracting States, or on such other terms as may be agreed upon by the Contracting States. Each Contracting State undertakes that, in the event of its withdrawal from the Convention, it will cease after withdrawal to use or apply the Common Control Mark for any purpose.

Ratification

ARTICLE 15

1. This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the depositary which shall notify all other signatory States.

2. This Convention shall enter into force four months after deposit of the fourth instrument of ratification. In relation to any other signatory State depositing subsequently its instrument of ratification this Convention shall enter into force two months after the date of deposit but not before the expiry of the above-mentioned period of four months.

In witness thereof the undersigned, duly authorised thereto, have signed the present Convention.

Done in Vienna this 15th day of November 1972, in a single copy in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authentic, which shall be deposited with the Government of Sweden, by which certified copies shall be transmitted to all other signatory and acceding States.

Here follow the signatures of the representatives of Austria, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

* * * * * *

ANNEXES I AND II TO THE CONVENTION ON THE CONTROL AND MARKING OF ARTICLES OF PRECIOUS METALS

Consolidated text in English

ANNEX I

Definitions and Technical Requirements

1. Definitions

For the purpose of this Convention the following definitions apply :

1.1 Precious metals

Precious metals are platinum, gold, palladium and silver. Platinum is the most precious metal followed by gold, palladium and silver.

1.2 Precious metal alloy

A precious metal alloy is a solid solution containing at least one precious metal.

1.3 Precious metal article

A precious metal article is any item of jewellery, goldsmith's, silversmith's or watchmaker's ware or any other object made entirely or in part from precious metals or their alloys. “In part” means that a precious metal article may contain (i) non-metallic parts (ii) base metal parts for technical reasons or decoration. A precious metal article, which contains base metal parts for decoration, is referred to as "multimetal article".

1.4 Fineness

The fineness is the content of the named precious metals measured in terms of parts per thousand by weight of alloy.

1.5 Standard of fineness

The standard of fineness is the minimum content of the named precious metals measured in terms of parts per thousand by weight of alloy.

1.6 Coating/plating

Coating or plating is one or more layers of:

(i) precious metal (or precious metal alloy);

(ii) base metal (or base metal alloy);

(iii) non-metallic substance;

applied to all, or part, of a precious metal article e.g. by chemical, electrochemical, mechanical or physical process.

1.7 Base metals

Base metals are all metals except platinum, gold, palladium, and silver.

1.8 Other definitions

The Standing Committee may decide on other definitions.

2. Technical requirements

2.1 The Convention does not apply to:

a) Articles made of alloys of a fineness less than 850 for platinum, 375 for gold and 800 for silver;

b) Any article which is intended to be used for medical, dental, veterinary, scientific or technical purpose;

c) Legal tender;

d) Parts or incomplete semi manufactures (e.g. metal parts or surface layer);

e) Raw materials such as bars, plates, wire and tubes;

f) Base metal articles coated with precious metal;

g) Any other object decided by the Standing Committee.

The articles referred to in a) to g) above cannot therefore be marked with the Common Control Mark.

2.2 Standards of fineness applied under the Convention:

for platinum 999, 950, 900, 850

for gold 999, 916, 750, 585, 375

for palladium 999, 950, 500

for silver 999, 925, 830, 800.

2.2.1 Other standards of fineness may be recognised by the Standing Committee, depending on international developments.

2.3. Tolerance

2.3.1 No negative tolerance is permitted in relation to the standard of fineness indicated on the article.

2.3.2 Separate rules for special manufacturing techniques are established by the Standing Committee.

2.4 Use of solder

2.4.1 Solder may be used only for joining purposes. In principle, the standard of fineness of the solder shall be the same as the standard of fineness of the article.

2.4.2 Practical exceptions from this principle and other methods of joining are defined by the Standing Committee.

2.5 Use of base metal parts and non-metallic substances

2.5.1 It is permitted to use base metal parts and non-metallic parts in precious metal articles both for technical reasons and for decoration, subject to the following conditions:

a) Base metal parts and non- metallic parts shall be clearly distinguishable from the precious metal.

b) They shall be neither coated nor treated to give the appearance of a precious metal.

c) They shall not be used for the purpose of strengthening, weighting or filling.

d) They shall be stamped or engraved "METAL" (or the name of that metal in English).

2.5.2 The Standing Committee may decide on further details or exceptions.

2.6 Coating of precious metal articles

2.6.1 The Standing Committee decides on permitted coatings.

***

ANNEX II

Control by the authorised assay office(s)

1. General

1.1 The authorised assay office(s) (thereafter referred to as “the assay office”) shall examine whether articles of precious metals which are presented to it in order to be marked with the Common Control Mark fulfil the conditions of Annex I to the Convention.

1.2 If an article is found by the assay office to be complete as to all its metallic parts and if it complies with the provisions of Annex I to this Convention, the assay office shall, on request, mark the article with its assay office mark and the Common Control Mark. In cases where the Common Control Mark is applied the assay office shall, before the article leaves its custody, ensure that the article is fully marked in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs below.

1.3 The testing of articles of precious metals submitted for marking with the Common Control Mark consists of the two following steps:

a) the evaluation of the homogeneity of the batch, and

b) the determination of the fineness of the alloy.

2. Methods of analysis and test methods

2.1 The assay office may use any of the test methods to evaluate the homogeneity of a batch as defined by the Standing Committee.

2.2 The assay office shall use any of the approved methods of analysis in assaying articles of precious metals as defined by the Standing Committee.

3. Sampling

The number of items taken from a batch and the number of samples taken from these items for testing and analysis shall be sufficient to establish the homogeneity of the batch and ensure that all parts of all articles controlled in the batch are up to the required standard of fineness. Sampling guidelines are established by the Standing Committee.