18 out of the current 22 Contracting States of the Convention are Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA).
The present webpage aims at providing key information on precious metal control in the EU/EEA. It does not intend to duplicate already available information.
Precious metal control is one of the few “non-harmonised” areas where the EU has no specific legislation in place to regulate the free movement of precious metals articles under the Single Market. Previous attempts to issue an EU directive have failed. This does not mean that there are no rules in the EU/EEA on the control and marking of precious metals articles.
The free movement of precious metals articles in the EU/EEA is subject to:
The EU webpage on Mutual Recognition (https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/goods/free-movement-sectors/mutual-recognition-goods_en) provides information on how mutual recognition applies in general. It also contains useful information and links on:
There are also national websites which provide (i) information on the application of mutual recognition and related national procedures such as Mutual recognition of products not subject to Union specifications in Bulgaria; Mutual recognition of goods in Latvia; Mutual recognition of goods in Portugal; etc.; and (ii) information on the application of mutual recognition in the field of precious metals articles such as the French Customs or the Italian Legal Metrology.
The Convention’s webpage “Country Profile” provides key information on precious metal control, in particular:
Country profiles are available for the following 19 EEA MS: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.