German as language for marking ADR packages within Germany
We requested an interpretation from Mr Depré from the Bavarian transport ministry whether ...
... for the extra marking
required e.g. by special provision 376 or 377 the English language could be used.
And the answer was clear: No.
The complete interpretation you can find here. It was translated by Eva Glimsche:
Von: Depre, Christian (StMB)
Gesendet: Montag, 16. Januar 2023 12:00
An: juergen.werny@lithium-battery-service.de
Betreff: AW: Language for Markings
Hello Mr Werny,
thank you and all the best for the new year.
The extra markings need to be in German. This can be deducted from the fact that the correct wording is explicitly
listed. For example in the German SP 377 it reads that the packages need to bear the marking:
«LITHIUMBATTERIEN ZUR ENTSORGUNG» or «LITHIUMBATTERIEN ZUM RECYCLING».
An English translation would not represent this formally required text. It may well be that an individual enforcement
officer would refrain from penalising an infringement but one should not reckon on that.
Taking the English language as an example for this formalism might be difficult to understand because the basics of
this language are meanwhile understood in general. But if we would move away from this principle of the use of the
German lanugage in such cases, then all official languages of the ADR parties would non-discriminatorily be
acceptable and that would sure cause comprehension problems.
Best regards
Christian Depre
Bauoberrat
Referat 66 - Technik der Straßenfahrzeuge und -bahnen, Seilbahnen, Gefahrgutbeförderung
Gefahrgutbeförderung
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wohnen, Bau und Verkehr Franz-Josef-Strauß-Ring 4, 80539 München
Telefon: +49 89 2192-3886
E-Mail: Christian.Depre@stmb.bayern.de
Internet: www.stmb.bayern.de
Karriere: www.ich-bau-bayern.de
Link to the download of the ADR 2023 in German and English
You can find the ADR in PDF format in German under the link to the website of the Swiss authority: https://www.astra.admin.ch/astra/de/home/fachleute/fahrzeuge/gefaehrliche-gueter/recht-international.html
The English version of the ADR in PDF format can be found under this link: https://unece.org/transport/standards/transport/dangerous-goods/adr-2023-agreement-concerning-internationalcarriag
