Eviscerate, you are correct.
You will not find a black (Midnight Gray) monitor that has TCO-99 compliance. The following link to the TCO has the standards the monitors must comply to.
http://www.tco-info.com/i/arbetsmiljo/index_db.html?tco99.html~main
Click on "CRT Displays" then "Labelling standards" then "Displays (CRT)
I suggest you read section 1.6 of the mandatory and recommended requirements. I believe this is the test that black monitors cannot meet.
Televisions are not regulated by the TCO thus they do not require TCO testing. Also you typically view a television at a distance much farther than a computer monitor.
Most company's require monitors that are TCO-99 compliant to reduce the risk of workman's compensation claims.
Also I do not recommend painting monitors. Paint is full of metals and other conductive materials that can bridge gaps between high voltage circuits and can damage the unit. Painting will void any warranty you may have on the unit. If you succeed in painting the unit, it will be very prone to scratches even if you use a good primer.
Good Luck
Jim Witkowski
Chief Hardware Engineer
Cornerstone / Monitorsdirect.com
Jim at
http://www.monitorsdirect.com