EU updates harmonised standards for personal protective equipment under Regulation (EU) 2016/425
June 2026 - Hardlines and softlines
On 16 June 2026, the European Commission published Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/12791 on harmonised standards for personal protective equipment drafted in support of Regulation (EU) 2016/425. The new decision repeals Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/941, while allowing that earlier decision to continue applying for certain standards listed in Annex II until their specified withdrawal dates.
This Decision enters into force on the day of its publication in the OJEU.
Under Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/425, PPE that complies with harmonised standards, or relevant parts of harmonised standards, whose references are published in the Official Journal of the European Union, benefits from a presumption of conformity with the essential health and safety requirements covered by those standards.
The following standards are newly published or revised:
No | Reference of the standard |
|---|---|
41. | EN 397:2025 Industrial protective helmets EN 397:2025/AC:2025 Notice: In clause 4.2.7.5.2.5 of the standard, where it reads ‘5.13’, it shall read ‘5.13.5’ instead. Compliance with clause 4.2.7.4 of the standard provides presumption of conformity with essential health and safety requirement 3.6.1. |
84. | EN ISO 10256-1:2024 Protective equipment for use in ice hockey - Part 1: General requirements (ISO 10256-1:2024) |
85. | EN ISO 10256-2:2024 Protective equipment for use in ice hockey - Part 2: Head protectors for skaters (ISO 10256-2:2024) |
86. | EN ISO 10256-3:2024 Protective equipment for use in ice hockey - Part 3: Face and eye protectors for skaters (ISO 10256-3:2024) |
87. | EN ISO 10256-4:2024 Protective equipment for use in ice hockey - Part 4: Head and face protectors for goalkeepers (ISO 10256-4:2024) |
101. | EN ISO 12312-1:2022 Eye and face protection - Sunglasses and related eyewear - Part 1: Sunglasses for general use (ISO 12312-1:2022) EN ISO 12312-1:2022/A11:2024 |
111. | EN 12492:2025 Mountaineering equipment – Helmets for mountaineers – Safety requirements and test methods |
186. | EN 17353:2020+A1:2025 Protective clothing - Enhanced visibility equipment for medium risk situations - Test methods and requirements |
189. | EN 17961:2025 Mountaineering equipment - Load sharing devices - Safety requirements and test methods |
190. | EN 18100:2025 Mountaineering equipment - Helmets for ski mountaineers - Safety requirements and test methods |
200. | EN ISO 21420:2020 Protective gloves - General requirements and test methods - Amendment 1 (ISO 21420:2020/Amd 1:2022) EN ISO 21420:2020/A1:2024 |
The following standards listed in Annex II shall continue to apply until their dates of withdrawal:
No | Reference of the standard | Date of withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
1. | EN 352-2:2020 Hearing protectors – General requirements – Part 2: Earplugs Notice: This standard does not require labelling indicating the noise attenuation level on the product. Compliance with this standard therefore does not confer a presumption of conformity with point 3.5., second paragraph, of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2016/425. | 16.11.2026 |
2. | EN 352-6:2020 Hearing protectors – Safety requirements – Part 6: Earmuffs with safety-related audio input | 14.08.2026 |
3. | EN 352-8:2020 Hearing protectors – Safety requirements – Part 8: Entertainment audio earmuffs | 14.08.2026 |
4. | EN 352-9:2020 Hearing protectors – Safety requirements – Part 9: Earplugs with safety-related audio input | 14.08.2026 |
5. | EN 352-10:2020 Hearing protectors – Safety requirements – Part 10: Entertainment audio earplugs | 14.08.2026 |
6. | EN 353-2:2002 Personal protective equipment against falls from a height – Part 2: Guided type fall arresters including a flexible anchor line | 16.11.2026 |
7. | EN 397:2012+A1:2012 Industrial safety helmets | 16.12.2027 |
8. | EN 420:2003+A1:2009 Protective gloves – General requirements and test methods | 16.12.2027 |
9. | EN 813:2008 Personal fall protection equipment – Sit harnesses | 14.08.2026 |
10. | EN 958:2017 Mountaineering equipment – Energy absorbing systems for use in klettersteig (via ferrata) climbing – Safety requirements and test methods | 16.11.2026 |
11. | EN ISO 12312-1:2013 Eye and face protection – Sunglasses and related eyewear – Part 1: Sunglasses for general use (ISO 12312-1:2013) EN ISO 12312-1:2013/A1:2015 | 16.12.2027 |
12. | EN 12492:2012 Mountaineering equipment – Helmets for mountaineers – Safety requirements and test methods | 16.12.2027 |
13. | EN 12941:1998 Respiratory protective devices – Powered filtering devices incorporating a helmet or a hood – Requirements, testing, marking EN 12941:1998/A1:2003 EN 12941:1998/A2:2008 | 08.10.2026 |
14. | EN 12942:1998 Respiratory protective devices – Power assisted filtering devices incorporating full face masks, half masks or quarter masks – Requirements, testing, marking EN 12942:1998/A1:2002 EN 12942:1998/A2:2008 | 08.10.2026 |
15. | EN 17109:2020 Mountaineering equipment – Individual safety systems for rope courses – Safety requirements and test methods | 16.11.2026 |
16. | EN 17353:2020 Protective clothing – Enhanced visibility equipment for medium risk situations – Test methods and requirements | 16.12.2027 |
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We can also provide UK conformity assessment service as UK Approval Body (Approval Body Number 0168) to help you on conforming Regulation 2016/425 on personal protective equipment, as amended to apply in Great Britain.
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