CE Machinery Directive

What is the EU Machinery Directive?

The European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC was introduced to establish broad safety objectives for manufacturers and distributors of a wide range of mechanical equipment. The directive requires manufacturers to demonstrate that their products comply with the various EU regulations related to the machinery they produce.

Independent certification providers help manufacturers with the testing process and can help approve their products. Once approved, a CE mark can be applied to the product, which permits distribution in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA).

Why is the EU Machinery Directive important?

Complying with the European Machinery Directive is obligatory for any manufacturer or distributor that hopes to sell their products in the EU or the EEA. Failure to comply can result in fines and product recalls and could lead to you being banned from distributing in Europe.

TÜV SÜD is your single source for EU Machinery Safety Directive compliance

TÜV SÜD is an EU Notified Body authorised to evaluate products for compliance with the EU Machinery Directive. We offer a range of services to assist machinery and machine product manufacturers and their agents to gain access to the EU marketplace.

Our technical experts have vast experience of testing and certifying a wide range of machinery and mechanical products to ensure they comply with the European Machinery Directive. We stay up to date with all the latest regulations, so you can be confident that your products will be compliant. 

We have a global network of state-of-the-art laboratories where we carry out relevant testing and certification, and we can also carry out inspections on your premises. This means you get certified fast and can deliver your products to market sooner.

TÜV SÜD services for compliance with the EU Machinery Directive

TÜV SÜD offers a comprehensive range of services to help you access the EU machinery market fast:

• Regulatory requirements – we can interpret how the Machinery Directive applies to your product and advise you on relevant regulation
• CE Marking – we produce reports and technical documentation, as well as offering a CE marking service
• Product construction analysis – including general construction and assembly, protective earthing connections, electrical, mechanical and fire enclosure requirements, and marking and labelling
• Protection against electric shock – we test for isolation barriers and creepage and clearance distances
• Documentation review – including safety of critical components, flammability ratings for plastics and other materials, and user, installation and service instructions