- About us
- Your industry
- Our services
- Locations
- Online tools
- Careers
The new Low Voltage Directive : 2014/35/EU
The directive 2014/35/EU, which is a revision of the current 2006/95/EC directive, was published in the Official Journal of the French Republic dated August 29th 2015.
Since that date, complementary information on its application has been issued: here is an update on the information available at this date.
Main changes
- The EC declaration of conformity becomes an EU declaration of conformity.
- Importers are required to put their names and addresses on the products (or on the packaging, if relevant).
- Manufacturer’s, importer’s and distributor’s responsibilities, with regard to placing the products on the market (in particular requirements for traceability and market surveillance) are more precisely defined and reinforced.
- The conformity assessment procedures are aligned "new approach"
What does not change
- The EC marking (it concerns the European Conformity).
- The scope of the directive and its essential health and safety requirements.
Date of application
Directive 2006/95/EC will be abrogated on April 19th, 2016. It remains fully applicable until this date.
From April 20th, 2016 the new 2014/35/EU directive will come into force:
-
- EU declarations of conformity according to 2014/35/EU directive must replace the EC declarations of conformity.
- The issuance of certificates according to the new directive becomes possible.
Questions / Answers
|
The new directive becomes applicable from April 20th, 2016. The products stored must have been prepared to meet the new requirements. |
|
|
An apparatus must meet the legal obligations when it is placed on the market for the first time. Products stored at distributors’ or users’ are considered as placed on the market already : 2014/35/EU directive does not apply. |
|
|
Unlike for other directives (R&TTE for example), there is no transition period during which the two directives are applicable. The changeover date is April 20th 2016. |
|
|
Possibility to show on the new EU declaration that the product answers the requirements of Directive 2006/95/EC until April 19th, 2016 and the requirements of Directive 2014/35/EU as of April 20th, 2016. |
An application guide will be published by the European Commission in 2016 to clarify the transitional arrangements and confirm the answers given above.
Guidance
For a smooth implementation of the new directive, we recommend that you should:
1- Assess the impact of the changes to be made to the documentation (declarations of conformity, marking drawings, quality documentation, sales literature, Website, etc…)
2- Train and inform your personnel and your business partners (distributors, importers, resellers).
La directive 2014/30/UE, qui constitue une révision de l’actuelle directive 2004/108/CE, a été publiée au journal officiel de l’Union européenne du 29 mars 2014. Depuis cette date, des informations contradictoires sur ses modalités d’application ont circulé : voici un point à jour des dernières informations connues.
Did you know ?
The new directive was published as a result of the New Legislative Framework.
A total of nine EU directives have been revised.
Among them :
- EMC : 2004/108/EC
- ATEX : 94/9/EC
