07 September 2008
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS)
 
You are here:
 

Implementing the new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC in the United Kingdom - A Consultation Document

Starting Date: 25-09-07

Closing Date: 18-12-07

This consultation seeks the views of businesses, manufacturers, retailers, producers and enforcement authorities on a set of draft Regulations to transpose Commission Directive 2006/42/EC1 (the revised Machinery Directive henceforth referred to as ‘2006/42/EC’) into UK law. 2006/42/EC will regulate the placing on the market, and the putting into service, of machinery across the United Kingdom and the European Union, as currently undertaken by Commission Directive 98/37/EC2 which it replaces.

The new Directive aims to provide greater clarity than the old directive, e.g. with a new definition of the core concept of ‘machinery’ and in the dividing lines between itself and the Lifts and Low Voltage Directives. Another significant change is the introduction of a quality assurance conformity assessment module as an option for relevant manufacturers. Some of the other changes are described below but, in general, the new directive follows the same principles as the old one - the changes are largely a question of tidying up acknowledged flaws in the old directive and addressing some of the difficulties that have been experienced in making it work properly in practice.

Consultation Documents

Consultation Responses

© Crown copyright 2008