Background
Directive 2014/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (recast) applies to manufacturers, importers and distributors who place equipment or protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres on the market. The Directive is also referred to as the ATEX Product Directive (ATEX - Atmosphères Explosives). There is also a ATEX Worker protection Directive (Directive 99/92/EC) with provisions to improve the safety and health protection of workers who may be at risk from explosive atmospheres.
The Directive 2014/34/EU repeals its predecessor, Directive 94/9/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.
Objective
This Directive applies to electrical and non-electrical equipment and protective devices and systems (e.g. surface and mining equipment) used in (potentially) explosive atmospheres.
Contents
The Directive establishes EU wide policies on the sale and use of equipment and protective systems for the use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Its rules apply to a wide range of equipment regardless of the economic sector.
The equipment and protective devices and systems covered by the scope of the directive have to meet essential safety and health requirements (common requirements for all devices and systems and additional requirements) which are defined in the annexes of the directive.
The Directive defines procedures under which devices and systems can obtain CE marking. Each manufacturer must carry out a safety and conformity assessment and provide technical documentation as well as safety instructions. Furthermore the Directive sets out procedures for the control of devices and systems by national notification bodies. If devices and systems comply with market conformity, Member States should not hinder market access and circulation while unsafe products have to be prevented from accessing the market.
Annexes
- Annex I: Criteria determining the classification of equipment-groups into categories
- Annex II: Essential health and safety requirements relating to the design and construction of equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
- Annex III: Module B: EU-type examination
- Annex IV: Module D: Conformity to type based on quality assurance of the production process
- Annex V: Module F: Conformity to type based on product verification
- Annex VI: Module C1: Conformity to type based on internal production control plus supervised product testing
- Annex VII: Module E: Conformity to type based on product quality assurance
- Annex VIII: Module A: Internal production control
- Annex IX: Module G: Conformity based on unit verification
- Annex X: EU declaration of conformity
- Annex XI: Repealed Directive with list of the successive amendments thereto / Time limits for transposition into national law and dates of application (referred to in Article 43)
- Annex XII: Correlation table (with Directive 94/9/EC)
Read the full text of Directive 2014/34/EU
National measures implementing this Directive
Further information