Pressure equipment: harmonisation of essential safety requirements

OBJECTIVE: to ensure the free movement of pressure equipment, without reducing the safety standards which apply in the Member States. COMMUNITY MEASURE: European Parliament and Council Directive 97/23/EC on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States concerning pressure equipment. CONTENT: the directive applies to a wide range of equipment and products in sectors as varied as chemicals, textiles, the food industry (e.g. pressure cookers, water-tube boilers etc.) subject to pressure in excess of 0.5 bar, with certain exceptions such as aircraft, cans of fizzy drinks, radiators, water supply networks, tyres, etc. The directive lays down the minimum safety requirements which the equipment in question must meet, the criteria to be satisfied by the bodies in charge of evaluating the conformity of equipment and the various elements of "CE" conformity. DEADLINE FOR TRANSPOSITION: 22 May 1999. The Member States must authorize the placing on the market of pressure equipment and assemblies which comply with the regulations in force on their territory on the date of application of the directive until 29 May 2002, and the commissioning of this equipment after that date.�