The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) sets out the conformity of all pressure equipment and assemblies that are due to be sold within the EU.

By working to the CE Pressure Equipment Directive, your product can be marked with the CE mark, where applicable, which takes away the need for it to be subjected to a local approval regime in every member state that it is to be sold in.

If you would like assistance with the Pressure Equipment Directive, please get in touch

What is the PED Directive?

The Pressure Equipment Directive refers to any pressure equipment or assemblies that have a maximum allowable pressure which is greater than 0.5 bar gauge pressure. This Directive outlines the legal structure for the design and manufacture of any pressure equipment that is intended for sale within the European Union.

The Pressure Equipment Directive can also be referred to as the Pressure Equipment Regulation, PED Directive or PED Pressure Directive.

The PED Pressure Directive contains a number of different classifications for pressure equipment which has been based on their hazard level. This hazard level is decided according to the stored-energy and the nature of the contained fluid in the equipment or assembly. The conformity procedures and assessment criteria are different for each classification, i.e. equipment category within the directive. This can range from self-declaration all the way up to notified body notified body involved type examination of category IV equipment.

There is a strong emphasis on providing adequate instructions with your equipment as well as a declaration of conformity, plus the usual requirement of creating and retaining a technical file about the design and manufacture of the product. All pressure equipment needs to be marked with the name and address of the manufacturer as well as the unique identification of the model and serial number, the year it was manufactured and the maximum or minimum allowable pressure limits.

What does the PED cover?

The Pressure Equipment Directive is intended not just for manufacturers, but also for those who import or supply pressure equipment into the EU, as well as for any relevant Authorised Representatives.

Pressure equipment is defined as being items which include vessels, piping, safety accessories or pressure accessories. Items which are covered by the pressure equipment regulation include:

  • Shell and water tube boilers
  • Heat exchangers
  • Pressure vessels
  • Process pipework
  • Electric heaters
  • Isolation valves
  • Control valves
  • Meters
  • Relief valves
  • Safety valves
  • Bursting discs
  • Buckling rods
  • Controlled safety pressure relief systems
  • Pressure switches
  • Temperature switches
  • Fluid level switches

It is important to point out that not all pressure equipment is covered by the Directive, as there are other applicable directives , such as those that refer to transportable pressure equipment and simple pressure vessels.

The Pressure Equipment Regulation should not apply to on site assembly of pressure equipment, or to pressure equipment for military use or for use in transport. Pressure equipment, or an assembly of pressure equipment, that presents a relatively low hazard from pressurisation could fall under the scope of a different Directive, so it is vital that you understand which set of standards apply to you.

If your product falls within one of the pressure equipment categories, it cannot be sold within the European Union without a CE mark, and this can only be achieved by ensuring that it meets all of the Essential Safety Requirements (ESRs) set out in the Pressure Equipment Directive. Our experts are on hand to act as an Authorised Representative within the EU for your business and can help you to ensure that your product meets all of the required standards.

What is the legislation in the UK?

The equivalent UK legislation is the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016, No. 1105).

The EU Withdrawal Act 2018 – the main Brexit legislation – preserved the Pressure Equipment Directive requirements as the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations and enables them to be amended such that it can be used in support of UKCA marking products.

This introduces the use of UK Approved Bodies, as opposed to EU Notified Bodies, and also introduces the UKCA marking requirement.

The UK Brexit legislation has subsequently been amended to provide transitional arrangements, e.g. by the Product Safety and Metrology etc (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022 No. 1393) such that there is on overlap during which both CE and UKCA marked pressure equipment products can still be placed in the market.

Get in touch

Ready to expand your business into new markets? Let our team of expert Authorised Representatives guide you through the process. Contact us now to get started. Call us on 01298873837 or via email info@ARenquiries.com, alternatively you can fill out our form over on our contact page.

Our Scope of Service

Along with the Pressure Equipment directive, we also serve the following directives:

How AR Service will support you?

Authorised Representative Service will act as your responsible economic operator and carry out the following obligations for you:

  • We will verify that your EU Declaration of Conformity (or Incorporation, Performance, etc.) and technical documentation has been drawn up correctly.
  • We will keep these documents at the disposal of market surveillance authorities for the period required by that legislation and ensure that the technical documentation can be made available to those authorities upon request.
  • Upon request from a market surveillance authority, we will ensure that the technical documentation can be made available to them in order to demonstrate the conformity of the product.
  • If we have reason to believe that a product presents a risk, we will highlight this information to the necessary parties.
  • If a risk is identified, we will liaise with you and support you in taking immediate, necessary, corrective action to remedy any noncompliance causing the risk.
  • As your Authorised Representative, we will provide you with our name and contact details, for you to place on the product, it’s packaging or accompanying documentation.
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