Activites

• 1997/07/09 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 1997/23
  • OJ L 181 09.07.1997, p. 0001
• 1997/05/29 Final act signed
• 1997/05/29 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1997/04/24 Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading
  • T4-0193/1997 summary

    Adopting the report by Mr Roger BARTON (PSE, UK), Parliament ratified the agreement reached by the Parliament and Council Conciliation Committee on 4 February 1997 on pressure equipment. To ensure that pressure equipment subject to a pressure greater than 0.5 bar - a vast range of products from simple pressure cookers to very complex water-tube boilers - can circulate freely, it is essential to have a common safety level without reducing the existing safety levels in the Member States. The agreement reached in the conciliation committee, chaired jointly by Mr Renzo IMBENI (PSE, I) for Parliament and Mr Michiel PATIJN for the Council should make this harmonization possible. The Parliament delegation considered it essential to improve the safety of the most dangerous types of equipment (categories III and IV). This covers such equipment as condensers/coolers of the type used in air conditioning units, certain air storage tanks used in garages for inflating tyres or propane gas cylinders of a certain size. The Council finally accepted the main points made by Parliament, that checks should be carried out during the manufacture of such equipment at the place of manufacture by agencies independent of the manufacturer and that such checks should be made more exhaustive than the Council had initially proposed. �

• #1999
• 1997/04/17 Council Meeting
• 1997/04/15 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A4-0129/1997
• 1997/03/18 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 3603/1997
• 1997/02/04 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• 1996/10/21 Parliament's amendments rejected by Council
• 1996/07/17 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0397/1996 summary

    In adopting the recommendation for second reading by Mr Erhard MEIER (PSE, A), Parliament approved the common position of the Council with a series of amendments aimed at strengthening safety standards for pressure equipment. In particular, Parliament requested that : - certain equipment, subject to a pressure higher than 0.5 bar but not currently covered by the Directive, should be regularly reviewed in order to ascertain whether it is necessary to draw up rules at Union level, - three years after the Directive enters into force, a review should be carried out in order to ascertain the need for the integration of simple pressure vessels into the Directive. At the same time, Parliament provided clarification concerning piping and water supply networks. In relation to conformity assessment, Parliament requested that, in the case of equipment in (the most dangerous) categories III and IV, the inspection should be carried out by a third party independent of the designer/manufacturer. Furthermore, where the pressure equipment is not manufactured in accordance with the standards laid down by the Directive or is composed of materials not specifically referred to and in respect of which no harmonised standards are applied, Parliament called on the manufacturer to demonstrate that appropriate measures had been taken to achieve an equivalent overall level of safety. It also called for increased cooperation between Member States in order to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Directive. In relation to commitology, Parliament urged that the Commission be assisted by the committee set up pursuant to Directive 83/189/EEC in all matters of standardization, and composed of technical experts. More generally, Parliament emphasised that the Directive should be directed towards a high degree of health and safety protection. �

• 1996/07/16 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    The rapporteur, Mr Meier (PSE, A), recommended the approval of the common position of the Council, as modified by the 15 amendments tabled. For his part, Commissioner Bangemann was in favour of Amendments Nos 1-7, 9, 11, 12, 14 and 15, since they served to improve and clarify the text. However, Amendments Nos 8, 10, 13 and 17 were to be rejected, especially No 8, which provided for the intervention of an independent third party, something that was not in accordance with the current directive concerning the procedure for assessing compliance, and No 10, which concerned the use of harmonised standards and the presentation of a special report, which was considered unnecessary.

• 1996/06/26 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A4-0217/1996
• 1996/04/18 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #1914
• 1996/03/29 Council Meeting
  • 12095/2/1995 summary

    The Council made some substantial changes to the Commission proposal as amended by Parliament. The Common Position basically incorporates the amendments adopted by Parliament at first reading, particularly the amendment to make the Directive applicable to the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of pressure equipment subject to an allowable pressure greater than 0.5 bar. Parliament's amendments which were not accepted by the Commission were not incorporated. The Council's main changes concern the following points: - some types of equipment other than those initially listed have been excluded from the field of application of the directive: . category I equipment, where the risk associated with pressure is already covered by other directives: 95/16/EEC (lifts), 73/23/EEC (low voltage), 93/42/EEC (medical devices), 94/9/EEC (equipment used in an explosive atmosphere); . radiators and pipes for hot water heating systems; . receptacles for liquids with a gas pressure above the liquid not exceeding 0.5 bar - Annex II (classification): only two groups of liquids (instead of three) were included and four categories of equipment defined; - Annex III (certification): . modules A1, A2, C1 and C2 were incorporated into modules A1 and C1; modules D1, E1, B1 and H were added to provide certification procedures for medium-risk equipment; the modules for assemblies, FA and DA, were replaced by a 'global procedure'; . in addition, the manufacturer may choose to apply one of the certification procedures for a higher category than that in which the equipment is classified; . exceptions to the rules on application of certification procedures were included for specific types of equipment (pressure cookers, containers and piping containing unstable gases, portable extinguishers, assemblies for hot water production). - European approval of materials: a new article allows the use of appropriate material for the manufacture of certain types of pressure equipment not included in the harmonized rules. It provides for an approval procedure involving specifically designated notified bodies as well as the Member States and the Commission; - recognized third parties: the conditions for designating third parties to carry out certain functions at Community level were established, particularly with regard to their technical competence; - user inspection service: provision is made for the Member States still to be able to choose whether or not to recognize conformity assessments carried out by user inspection services; - essential requirements: a new article lays down the essential requirements for certain cases, giving the safety figures which are generally applied; - comitology: the Council has delegated to the Commission competence to amend the directive with regard to reclassification of pressure equipment (consultative committee). �

• #1886
• 1995/11/23 Council Meeting
• 1994/06/30 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1994)0278 summary

    The amended Commission proposal incorporated the amendments of the European Parliament concerning: - the need to explain as clearly as possible the requirements set out in the annexes in order to enable all users, including SMEs, to comply with them easily; - the exclusion from the scope of the directive of pressure equipment designed to hold non-dangerous fluids (the directive would apply to the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of pressure equipment with a maximum allowable pressure of 0.5 bar, when it was designed to hold dangerous fluids); - improvements to the list of technical requirements, providing greater clarity or a higher level of safety; - the responsibilities of the competent authorities of the Member States, with a view to ensuring the protection of persons at exhibitions; - the removal of the possibility of referring to national standards in cases where there were no harmonised standards; - the harmonisation of the requirements relating to the user inspectorates with the requirements that applied to notified bodies, which should in fact be the same. However, the Commission did not accept the amendments concerning: - the incorporation of Directive 87/404/EEC relating to simple pressure vessels in the directive on pressure equipment; - the definition of accessories; - the inclusion of military equipment, equipment designed for nuclear applications, equipment used to extract oil or gas and pressure equipment used to transport dangerous products; - the clarification that the measures on the protection of workers should not result in any obstacles to trade; - the establishment of a special committee composed of technical experts; - an additional call to use harmonised standards; - the information to be provided in the context of restriction or refusal procedures; - the increase in restrictive measures. �

• 1994/04/19 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T3-0215/1994 summary

    In adopting the report by Mr Ejner CHRISTIANSEN (NI, DK), Parliament approved as a whole the Commission directive on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States concerning pressure equipment. The directive laid down the essential requirements relating to safety, public health and hygiene and other social aspects that could affect humans, animals and goods, without however lowering the protection levels established by the Member States. Nonetheless, it asked for the directive on simple pressure vessels and the directive on aerosols to be incorporated into this directive. Parliament called for the directive to be applied to the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of pressure equipment subject to an allowable pressure greater than 0.5 bar (the Commission hoped that it would also apply to equipment with a pressure below 0.5 bar). It also called for stricter limits for gas mains. Finally, in order to ensure unified application of the directive in all countries, it called for the establishment of a permanent advisory committee consisting of technical experts who would be exclusively responsible for the issue of pressure equipment. �

• 1994/04/18 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1994/03/15 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A3-0146/1994
• 1993/09/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1993/07/14 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1993)0319 summary

    1) OBJECTIVE To ensure the free movement of pressure equipment within the Community market by harmonizing the national safety and health protection requirements to which they are subject. 2) CONTENTS 1. This proposal for a Directive concerns pressure equipment subject to a pressure greater than 0.5 bar (or less than 0.5 bar). Pressure equipment intended for the transport of dangerous goods is not covered by the proposal. 2. The proposal determines the objectives or "essential requirements" which the abovementioned equipment must satisfy at the time of manufacture and before they are placed on the market; these requirements replace the corresponding national provisions. 3. Council Directive 76/767/EEC (Official Journal L 262, 27.09.1976) shall be repealed as from 1 July 1996, except as regards the application of Directives 84/525/EEC, 84/526/EEC and 84/527/EEC. 4. Harmonized European standards are drawn up on the basis of essential requirements by European standardization bodies. These standards, which are not compulsory, are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 5. Procedures for the testing of pressure equipment for conformity with the essential requirements are based on the modular approach set out in Council Decision 93/465/EEC. Conformity assessment is carried out by bodies designated by the Member States in accordance with minimum assessment criteria and communicated to the Commission and the other Member States. 6. The assessment procedures depend on the risk inherent in the pressure equipment. Each category of pressure eqiuipment is covered by an appropriate procedure or offers the choice between various equally stringent procedures. 7. The manufacturer shall be solely responsible for establishing the conformity of equipment presenting minor risks. 8. Member States may authorize users to perform certain defined tasks in the assessment of conformity under this proposal for a Directive. 9. Before being placed on the market, pressure equipment must bear the EC conformity marking which: * shall consist of: * the distinctive "EC" initials; * the identification number of the body involved in the production control phase; * indicates its conformity with the provisions of this proposal and of the other relevant Directives concerning affixation of the EC marking; * shall not be affixed on equipment presenting a minor pressure risk. 10. Any other mark may be affixed on this equipment unless it risks being confused with the EC marking. 11. Penalties adopted by the Member States in cases where the latter or notified bodies establish that the EC marking has been affixed unduly. 12. Transitional period until 1 July 1999 during which the Member States shall authorize the placing on the market and/or putting into service of pressure equipment which complies with the regulations in force on their territory at the date of adoption of this Directive. Source : European Commission - Info92 - 02/96

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1993)0319
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A3-0146/1994
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T3-0215/1994
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1994)0278
• Council position published: 12095/2/1995
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0217/1996
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0397/1996
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 3603/1997
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A4-0129/1997
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T4-0193/1997
• : Directive 1997/23
• : OJ L 181 09.07.1997, p. 0001

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)