Official Name & Scope

Pressure Equipment Directive DIRECTIVE 2014/68/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 May 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of pressure equipment (recast). The Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU (PED) came into force in July 2014 and has been applicable since 19 July 2016. The Directive 2014/68/EU replaced the previous Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EC). The Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU applies to the manufacture, design and conformity assessment of assemblies and pressure equipment with a pressure of more than 0.5 bar. Pressure equipment includes pressure vessels, steam boilers, pipes, accessories with a safety function and pressure-retaining accessories.

Essential safety requirements

The essential requirements of the Pressure Equipment Directive are (see Annex 1 of the PED “Essential Safety Requirements”):

• GenerallyPressure equipment must be designed, manufactured, checked and, where appropriate, equipped and installed in such a way as to ensure its safety when it is put into service in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions or under reasonably foreseeable conditions.
• Draft
• : Pressure equipment shall be designed appropriately, taking into account all factors critical to ensuring the safety of the equipment throughout its working life. The design shall incorporate appropriate safety factors using comprehensive methodologies known to consistently incorporate appropriate safety margins in respect of all relevant failure modes.
• production
• : The manufacturer shall ensure the competent implementation of the measures specified at the design stage by applying appropriate techniques and procedures.
• materials
• : The materials used to manufacture pressure equipment must, unless they are to be replaced, be suitable for their entire intended working life.
• More
• specific requirements
• for certain printing equipment.




The following pressure equipment and assemblies are affected by the essential safety requirements