European Union · Global Market Access
Entering the EU Market: Pressure Equipment (PED)
Pressure Equipment Directive — the NB's role increases as the category rises.
- Market
- European Union
- Site
- European
- Mark
- PED
01What is it?
The Pressure Equipment Directive governs the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of equipment with a maximum allowable pressure exceeding 0.5 bar.
02Why Does This Scheme Exist?
The risk that gave rise to the pressure equipment directive is qualitatively different from that in other product legislation: the failure of a vessel under pressure is not gradual. The stored energy is released in an instant and the area affected is not limited to the equipment itself. The legislation therefore classifies risk not by the type of product but by the ENERGY STORED.
Classification is made by assessing three variables together: pressure, volume (or pipe diameter) and the fluid itself. Fluids are divided into two groups according to whether they are hazardous; at the same pressure and volume, a vessel carrying a flammable gas falls into a higher category than one carrying water. As the category rises, the notified body's role increases.
At the lowest tier, equipment is manufactured under "sound engineering practice" and does not carry the CE mark — this is the most commonly misunderstood aspect of the legislation. Being within scope does not always mean the CE mark applies.
The second distinguishing aspect of the directive is that, alongside the product, it governs PERMANENT JOINING OPERATIONS and the personnel carrying them out. Welding procedures and welders must be qualified and that qualification is carried out by a notified or recognised body. On the material side there are also traceability and material certificate requirements.
Pressure equipment is also subject to national inspection regimes after installation: periodic inspection and reassessment are matters of national legislation and the CE marking does not satisfy those obligations.
03Whose Obligation?
The obligation lies with the manufacturer. In Category I the manufacturer can make its own declaration; in Categories II, III and IV a notified body comes into play and the approval of welding and NDT personnel is also carried out by a third party.
04Required Documents
- Design and strength calculations
- Manufacturing and assembly drawings
- Material certificates (EN 10204)
- Welding procedure and welder approvals (WPS/WPQR)
- Non-destructive examination reports
- The hydrostatic test report
- Instructions for use and the equipment rating plate
05Process
- 01Scope DeterminationIt is determined which legislation and marking scope the product falls under in the target market. This step defines the entire process; getting it wrong wastes all subsequent work.
- 02Determining Applicable StandardsThe standards accepted by the market and any national deviations are identified. The same IEC standard may apply with different deviations in different markets.
- 03Establishing the Test PlanIt is assessed which part of existing test reports will be accepted; missing tests are planned. A CB Scheme report, if available, reduces retesting.
- 04Local Party and RegistrationIf the market requires an established representative, importer or applicant, this party is designated and the necessary registrations are made.
- 05Tests and Technical FileTests are conducted and the technical file is prepared. Some markets require testing to be performed within their own country.
- 06Certification or DeclarationDepending on the market's regime, a manufacturer's declaration is drawn up or a certificate is obtained from the authorised body; a factory audit is carried out if required.
- 07Marking and LabellingThe mark and label are applied according to the market's format and language rules. The language requirement is checked at customs in most markets.
- 08Shipment and CustomsIf a pre-shipment document is required, it is obtained; the document set to be presented at customs is completed.
06Points to Watch
- The category is determined by the fluid group and the product of pressure and volume
- CE is not affixed to low-risk equipment under Article 4(3)
- An assembly is also assessed as a whole
- Welding is a special process; approval of personnel and procedure is mandatory
07Neighbouring Schemes and the Difference
- 01PED and simple pressure vesselsThere is a separate and simpler directive for simple vessels meeting certain geometry and fluid conditions; if the scope conditions are not met, PED applies.
- 02PED and transportable pressure equipmentTransportable equipment such as cylinders and tankers is subject to a separate marking arrangement tied to transport legislation; it does not carry the PED mark.
- 03PED and machinery legislationFor a machine containing a pressure component, the two pieces of legislation can apply together; which essential requirement is met from which legislation is shown in the technical file.
- 04PED and fabrication codesHarmonised standards such as EN 13445 provide a presumption of conformity; other fabrication codes can be used but it must be separately shown that the essential requirements are met.
08Scheme Detail
This page describes entry into the European Union market. The scheme itself — its scope, process, validity period and required documents — is covered in detail on the certification page.
Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) and CE Marking10Frequently Asked Questions
This section's content is being prepared. The roadmap specific to your product and target market at the quote stage in writing.
The certification timeline varies with the product, the required test workload, sample shipping time and the authority's workload; for this reason, no duration in days or weeks is given on these pages. The main factors determining the timeline are: whether testing must be performed in the target country, whether a factory audit is required, the time to appoint a local representative, and the current maturity of the technical file. A realistic timeline for your product is provided in writing at the quote stage.
Market access regimes change frequently: scope lists are updated, transition periods are extended, new requirements are added. These pages describe the structure of the regime and who bears the obligation; the applicable scope and dates for your product are confirmed from the current legislative text at the quote stage.
European Union · PED roadmap for
Tell us about your product; we'll share the required steps, documents and timeline in writing.