Proposal for a Regulation on machinery products

Summary:

Legislative initiative tabled by the European Commission on 21 April 2021, aimed at adapting safety rules to increase users' trust in the new, versatile generation of products.

Further information:

Directive (EU) 2006/42/EC - also known as the Machinery Directive - establishes a regulatory framework for placing machinery on the Single Market of the European Union (EU). It promotes harmonisation of essential health and safety requirements for machinery at EU level.

During the REFIT evaluation of the Directive, stakeholders confirmed the importance of this piece of legislation but identified a necessity to improve, simplify and adapt it to the needs of the market. Its revision was listed in the European Commission's 2020 Work Programme. The 2020 White Paper on Artificial Intelligence was accompanied by a report on the impact of new technologies and the challenges they pose to EU safety legislation - it identified a number of gaps that required addressing, in particular in the Machine Directive.

The proposed Regulation is aimed at addressing those gaps and replacing Directive (EU) 2006/42/EC. It was tabled by the European Commission on 21 April 2021, as part of a legislative package on Artificial Intelligence (AI) overviewed by the Communication on Fostering a European approach to Artificial Intelligence. The proposed Machinery Regulation is to ensure the safe integration of the AI system into the overall machinery.

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)82 - Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Impact Assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:82:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)83- Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:83:FIN

European Commission: DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs: Machinery https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/mechanical-engineering/machinery_en

European Commission: Press Release, 21/04/2021: Europe fit for the Digital Age: Commission proposes new rules and actions for excellence and trust in Artificial Intelligence https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1682

European Commission: New rules for Artificial Intelligence – Questions and Answers (21 April 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_21_1683

European Commission: Speech by Executive Vice-President Vestager at the press conference on fostering a European approach to Artificial Intelligence (21 April 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_1866

---