NoC52/10 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.2.94
oftheProtocolvaluesforseveralofthemoreimportant
commercialHCFCsisanoversightindrafting.
2.10.1.UseofadifferentsetofvaluesintheCom­
munitytothoseagreedinternationally wouldcause
greatconfusion,andmakeitdifficultifnotimpossible
fortheCommunitytodemonstratecompliancewith
theProtocol.2.9.1.InArticle18(5),thecompetentauthorities
shouldalsobeobligedtoprotectconfidentiality .
2.10.InAnnexItheODPs(OzoneDepletionPoten­
tials)forGroupVIIIsubstancesshouldbecorrectedand
broughtinlinewiththevaluesintheMontrealProtocol
asamendedinCopenhagenandasagreedtobytheCom­
missioninCopenhagen .Itisassumedthattheomission
DoneatBrussels,21December1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN
OpinionontheCommissionproposalforaCouncilDirectiveontheapproximation ofthe
lawsoftheMemberStatesconcerningpressureequipment (!)
(94/C52/04)
On12August1993theCounciloftheEuropeanCommunities decidedtoconsultthe
EconomicandSocialCommittee,underArticle100aoftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity ,ontheabovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforIndustry,Commerce,CraftsandServices,whichwasresponsibleforpreparing
theCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon3December1993.The
RapporteurwasMrBoGreen.
Atits311thPlenarySession(meetingof21December1993),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeunanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
1.Background
1.1.InthelightofexistinglegislationintheEC,the
Commissionobservesthatnationaltechnicalspecifi­
cationsarestillnotharmonizedandthereby,inthevast
majorityofcases,impedefreemovementofpressure
equipment .
TheexistingDirectives(2)donotencompasstheentire
sector,andinsomecasesneedtobeupdated.
TheCommissionproposalcoverspressureequipment
whichissubjecttoapressuregreaterthan0.5bar
orlessthan—0.5bar.Forthetimebeing,pressure
equipmentforthetransportofdangerousgoodsfallsoutsideitsscope.ForthatequipmenttheCommission
intendstoproposethattheexistinginternationalagree­
mentsonthetransportofdangerousgoodsbeincorpor­
atedintoCommunitylaw.
TheproposedDirectiveisbasedontheCouncilResol­
utionof7May1985(3)on'anewapproachtotechnical
harmonization andstandards'.Thenewapproach
limitstheinterventionoftheCommunitylegislatorto
whatisabsolutelyessentialfortheachievementof
harmonization ,leavingthedevelopmentoftechnical
specificationstoEuropeanstandardization organiza­
tions.
Theproposedprovisionsrelatingtoproceduresforthe
assessmentofconformityarebasedonthemodular
approachsetoutintheCouncilDecisionof13Decem­
ber1990(4).
(i)OJNoC246,9.9.1993,p.1.
(3)OJNoC136,4.6.1985,p.1.(2)87/404/EEC,OJNoL220,8.8.1987,p.48;76/767/EEC,OJ
NoL262,27.9.1976,p.15;84/525/EEC,OJNoL300,
19.11.1984,p.1;84/526/EEC,OJNoL300,19.11.1984,
p.20;84/527/EEC,OJNoL300,19.11.1984,p.48.(4)OJNoL380,31.12.1990,p.13;cf.ESCOpinion,OJ
NoC112,7.5.1990,p.4.

19.2.94 NoC52/11 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities
forebegiventodeletingthewords'orlessthan—0.5
bar'inpoint1.WiththeexceptionofequipmentwhichtheDirective
regardsaspresentingonlyminorrisks,pressureequip­
mentmustasageneralrulebeCE-marked .
3.2.Tofacilitateunderstanding ,itwouldbehelpful
forArticle1(3)toindicateotherDirectivesnotmerely
bynumber(e.g.87/404/EEC)butalsobyname(e.g.
87/404/EECSimplePressureVessels).2.Generalcomments
2.1.InprincipletheESCwelcomestheproposed
Directive,whosemainaimistoremovetechnicalbar­
rierstotradeinthissector.3.3.Asregardspoint3.6,theESCfindsnojustifi­
cationforexempting,forinstance,militaryequipment
coveredbyArticle223(1)(b)oftheTreaty.
3.4.Article2—Marketsurveillance 2.2.IntheESC'sview,theadvisabilityofultimately
incorporatingDirective87/404/EEConsimplepressure
vesselsintotheDirectiveonpressureequipmentshould
beconsidered.TheESCsupportssuchconsolidation .
2.3.TheESCwouldpointoutthatthepresentstruc­
tureoftheproposedDirectivecanmakeitdifficultfor
theindividualproducertograspwhichmodulesshould
beusedinconnectionwiththeapprovalprocedurefor
pressureequipment .AsindicatedinArticle2(2),theDirectivedoesnotaffect
theauthorityoftheMemberStatestolaydown,with
dueregardtotheprovisionsoftheTreaty,requirements
whichtheyconsidernecessaryfortheprotectionof
persons,andinparticularofworkersusingtherelevant
pressureequipment,providedthisdoesnotresultin
changestopressureequipmentinrelationtothepro­
visionsofthedraftDirective.
ItshouldbespecifiedthatArticle2(2)precludes
measureswhichcouldimpedetrade.
3.5.Article2(3)
Thisprovisionshouldbeamplifiedbythefollowing
sentence:'Inthecaseofdemonstrations ,suitablesafety
arrangements mustbemadetoprotectthepersons
involved.'2.4.TheESCfindsitunfortunatethattheCom­
missionhasexemptedequipmentforthetransportof
dangerousgoodsfromthedraftDirective.Inits
explanatorymemorandum theCommissionsuggests
thatexistinginternationalagreementsontransportof
dangerousgoodsbeimplementedinCommunitylaw.
TheESCurgesthatthisbedoneassoonaspossible
and,attheverylatest,concurrentlywiththedraft
Directive'sentryintoforce.ThisEClegislationshould
requirethesamesafety,designandconstructionstan­
dardsasthedraftDirective.Transportofdangerous
goodsiscoveredbymultilateralconventionsinthe
respectiveareas:roadtransport(ADR),railtransport
(RID),seatransport(IMO/IMDG)andairtransport
(ICAO).Inthisconnection,theESCwouldpointout
thattheseconventionsconcernonlythetransport
aspects,i.e.fromthetimewhenthegoodsareready
fortransporttothetimeofdeliverytotherecipient.In
theESC'sview,theexemptionofpressureequipment
forthetransportofdangerousgoodsfromthescopeof
thedraftDirectiveshouldbereconsidered .3.6.Article3—Essentialrequirements ,point1.3
Allpipingforliquefiedgases,regardlessofdiameter,
shouldmeetthesafetyrequirements inAnnex1.In
addition,forsafetyreasons,thespecificationsshould
beamendedtocoverpipingoncetheDNexceeds25
(asopposedto32asindicatedatpresent).
3.Specificcomments3.7.Article5—Presumptionofconformity
3.1.Article1—ScopeanddefinitionsTheESCfindsthatitisessentialthatmanufacturers
areencouragedtouseharmonizedstandardscurrently
beingdevelopedandwouldsuggestthefollowing
amendments tothiseffect.
Point2(b)shouldbedeleted.InArticle9thefollowingIntheESC'sview,therisksconnectedwithvacuum
containersaresosmallthattheymightbeexempted
fromthedraftDirective.Consideration shouldthere­

NoC52/12 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.2.94
3.9.Article8—Classification
AsindicatedinArticle8(Classification )fluidsare
classifiedinthreegroups.
Hydraulicfluidscanbeclassifiedinseveralclasses
dependingontheadditivestheycontain.Consequently
approvalmaybeobtainedforequipmentusingonetype
ofhydraulicfluid,butsubsequentlyrefusedbecausethe
fluidconcernedhasbeenreplacedbyanotherinamore
dangerouscategory.Itthereforeseemsnecessaryto
clarifyhowpressureequipmentusinghydraulicfluids
istobeincorporatedintotheapprovalprocess.
3.10.TheESCwouldpointoutthat,inmixingtwo
typesoflessdangerousfluids,itispossiblethatthe
resultingfluidshouldbeclassifiedasverydangerous.
TheDirectiveshouldmakeitclearhowthissituation
istobedealtwith.newpoint4shouldbeinsertedandtheexistingpoints4
to5renumbered :
'4.Ifthepressureequipmentisnotmanufactured
inaccordancewiththestandardsreferredtoin
Article5(2),theconformityassessmentprocedure
usedshallprovideinallcasesfortheintervention
ofabodywhichhastocertifythattheequipment
meetstheessentialsafetyrequirementsofthisDirec­
tive.
Aspecialreportshallthenbepreparedbythenoti­
fiedbodystatingthedeviationsfromtheharmoni­
zedstandard.Thisreportshallbepartoftheequip­
mentdocumentation andshallbemadeavailableto
thenationalauthoritiesresponsibleforinspection
oftheequipmentinservice.'
Thereasonforthisisthattheharmonizedstandards
areconsideredtobeadetailedinterpretation ofthe
mandatoryDirective.Incasesofdeviation,itisessential
todemonstrate thatanalternativesolutionisofthe
samesafetylevel.
Thenationalauthoritiesmustbeawareofsuchdevi­
ationsasmayaffecttherequirementforin-service
inspectionduringthelifeofaplantorchangeinequip­
ment.3.11.IntheESC'sviewconsiderationshouldbegiven
totheadvisabilityofclassifyingpressureequipmenton
thebasisoftherisksinherentindifferentmethodssince
manufacturers havenoinfluenceoverthemethodsof
useoftheequipmentconcernedduringitslifespan.It
wouldseemmoreconstructivetobaseclassification on
themaximumpermissiblepressure,volumeandtypeof
pressurecontainer.
3.8.Article6—Committeeontechnicalstandards
andregulations
Article6oftheproposedDirectivereferstotheStanding
CommitteesetupunderDirective83/189/EEC.Ifa
MemberStateortheCommission considersthatthe
standardsreferredtoinArticle5(2)ofthedraftDirec­
tivedonotmeettheessentialrequirementsreferredto
inArticle3thereof,theMemberStateconcernedorthe
CommissionshallbringthematterbeforetheStanding
Committee .3.12.Article9—Conformityassessment
ThedraftDirectiveprovidesthatallpartsofpressure
equipmentshallbeCE-marked .Assembliestested
accordingtomodulesDAandF.shallcarryan
additionalCEmarking.Consequently anassemblyof
pressureequipmentinatechnicalinstallationwillbe
coveredwithCEmarks,therebymakingitvirtually
impossibleforthecompetentauthoritytodetermine
whichECDirectivetheCEmarkingisbasedon.Press­
ureequipmentshouldthereforeonlybeCE-marked
whenitisreadytobetakenintouse,asisthecasefor
machineryunderDirective89/392/EEContheapproxi­
mationofthelawsoftheMemberStatesconcerning
machinery (MachineryDirective).
3.13.Article11—Userinspectorates
Therequirementsmadeinrespectofstaffofuserinspec­
toratesshouldpreferablybealignedonthoseapplicable
tostaffofnotifiedbodies(seeAnnexIVpoint4).Asindicatedinpoint2oftheAnnexcontainingthe
ImpactAssessmentSheet,theundertakingsconcerned
bytheDirectivehaveaturnoverofECU38,000million
andthenumberofjobsinvolvedhasbeengivenas
346,000.(Bothestimatesarebasedohfiguresfor1988.)
IntheESC'sview,theDirectiveaffectssomanyworkers
andemployersandthepotentialconsequences ofa
MemberStatefailingtocomplywiththeessential
requirementsspecifiedinArticle3aresofar-reaching
andsignificantthataspecialcommitteeshouldbeset
uptodealexclusivelywithmattersrelatingtopressure
equipment .
IncontrasttotheStandingCommittee,setupunder
Directive83/189/EEC,thisspecialcommitteeshould
consistoftechnicalexperts(e.g.engineers).3.14.Article13—UndulyaffixedCEmarking
ShoulditbenecessarytowithdrawaCEmarkitis
importantfortheCommissiontopublishthisdecision

19.2.94 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC52/13
intheOfficialJournaloftheEC.Similarly,theMember
Statesshouldbeinformeddirectly.3.18.Annex1point3.2.4—Traceability
3.15.Article16—Comingintoforce,transitional
provisionsThescopeoftraceabilityshouldbeclarified.Ifthe
currenttextisinterpretedintermsoftraditionalquality
control,therequirementswouldplaceanunreasonable
burdenonmanufacturers ,sincefulltraceabilityisspeci­
fied.Itshouldbemadeclearthatapprovalrelatingto
abasicmaterialistransferredtocomponentmaterials
sothatthereisneveranydoubtaboutthecomponent
material'sconformitystatus.
Thetextshouldbeamendedtoread:Asmentionedinthis^Article,thedraftDirectiveis
expectedtobeincorporatedintonationallegislationby
1July1996.Athree-yeartransitionalarrangementwill
operateuntil1July1999.
TheESChasitsdoubtsastothefeasibilityofthe
deadlineforimplementation .Inthisconnection,a
three-yeartransitionalarrangementseemstoolongand
shouldbereducedto18months.Atthesametimethe
periodpriortothistransitionalarrangementshouldbe
setat18monthsfromtheCouncil'sadoptionofthe
Directive.'Traceabilityofmaterialsofthemainpressureparts
shallbeensuredatleastuptothefinalacceptance
ofmanufacturedpressureequipment.'
Preferablytherequirementsfortraceabilityshouldbe
definedbytheexpertsontheappropriateTechnical
Committeesandspecifiedintheharmonizedstandards.
3.16.Annex1point2.2.3
3.19.Annex1point3.2.6,sub-paragraph b)
TheESCsuggeststhatthephrase'—avoidingaccess
whilstpressureorvacuumexists'beamendedto
'—physicalavoidanceofaccesswhilstpressureorvac­
uumexists'.Thephrase'Dependingonthetypeofpressureequip­
ment....'seemstoovague.Theparticulartypeofpress­
ureequipmentconcernedshouldthereforebespecified.
3.17.Annex1point3.1—Qualificationofmanufac­
turer3.20.AnnexIpoint4—Materials
Therequirementformaterialcertificationneedstobe
defined.
Specificrequirementsaregivenfortheinvolvementof
notifiedbodiesinthemanufacture ofvariousclassesof
pressureequipmentasdefinedinAnnexesIIandIII
yetsuchinvolvementhasnotbeenspecifiedforthe
inspectionandtestingofmaterials.
Certificationrequirementsshouldbesimilarintypeto
thosesetoutinDIN50049,whichspecifiestheamount
oftestingandwhohastowitnessthetesting.Levels
rangefromasimpledeclarationofconformitytothe
materialspecificationtoadetailedcertificateonthe
resultsofthetestingcarriedouttobesignedbyan
independentbody.
Similarrequirementscouldbereadilyincorporatedinto
AnnexIIIdescribingtheprocedurestobecarriedout
foreachModule.Thistitleshouldbechangedto'Assessmentofthe
Manufacturer'sCapability'andthefollowingnewsen­
tenceaddedattheendoftheparagraph :
'Assessmentofthemanufacturer'scapabilityshall
alwaysbecarriedoutbyanotifiedbodyandtake
intoconsideration theparticularcertificationpro­
ceduresthatthemanufacturer willuse.'
Thereasonforthisisthattherealmeaningofthe
existingparagraphisnotcompletelyclear,whichcould
leadtounnecessaryduplicationofcertificationand
approvalrequirements .
Theresponsibilityforassessingamanufacturer'stech­
nicalcapabilityneedstobedefinedtogetherwiththe
levelofassessmentinrespectofthevariousmodules.
Formodulesinvolvingaqualityassurancesystem(HI)
oraqualitysysteminproductionortesting(D,E)the
certificationrequirementsofEN29000shouldclearly
beadequate.
Assessmentofamanufacturer'stechnicalcapabilityby
anotifiedbodyshouldbeapreliminaryconditionfor
allmanufacturers ,providedthisassessmenttakes
accountofthecertificationprocedurestobeusedby
themanufacturer .3.21.Annex1point5
TheESCproposesthatthesentence'Thispressure
equipmentshallbecalculated,designedandconstructed

NoC52/14 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.2.94
3.25.AnnexIIIModuleH soastominimizerisksfromthetransferofheat.'be
rewordedasfollows:
'....soastoavoidorminimizerisksfromthetransfer
ofheat.'
3.22.Annex11Table1ThedraftDirectivehasoptedtousemoduleH
accompaniedbytherequirementofdesignexamination
byanotifiedbody.
TherequirementsspecifiedinmoduleHcouldperhaps
beconsideredtosuffice,withouttheadditionalrequire­
ments,forcertaincategoriesofpressureequipment.
QualitysystemscertificatedunderEN29001stipulate
anassessmentofdesignaspects.Theresultingneedto
secureauthorization fromanoutsidebody,inthese
circumstances ,placesanextrastrainonthemanufac­
turer.Conformityassessmenttables.Table1—Vesselsfor
gases,liquefiedgasesandliquidsatatemperatureabove
theiratmospheric-pressure boilingpointaccordingto
Article3.1.1.a)andc)andtoArticle3.1.2.b)
AsregardsfluidsinGroupIII(IIIb)),theuseofmodules
DorFmightbeconsideredforthisgroup.Thesame
appliestoGroupIc).
4.Additionalcomments3.23.Annex11Table2
4.1.Wholeassemblies Table2—Vesselscontainingliquidsbelowtheiratmos­
pheric-pressure boilingpointaccordingtoArticle
3.1.1-b)andc)
ForfluidsinGroupIwherePS>0.5bar,V>11,
partlb).The'module'headingonlyindicatesanH.
ThisshouldbealteredtoHI,forconsistencywiththe
restofthetext.Alternatively ,moduleHshouldbe
detailedinAnnexIII.TheproposedDirectivecontainsrequirements for
assembliesorpartsofwholeassemblies.Requirements
shouldperhapsbeintroducedfortrainingofpersons
installingassemblies,similartothosegoverningnatural
gas,water/heating/sanitationandelectricity.
4.2.Annex111
3.24.Annex11Table6
Conformityassessmenttable6—accessoriesaccording
toArticle3.1.4.
SincemoduleHIisthemoststringent,itshouldalso
beapplicableforallapprovals.Thatdoesnotseemto
bethecaseinthistable.Table6shouldbeamplified
toallowmoduleHIalsotobeusedincaseswhere
moduleGismentioned .Inconnectionwithsomemodulesitisrequiredthat
eachnotifiedbodyshallcommunicate totheother
notifiedbodiestherelevantinformationconcerning (a)
EC-typeexaminationcertificatesissuedorwithdrawn
and(b)qualitysystemsapprovalissuedorwithdrawn .
TheESChasitsdoubtsastothepracticabilityofthis
procedure.ItthereforerecommendsthateachMember
Statenominateacompetentbodytoberesponsiblefor
suchregistration .
DoneatBrussels,21December1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN