PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE AMENDING DIRECTIVE 84/529/EEC ON THE APPROXIMATION OF THE LAWS OF THE MEMBER STATES RELATING TO ELECTRICALLY OPERATED LIFTS
Date: 1989-12-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: electrical industry, harmonisation of standards, hydraulic energy, lift

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0MC89) 638 final-SYN 234 

Brussels, 20 December  1989 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE 

amending  Directive 84/529/EEC on the 
approximation of the  Laws of the Member  States 
relating  to electrically  operated  lifts 

(presented by the  Commission) 

tu 

"~*-%ç4. 

-  2  -

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

GENERAL 

1 .  Subject 

This  proposal  for  a  Directive  Is  to  modify  Council 

Directive  84/529/EEC 

1)  on  the  approximation  of  the 

laws  of  the  Member  States  relating  to  electrically 

operated  lifts,  last  amended  by  Commission  Directive 

86/312/EEC  2)  of  18  June  1986,  with  a  view  to 

including 

in  the  scope 

lifts  which  are  operated 

hydrauI IcaI I y  or  e I ectro-hydrau I IcaI ly. 

In  effect,  Directives  84/529/EEC  and  86/312/EEC  rely 

completely  on  European  Standard  EN  81  part  1  relating 

exclusively  to  electrically  operated  lifts,  which  was 

the  only  one  existing  at  that  time.  In  1987  the 

European  Committee  for  Standardization  (CEN)  published 

the  second 

part 

of  standard 

EN  81 

relating 

to 

hydraulic  and  electro-hydraulic  lifts.  Logically  this 

should  be  taken  into  account  In  the  same  manner  as  was 

standard  EN  81  part  1 . 

2.  Economic  and  social  Impact 

In  the  market  for  lifts  the  economic  impact  of  this 

proposal 

for 

a 

Directive 

Is 

very 

significant. 

Currently  hydraulic  lifts  account  for  about  40  %  of 

the  total  market  for  lifts. 

1) 

OJ  No  L  300  Of  19.11.1984  p.  86. 

;) 

J  No  L  196  of  1P.07.19S4 

-  3  -

Before  beginning  the  procedure  for  the  proposal  for 

a m e n d m e n t,  the  Commission  carried  out  an  inquiry  which 

confirmed  the  existence  of  significant 

differences 

among 

Member 

S t a t e s, 

particularly 

as 

regards 

administrative 

procedures 

on 

inspections 

and 

a u t h o r i s a t i o ns  for  placing  on  the  market. 

The  effect  of  this  situation  Is  to  reduce  the  market 

share  of  hydraulic  lifts  In  the  total  lift  market.  In 

fact, 

In 

the 

absence 

of 

technical 

c o n s t r a i n t s, 

m a n u f a c t u r e rs  and  customers  tend  to  choose  electric 

lifts  to  avoid  diversifying  their  productions  and 

administrative  harassment. 

O b v i o u s l y, 

it 

is 

complicated 

to 

assess 

the 

significance  of  these  transfers  from  one  technology  to 

the  o t h e r.  It'  certainly  succeeded  In  weakening  the 

position 

of 

Community 

based 

hydraulic 

lifts 

m a n u f a c t u r e rs  with  respect  to  their  competitors  based 

outside  the  European  Community. 

If  the  European  institutions  were  to  await  the  coming 

Into 

force 

of 

the 

new 

approach 

d i r e c t i v e s, 

particularly 

the 

directive 

concerning 

the 

approximation  of 

the 

laws  of 

the  Member 

States 

relating  to  lifting  appliances  for  p e r s o n s,  currently 

in  p r e p a r a t i o n, 

they  would  maintain 

the 

present 

discrimination  for  several  y e a r s,  which  could  have 

catastrophic  consequences  on  this  technology,  without 

good  reason. 

Allowing  this  technology  to  remain  and  develop  will 

result  In  maintaining  employment. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  safety  level  obtained  by 

the  proposal  to  amend  directive  84/529/EEC  is  the  same 

for  hydraulic  lifts  as  the  existing  level  for  electric 

lifts  currently  allowed  in  all  the  Member  S t a t e s. 

-  4  -

3.  Consultation  with  the  parties  concerned 

The  proposal  to  amend  Directive  8 4 / 5 2 9 / E EC  has  been 

brought  forward  at  the  request  of  technical  committee 

TC  10  of  the  European  Committee  for  S t a n d a r d i z a t i o n, 

in 

which 

the 

m a n u f a c t u r e rs 

from 

the 

European 

Federation 

of 

Handling 

Industries 

( F E M ), 

the 

Inspection  bodies  of  the  European  Confederation  of 

Inspection 

O r g a n i s a t i o ns 

(CEOC) 

and 

the 

representatives 

of 

professional 

o r g a n i s a t i o ns 

concerned  with  construction  of  buildings  are  all 

par t I c i p a n t s. 

I  I 

THE  PROPOSAL  FOR  A  DIRECTIVE 

1 • Field  of  app I i cat Ion 

The  content  of  the  directive  essentially  concerns  the 

extension  of  the  field  of  application  by  amendment  of 

the  first  Article  of  Directive  84/529/EEC  and  addition 

to  the  annex  of  a  reference  to  part  2  of  the  standard 

EN  81 . 

2.  Schedule  for  Implementation 

Given  the  urgency  of  the  industry's  problem,  and  the 

simplicity  of  the  text,  the  schedule  given  to  Member 

States  for  the  transposition  into  national  law  has 

been  reduced  to  three  m o n t h s.  The  coming  Into  force 

shall  be  at  the  latest  at  the  expiry  of  these  three 

m o n t h s. 

It 

is  recalled 

that 

Directive 

84/529/EEC 

is  of 

optional 

application 

and 

that 

transposition 

in 

national  legislation  does  not  require  the  amendment  of 

existing  national  texts. 

-  5 -

PROPOSAL  FOR A 

COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE 

AMENDING  DIRECTIVE  84/529/EEC 

ON  THE  APPROXIMATION  OF  THE  LAWS  OF  THE 

MEMBER  STATES  RELATING  TO 

ELECTRICALLY  OPERATED  LIFTS 

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic 

Community,  and  in particular  Article  100a  thereof, 

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission  (1), 

In  cooperation  with  the  European  Parliament  (2), 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Economic  and  Social 

Comm11tee  (3) , 

Whereas, 

in 

the 

Member 

States, 

the 

construction 

of 

hydrauI IcaI I y  and  eIectrohydrau I IcaI I y  driven  lifts  and  their 

inspection  are  the  subject  mandatory  provisions  which  differ 

from  one  Member  State  to  another  and  consequently  impede 

trade,  and  whereas  i.t  is  therefore  necessary  to  approximate 

these  provisions,; 

Whereas  the  regulations  concerning  installation,  the  tests 

carried  out  during  inspections  before  putting  Into  service, 

and  the checks  on the  functioning  of  such  equipment  have  an 

influence  on  their  construction,  and  whereas  these  differ  from 

one  Member  State  to  another  and  that  consequently  they  should 

also  be  harmonized, 

(1) OJ  No 

(2) OJ  No 

(3) OJ  No 

- 6 -

Whereas  Council  Directive  84/529/EEC  (4); as amended  by  Commission 

Directive  86/312/EEC  (5), is capable of  applying, mutatis mutandis, 

to hydrauLica I Ly.or eLeetrohydrau I ica I ly operated  lifts; 

Whereas  the  standard  EN  81-1  on  which  Directive  84/529/EEC 
is based, has been  extended  since  the publication  of  the  Directive 
by a second  part, EN 81-2, which  relates  to hydraulic  and oil/ 
electric  lifts; 

Whereas  the  extension  of  Directive  84/529/EEC  Is  urgent 
because  the manufacturers are subject  to significant  technical 
barriers  to  Intra-CommunIty  trade which  threaten  to  compromise 
the market ; 

Whereas  the measures  aimed  at  the gradual  establishment  of  the 
Internal  market  must  be  adopted  by  31  December  1992;  whereas 
the  internal  market  consists  of  an  area  without  Internal 
frontiers  within  which  the  free  movement  of  goods,  persons, 
services  and  capital  Is guaranteed, 

HAS ADOPTED  THIS  DIRECTIVE: 

Article 1 

Directive  84/529/EEC  is amended  as follows: 

(4) OJ  No L 300/ 19.11.1984, p. 86. 
(5) OJ  No L 196/ 18.07.1986, p. 56. 

- 7 -

1. 

In  Article  1  (2)  third  Indent  the  words  "appliances 

actuated  by  fluids  (such  as  oil  or  hydraulic  l i f t s )"  are 

de I eted, 

2. 

Annex  1,  point  1  is  replaced  by  the  following : 

" 1.  The  appliances  referred  to  in  Article  1  (1)  m u s t,  with 

the  exception  of  the  sections  referred  to  in  point  2, 

comply  with  the  following  standards  adopted  by  the 

European  Committee  for  Standardization  ( C E N ): 

EN  81-1  (edition:  December  1 9 8 5 ).  Safety  rules  for  the 

construction  and  installation  of  lifts  and  service 

l Ifts. 

Part  1:  Electric  lifts. 

EN  81-2  (edition:  November  1 9 8 7 ).  Safety  rules  for  the 

construction  and  Installation  of  lifts  and  service 

lifts. 

Part  2:  HydraulIc  I ifts." 

3. 

In  Annex  1,  point  2, the  introductory  words  and  the  heading 

of  point  2.1  are  replaced  by  the  following: 

" 2.  These  standards  shall  apply  subject  to  the  following 

modi f i cat i o n s: 

2.1.  Section  12.4.2.1  (applies  only  for  standard  EN  81.1 

-  edition:  December  1 9 8 5 )" 

The  remainder  of  the  text  of  Annex  I,  point  2  is 

u n c h a n g e d. 

A r t i c le  2 

1. 

Member 

States 

shall 

adopt 

and 

publish 

the 

laws, 

regulations  and  administrative  p r o v i s i o ns  necessary  In 

order  to  comply  with  this  Directive  within  three  months 

of  the  date  of  its  n o t i f i c a t i o n.  They  shall  forthwith 

Inform  the  Commission  thereof. 

T he  p r o v i s i o ns  a d o p t ed  pursuant  to  t he  f i r st  s u b p a r a g r a ph  s h a ll 

m a ke  e x p r e ss 

r e f e r e n ce  to  t h is  D i r e c t i v e. 

2. 

M e m b er  S t a t es  s h a ll  e n s u re  t h at  t he  t e x ts  of  t he  p r o v i s i o ns 

of  n a t i o n al  law  w h i ch  t h ey  a d o pt  in  t he  f i e ld  c o v e r ed  by  t h is 

D i r e c t i ve  a re  c o m m u n i c a t ed  to  t he  C o m m i s s i o n. 

A r t i c le  3 

T h is  D i r e c t i ve  is  a d d r e s s ed  to  t he  M e m b er  S t a t e s. 

D o ne  at  Brussels 

For  t he  C o u nc i I 

T he  P r ès i d e nt 

F I C HE  F I N A N C I E RE 

r e l a t i ve  à  la  p r o p o s i t i on  de  m o d i f i c a t i on  de  la  d i r e c t i ve  du 

C o n s e il 

3 * / 5 2 C / C EE 

c o n c s r n a n *- 

la 

r a p p r o c h e m e nt 

*.'es 

l é g i s l a t i o ns  d es  E t r ts  m e m b r es  r e l a t i v e:  ai'x  a s c e n s e u ro  mv.s 

é I e c t r ! ç u e m e n t. 

La  p r o p o s i t i on 

de  m o d i f i c a t i on 

de 

la  d i r e c t i ve 

8 4 / 5 2 9 / C EE 

s ' a p p u y a nt 

sur  u ne  n o r me  e x i s t a n t s, 

Il  n'y  a  p as 

lieu  de 

p r é v o ir  un  m a n d at  au  C E N / C E N E L E C. 

La  g e s t i on  de  la  m o d i f i c a t i on  c*3  la  d i r e c t i ve 

n ' I n t r o d u i ra 

a u c u ne 

c h a r ge 

s u p p l é m e n t a i re 

p o ur 

les 

s e r v i c es 

de 

la 

C o m m l e s i o n. 

L ' I n c i d e n ce 

f i n a n c i è re 

d-3 

I'?.et ion 

rrur 

les 

c r é d i ts 

d' I n t e r v e n t i o n,  sur  les  c r é d i ts  do  p e r s o n n el  et  les  c r é d i ts  d3 

f o n c t i o n n e m e nt  est  d o nc  n u l l e. 

- 1 0-

F ICHE  H' IMPACT  SUP. LA  COMPFTiT P' >TH  TT  L'E\"PLO 

Quelle  ost  la  Justification  pr In Mjia  I *» de  | a  nosur e  ? 

La 

fabrication 

des 

ascenseurs 

représente 

une 

part 

importante  du  marché  d ' t  bâtiment.  La  fabrication  des 

ascenseurs  hydrauliques  reprisante  à  e ! i  Q  soûle  40  %  du 

marché  totai  d 3 s  ascenseur s. 

Or,  dans 

! ?s  divers  Et its  m e m b r e ?, 

ios  législation -

nationales  dans  ce  domaine  divergent 

en  .m&tlèrs  de 

c e r t i f i c a t i o n. 

S I, 

dans 

!e 

sec;:.:r 

des 

ascenseurs 

é l e c t r i q u e s,  la  directive  o p t i o n n e l le  84/529/CEE  a  permis 

aux 

fabricants 

de 

standardirer 

leurs 

f a b r i c a t i o n s, 

notamment  pour  les  ^ o m p e ^ n ts  ~->umls  à  examen  de  type, 

rien  n'a  été  fait  pour  les  ascenseurs  h y d r a u l i q u e s. 

La  présont-3  proposition  d<>  m o d i f i c a t i on  de  la  directive 

84/529/Cî-s  vise  à  assurer  I?.  libre  mise  sur  le  marché 

ainsi  que  la  mise  en  service  dec  a:csnsp/!rs  h y d r a u l i q u es 

dans 

les  mêmes 

conditions 

eue  pour 

les 

ascenseurs 

61ectrlques . 

I 1  C a r a c t é r i s t i q u es  des  ent repr I se**  " ^ n o r n ét •:«?. 

Dans  les  vingt  dernières  années,  lss  regroupements  d; 

sociétés  ont  entraîné  la  disparition  presque  totale  des 

petites  e n t r e p r i s e s.  Aussi  bien  pour  la  fabrication  tas 

composants  Q\.ie  pour  I ' I nnôn I èr : o  et  l'Installation,  Us 

sociétés  concernées  sont  d ' Import  tr\c. •:• m o y e n ne  ou  grands 

et  travaillent 

sur  des  m a r c h és  élargis  au  moins  à 

l'échelle  e u r o p ^ ^ n n a, 

N o t e - t - on  de*?  c o n c e n t r a t i o n*  dans  f?  réglons 

éll gib les  aux  ?ldes  r •*<? lor. - ! e?  tfe^ E.M.  ?  NON 

-  e l i g i b le  au  FEDÎR  ? 

NON 

Ou e 1 ! ^s  5? ont  le s_ ob I  \_n at Ions  I mpos^e?  a_u_x  e n t r e p r i s es  ? 

-a  directive  84/529/CEE  est  d'asplication  optionnel i3. 

Elle  n'impose  p a s,  à  strictement  p a r l e r,  d'obligation s 

nouvelles  aMx  e n t r e p r i s e s.  Celles-ci  peuvent  continuer  i 

fabriquer  les  ascenseurs  hydraullcues  comme  par  le  pass 6. 

T o u t e f o i s,  les  entreprises  qu!  choisiraient  de  fabriquer 

conformément 

à 

la 

directive 

8-/529/CEE 

devraient 

appliquer  les  prescriptions  de  la  norme  EN  8 1 - 2. 

IV  Y-a-t-II  des  mesures  spéciales  pour  les  PME  ? 

NON 

Que 1 e?t  I ' e f fet  prévisible  ? 

Sur  la  compétitivité  d t*. s  e r. ,* .y p r I ? e s  ? 

Dans  la  plupart  des  Etats  m e m b r e s,  ies  composants  c ? 

sécurité  utilisés  dans  un  as^ers^ur  doivent  avoir  subi 

un  examen  de  type  dans  l'Etat  m e m b r a.  L'application  de 

la  directive  84/529/CEE  modifiée  permettra  d'effectuer 

pour  ces  composants  un  seul  examen  CE  de  type  valable 

dans  tous  les  Etats  m e m b r e s. 

Par  a i l l e u r s,  ies  formalités  de  r e c e p t i o n,  et  les 

dossiers  nécessaires  à  ce*  r é c e p t i o n s,  seront 

les 

mômes  dans  tous  les  E . _ „ s  m e m b r e s. 

C a c 1 devrait  entraîner  une  réduction  du  coût  à  la  mise 

en 

s e r v i e: 

des 

ascenseurs 

hydrauliques 

et 

iaur 

restituer 

leur 

compétitivité 

avec 

les 

ascenseurs 

é I ect r I ques . 

-  12  -

Sur  I'empIol  ? 

Le  retour  à  la  c o m p é t i t i v i té  du  secteur  permettra  dans 

un 

premier 

temps 

le 

m a i n t i en 

de 

l'emploi. 

développement 

de 

nouveaux 

emplois 

est 

lié 

Le 

c" 

développement  g l o bM  de  la  c o n s t r u c t i on  d ' i m m e u b l e s. 

VI 

Le?*  p a r t e na i ras  sociaux  p n t - Ms  6té  c o n s u l *^  ? 

La  p r o p o s i t i on  ^ m o d i f i c a t i on  de  la  d i r e c t i ve  84/529/CEr. 

est  faite  a  la  demande  du  comité  technique  TC  10  du 

C o m i té  e u r o p é en  de  Norma M-.at Ion  dans  lequel  on  trouve 

les  f a b r i c a n ts  de  la  Fédération  e u r o p é e n ne  de  M a n u t e n t i on 

( F E M ),  les  o r g a n i s m es  de  contrôle  de  la  C o n f é d é r a t i on 

E u r o p é e n ne  des  O r g a n i s m es  de.  C o n t r ô le 

(CEOC)  et  des 

r e p r é s e n t a n ts  des  o r g a n i s a t i o ns  prof t. ?<: ! onne l l es  de  la 

c o n s t r u c t i on  d ' I m m e u b l e s. 

Toutes 

ces 

parties 

attendent 

avec 

Impatience 

la 

m o d i f i c a t i on  de  la  directive  C 4 / 5 C 3 / C S E. 

ISSN 0254-1475 

GOM(89) 638 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

13 06 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-89-613-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-56254-4 

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