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According to the impact study of the revision of the Machinery Directive published by the European Commission, around one in two people consider that the conformity evaluation procedures are very efficient when they are carried out by a notified body for the machinery in Annex IV of the directive.
This rate falls to 40% when the evaluation is performed by the manufacturers for the machinery in Annex IV having a harmonized standard covering the essential health and safety requirements of the Machinery Directive and to 30% in the case of machinery not included in Annex IV.
As regards the evaluation procedures:
- 80% consist of self-certification by the manufacturers of products not included in Annex IV;
- 8% consist of self-certification by the manufacturers of products in Annex IV;
- 12% consist of evaluation by a third party (notified body) of products in Annex IV.
Generally, manufacturers say they consider that the cost of the conformity evaluation by a notified body has a dissuasive impact on the adoption of this procedure. It is also specified that the evaluation of the quality system is too complex and constraining to be applied. Moreover, even though the study is not able to reach a conclusion regarding the efficiency of conformity evaluation by a notified body, the users have a better perception of it than of machinery self-evaluated by the manufacturer.
Finally, the study highlights the fact that the implementation of the Machinery Directive has made it possible to save more than €2 billion thanks to injuries prevented between 2008 and 2013.
