New Low Voltage Directive 2006/86/EG (codified edition) comes into force on the 16th of January, 2007

The commission of the European Union has initiated the codification of the Low Voltage Directive within the frame of the program for legal consolidation/simplification.

This project has been finalized with the issuing of the directive 2006/95/EG of December 12, 2006. The directive was published on the 27th of December 2006 in the Official Journal of the European Communities (L 375; page 10). It comes into force on the 16th of January 2007. At the same time the directive 73/23/EWG as well as article 1, paragraph 12 and article 13 of the directive 93/68/EWG are repealed.

The directive 2006/95/EG combines the directive 73/23/EWG and the relevant paragraphs of the directive 93/68/EWG and is editorially adapted.

Consequences on the testing of electro technical products

Changes relevant for testing are not resulting from the condition. For instance, the assumption of fulfilling the requirements of the current editions of the harmonized standards listed under the Low Voltage Directive (i.e. EN 60950, EN 60065, EN 60335) is still valid.

The manufacturers are requested to carry out the modification of the existing relevant documents and declarations for the respective products at the next opportunity (this applies i.e. to the declarations for conformity, product documents, catalogues). However, a definite deadline has not been allotted.