Equipment for explosive atmospheres (ATEX)

• Directive 2014/34/EU — ATEX equipment
• Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 — Article 4
• Directive 1999/92/EC on worker protection

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers outside the Union placing equipment or protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres on the EU market. This includes electrical and non-electrical equipment, safety devices and components.

Thresholds and exemptions

None. Equipment group and category determine the conformity assessment route, with notified body involvement mandatory for most categories.

What must appear on the label

CE marking with the notified body number, the specific Ex marking with the equipment group, category, atmosphere type, protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, manufacturer and EU representative details, type and serial number, and the year of construction.

Marketplace fields

Sold through industrial distributors that require the EU type-examination certificate as a precondition. Counterfeit Ex certification is a known problem and buyers verify certificates against the notified body directly.

Documentation you must hold

EU declaration of conformity, technical documentation, the EU type-examination certificate, quality assurance notification where the category requires it, and the instructions covering safe installation, use and maintenance in the intended zones.

Standards and testing

EN IEC 60079 series for the applicable protection concept, EN ISO 80079 for non-electrical equipment, and temperature class verification. Testing is carried out by a notified body for most categories.

Language requirements

Instructions in the language of the member state where the equipment is put into service, and this is enforced by labour inspectorates as well as market surveillance.

When it applies

Before placing on the market. Certificates reference specific standard editions and must be reviewed when those change.

How long records are kept

Ten years for technical documentation, and the notified body's records per its own obligations.

What happens if you do not comply

Prohibition of use, withdrawal, and criminal liability where an explosion follows. This is among the most serious enforcement environments in industrial products because the consequences are catastrophic.

Who enforces it

Market surveillance authorities, labour inspectorates, notified bodies and customs.

Where the boundary lies

IECEx certification is widely used internationally but is not by itself EU conformity: an EU type-examination certificate from a notified body designated under Directive 2014/34/EU is required. The two are often confused by suppliers outside the Union.

Questions we are asked

Is IECEx accepted in the EU?

Not as a substitute. The underlying test reports are usually reusable, but an EU type-examination certificate from an EU notified body is required.

Do non-electrical parts need ATEX certification?

Yes, mechanical equipment with its own ignition sources is covered, and this is frequently overlooked for pumps, fans and gearboxes.