Hydraulic and pneumatic components

• Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — Machinery
• Directive 2014/68/EU — Pressure Equipment
• Directive 2014/34/EU where used in explosive atmospheres
• Regulation (EU) 2019/1020

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers outside the Union supplying hydraulic and pneumatic components to EU integrators. Components for incorporation still require documentation because the integrator's declaration depends on it, and hose assemblies in particular carry a burst risk that must be evidenced.

Thresholds and exemptions

Pressure equipment thresholds apply to accumulators and receivers. Components below the thresholds follow sound engineering practice with documentation.

What must appear on the label

Manufacturer and EU representative details, type and serial identification, maximum working pressure and temperature range, and for pressure equipment the CE marking with the notified body number where the category requires it.

Marketplace fields

Integrators require material certificates and pressure test records, and buyers reject assemblies without traceable hose and fitting certification.

Documentation you must hold

Declaration of conformity or, for components, the manufacturer's documentation supporting the integrator's file, material certificates, pressure test records, and for hose assemblies the traceability of hose, fittings and crimping records.

Standards and testing

Burst and impulse testing for hoses and assemblies, hydrostatic testing for pressure components, and where ATEX applies, ignition hazard assessment for non-electrical equipment.

Language requirements

Documentation in the language of the member state where the equipment is put into service.

When it applies

Before placing on the market.

How long records are kept

Ten years.

What happens if you do not comply

Withdrawal, and severe liability where a hose assembly bursts. Hydraulic injection injuries are catastrophic and are pursued through both labour inspectorates and civil courts.

Who enforces it

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

Where the boundary lies

Hose assemblies crimped by a distributor make that distributor the manufacturer of the assembly, with the testing and traceability obligations that follow. Non-electrical hydraulic equipment in explosive atmospheres needs ATEX assessment that is frequently overlooked.

Questions we are asked

Do hose assemblies need certification?

The assembler must be able to evidence the compatibility of hose, fittings and crimp, with test records. Buying certified components does not discharge that.

Is a hydraulic power pack machinery?

Yes, and the accumulator within it may additionally be pressure equipment with its own category.