Pressure equipment and gas cylinders

• Directive 2014/68/EU — Pressure Equipment
• Directive 2014/29/EU — Simple Pressure Vessels
• Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 — Art. 4

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers outside the Union placing pressure equipment above the threshold pressures on the EU market.

Thresholds and exemptions

Equipment with a maximum allowable pressure above 0.5 bar. Below that, GPSR applies instead.

What must appear on the label

CE marking with the notified body number for categories II to IV, manufacturer and representative details, and the essential pressure and volume data on the nameplate.

Marketplace fields

Industrial buyers require the declaration of conformity and the notified body certificate.

Documentation you must hold

EU declaration of conformity, technical file, material certificates, welding procedure qualifications and welder approvals, and the conformity assessment certificate.

Standards and testing

Design verification, non-destructive testing of welds, and hydrostatic proof testing.

Language requirements

Instructions 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

10 years.

What happens if you do not comply

Prohibition of use, withdrawal, and criminal liability where an accident follows.

Who enforces it

National market surveillance authorities, notified bodies and workplace inspectorates.

Where the boundary lies

Category I equipment can be self-declared, but everything above needs a notified body. The representative can hold the file and sign, never replace the assessment.

Questions we are asked

Does an air compressor for a workshop count?

If the receiver exceeds the pressure and volume thresholds, yes.