The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU (formerly97/23/EC)[1] of the EU sets out the standards for the design and fabrication of pressure equipment ("pressure equipment" means steam boilers, pressure vessels, piping, safety valves and other components and assemblies subject to pressure loading) generally over one litre in volume and having a maximum pressure more than 0.5 bar gauge. It also sets the administrative procedures requirements for the "conformity assessment" of pressure equipment, for the free placing on the European market without local legislative barriers. It has been mandatory throughout the EU since 30 May 2002, with 2014 revision fully effective as of 19 July 2016.[2] This is enacted in the UK as the Pressure Equipment Regulations (PER). The set out standards and regulations regarding pressure vessels and boilerssafety is also very close to the US standards defined by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This enables most international inspection agencies to provide both verification and certification services to assess compliance to the different pressure equipment directives.[3]
Scope and Definitions (including exemptions of its scope)
Market surveillance
Technical requirements: classification of pressure equipment according to type and content.
Free movement
Presumption of conformity
Committee on technical standards and regulations
Committee on Pressure Equipment
Safeguard clause
Classification of pressure equipment
Conformity assessment
European approval for materials
Notified bodies
Recognized third-party organizations
User inspectorates
CE marking
Unduly affixed CE marking
International cooperation
Decisions entailing refusal or restriction
Repeal
Transposition and transitional provisions
Addressees of the Directive: the EU member states for implementation in national laws and/or regulations.
Annex I: Essential safety requirements
General
Design
Manufacturing
Materials
Fired or otherwise heated pressure equipment with a risk of overheating (article 3.1)
Piping
Specific quantitative requirements for certain pressure equipment
Appendix II: Conformity assessment tables. Actually diagrams of pressure vs. volume (or diameter for pipes), for classification of equipment in four classes.
Appendix III: Conformity assessment procedures
Appendix IV: Minimum criteria to be met when designating the notified bodies (article 12) and the recognized third party organizations (article 13)
Appendix V: Criteria to be met when authorizing user inspectorates (article 14)
Directive 97/23/EC was fully superseded by directive 2014/68/EU from July 20, 2016 onwards. Article 13 of the new directive (classification of pressure equipment) became effective June 1, 2015, replacing article 9 of directive 97/23/EC.[4]