The European Commission has recently published the notes from a recent LVD ADCO (Low Voltage Directive Administrative Co-operation Working Group) meeting.
The LVD ADCO is an independent Working Group run and chaired by the Member States. The Group is a forum for co-operation and exchange of information between national market surveillance authorities, however their opinions are not necessarily an authoritative opinion, they sometime can be used as guidance.
The main items discussed:
- Changes to the current process of harmonisation of LVD standards: The change to the process will require a mandate from the Commission in the new Directive. The draft text for a mandate covers two aspects a) request to standardisation bodies to publish existing standards under the new Directive – with a time limit and b) request a review of existing standards with a view to modify, repeal or make new standards to address any safety risks – this with no time limit. The mandate does not however request standards to be reviewed to ensure that they meet all the LVD safety requirements, so it was suggested that this matter should be discussed at the LVD WP meeting in November.
- Updated Recommendation on LED replacement tubes: The recommendation that was published in 2011 will be amended to include T5 tubes and will include replacement of words T8 tubes to T-types, which will mean that the recommendation will become applicable to all types of LED tubes.
- Hot touchable non-functional surfaces: There is currently a project underway investigating this topic, which expects to release a final report drafted by early Autumn, which may include safeguard notifications based on the test results.
- Caravans, campers and mobile canteens: Discussions at the last meeting highlighted divergent views amongst Member States as to whether these products were within the scope of the LVD and hence should be CE Marked. Relevant trade associations will be contacted to ask how they were dealing with the CE Marking issue.
For more help and advice on CE Marking and product compliance please call us on 01527 595066 or visit our website: www.cemarkingassociation.co.uk
