EU requirements: Directive 2014/35/EU (the “LVD”) sets out requirements relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits, in order to provide for a high level of protection of health and safety of persons, and of domestic animals and property. The requirements include safety objectives for the design and manufacture of electrical equipment, labelling requirements, the applicable conformity assessment procedures. The LVD also sets out obligations of manufacturers, importers and distributors.
If you manufacture, import or distribute electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage ranges that is sold in the EU, you will need to comply with the requirements of the LVD.
It is your responsibility to comply with the Low Voltage Directive. You must also comply with national laws and regulations in Member States, which implement the LVD.
Please see below for further information about EU requirements.
UK requirements: The UK’s Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016/1101 (the “EESR”) set out requirements relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits, in order to provide for a high level of protection of health and safety of persons, and of domestic animals and property. The requirements include safety objectives for the design and manufacture of electrical equipment, labelling requirements, the applicable conformity assessment procedures. The EESR also sets out obligations of manufacturers, importers and distributors.
If you manufacture, import or distribute electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage ranges that is sold in the UK, you will need to comply with the requirements of the EESR. Different rules apply to goods you sell in: (1) Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales); and (2) Northern Ireland.
It is your responsibility to comply with the EESR for products sold in the UK. If you also sell these products on Amazon EU website(s), then you must also comply with national laws and regulations in EU Member States, which implement the EU’s LVD.
Please see below for further information about UK Requirements.
This material is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal advice. We encourage you to consult your legal counsel if you have questions about the laws and regulations concerning your product. This material only reflects the position at the date of writing and requirements in the EU and the UK may change. You should refer to current UK Brexit guidance about your products (see below) to learn more about changes that may affect you from 1 January 2021.
What products does the LVD apply to?
The LVD applies to electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1,000 V for alternating current and between 75 and 1,500 V for direct current. There are some types of electrical equipment and phenomena that are outside of the scope of the LVD (for example, plugs and socket outlets for domestic use). A full list of electrical equipment not within scope can be found in Annex II of the LVD.
Examples of electrical equipment covered by the LVD are: household appliances, cables, power supply units and laser equipment.
The LVD sets out obligations for manufacturers, authorized representatives, importers and distributors of electrical equipment.
Declaration of Conformity and CE marking:
Manufacturers must:
Importers must:
Manufacturers and importers must keep a copy of the technical documentation and declaration of conformity for 10 years after the electrical equipment has been placed on the market.
Labeling and information:
Manufacturers and importers must ensure that the electrical equipment bears:
Where it is not possible for this information to be on the electrical equipment itself, the above information should be on its packaging or a document accompanying the electrical equipment.
In addition, the electrical equipment must be accompanied by instructions, safety information and the Declaration of Conformity. This information should be in a language that can be easily understood by end-users and relevant authorities .
Distributors are required to exercise due care in relation to selling electrical equipment in the EU. This can include verifying that the equipment bears a CE marking and that the equipment is accompanied with appropriate documents for end users.
Manufacturers, importers and distributors should immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring electrical equipment into conformity, to withdraw or to recall it, as appropriate.
Where the electrical equipment presents a risk, manufacturers, importers and distributors should immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States where it was sold, giving details, in particular, of the non-conformity and of any corrective measures taken.
Manufacturers, importers and distributors should provide a competent national authority with all the information and documentation, in paper or electronic form, necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the electrical equipment with the LVD, following a reasoned request.
The EESR applies to all products sold in the UK, but the provisions apply differently to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales, “GB”) and Northern Ireland. You can read more about the position in Northern Ireland (“NI”) below.
The EESR applies to electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1,000 V for alternating current and between 75 and 1,500 V for direct current. There are some types of electrical equipment and phenomena that are outside of the scope of the EESR (e.g. plugs and socket outlets for domestic use). A full list of electrical equipment not within scope can be found in Regulation 3 of the EESR.
Examples of electrical equipment covered by the EESR are: household appliances, cables, power supply units, and laser equipment.
The EESR sets out obligations for manufacturers, authorized representatives, importers and distributors of electrical equipment.
Declaration of Conformity and conformity marking
Manufacturers must:
Importers must:
Manufacturers and importers must keep a copy of the technical documentation and declaration of conformity for 10 years after the electrical equipment has been sold.
Labelling and information
Manufacturers and importers must ensure that the electrical equipment bears:
Where it is not possible for this information to be on the electrical equipment itself, the above information should be on its packaging or a document accompanying the electrical equipment. The UK Government has released guidance on alternative means of providing GB importer traceability information until 31 December 2022. See the “BREXIT: UK Government Guidance” section below for links to this guidance.
In addition, the electrical equipment must be accompanied by instructions, safety information, and the Declaration of Conformity. This information should be in a language that can be easily understood by end-users and the relevant authorities. A specific Declaration of Conformity that refers to UK legislation and standards will be required for products sold in GB from 1 January 2021. See the “BREXIT: UK Government Guidance” section below for links to the UK Government guidance on this.
Distributors are required to exercise due care in relation to selling electrical equipment in the UK. This may include verifying that the equipment bears required compliance marking and that the equipment is accompanied with appropriate documents for end users.
Please note that different rules apply in NI from 1 January 2021 as a result of the Northern Ireland Protocol. In particular:
The UK Government has released guidance on selling products in GB and NI from 1 January 2021. This guidance provides information for manufacturers, importers and distributors regarding compliance requirements from 1 January 2021, including on:
We encourage you to review this guidance (linked below), alongside any other specific UK Government guidance that applies to your product. You should consult your legal counsel if you have questions about how the laws and regulations apply to your products from 1 January 2021.
The Brexit guidance can be found here:
GB:
NI:
Manufacturers, importers and distributors should immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring electrical equipment into conformity, to withdraw or to recall it, as appropriate.
Where the electrical equipment presents a risk, manufacturers, importers and distributors should immediately inform Trading Standards (or HSE where the equipment is for use at work), giving details, in particular, of the non-conformity and of any corrective measures taken.
Manufacturers, importers and distributors should provide a competent national authority with all the information and documentation, in paper or electronic form, necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the electrical equipment with the LVD, following a reasoned request.
We strongly encourage you to visit the European Commission’s website for more information on the Low Voltage Directive:
We strongly encourage you to review the guidance provided by the UK Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards on the application of the EESR, see here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-equipment-safety-regulations-2016.
We also encourage you to visit the Business Companion website, which contains guidance on UK product compliance rules: