General | April 17, 2024

EU Machinery Directive: Update Allows Digital Instructions

In a significant development, the Machinery Expert Group reached an agreement to allow for digital instructions alongside traditional paper formats. This change addresses a longstanding inconsistency with the directive, providing clarity and flexibility for manufacturers.

The Machinery Directive, a cornerstone of EU regulations governing machinery safety, previously mandated the provision of instructions but did not specify the format. However, the accompanying Guide to application of the Machinery Directive suggested that instructions must be in "paper form," causing friction for industries eager to adopt digital solutions.

Orgalim warmly welcomes this initiative, which reflects the continuous efforts we have made to advocate for digital instructions. Embracing digital instruction manuals has the potential to propel EU sustainability objectives forward.

The move towards digital instruction manuals is a positive step that not only enhances efficiency and reduces costs but also contributes to our broader sustainability agenda.

- Daniel Wennick

 "The move towards digital instruction manuals is a positive step that not only enhances efficiency and reduces costs but also contributes to our broader sustainability agenda," commented Daniel Wennick, Orgalim Policy Director.  

The final text agreed by the Machinery Expert Group can be found here.