What’s the situation with CE?

On 20 January 2027, the Machinery Regulation will replace the long-standing Machinery Directive. From this key date, declarations of conformity must meet the new requirements. Training and services from Pilz help machine manufacturers and operators with the new route to CE marking.

Some of the key changes in the Machinery Regulation not only include mandatory security measures and the added relevance of software, but also new conformity assessment routes. New, for example, are six machine categories listed under “potentially high risk machinery” (including with regard to artificial intelligence), where a notified body must be involved in declaring conformity.

The Machinery Regulation also defines more detailed provisions regarding significant changes on a machine.

“The current Machinery Directive is the most frequently used reference in our existing training,” says Jürgen Bukowski, International Services Group at Pilz. “Obviously we will work with TÜV Nord to adapt our portfolio as soon as possible, so that our customers worldwide are well prepared for the new requirements of the Machinery Regulation.”

From 2024, training for CE marking in particular, such as the CECE qualification – Certified Expert in CE Marking – or CMSE – Certified Machinery Safety Expert – will provide the relevant new expertise needed to accomplish CE marking in accordance with the EU Machinery Regulation. Pilz will also offer the first up-to-date CECE recertification courses. Training courses include:

• CMSE – Certified Machinery Safety Expert
• CECE – Certified Expert in CE Marking
• CECE – Recertification
• CEFS – Certified Expert in Functional Safety

“We want our customers to be well prepared for the forthcoming challenges, and to know which changes affect them specifically, so that they can take timely measures to comply with the Machinery Regulation,” says Matthias Wimmer, application standards specialist at Pilz. “That’s why, as part of our risk assessments and validations, we will cover the new technical requirements and discuss potential solutions with our customers. Because the sooner you deal with the Machinery Regulation the better.”

Despite the final date for conversion being 2027, it is already important to plan processes and long-term projects accordingly, so that machinery is designed to take future requirements into account. The obligation for product tracing with corresponding aftercare, such as security patches for example, also requires preparation.

A new service and training offer from Pilz covers Industrial Security. “The field of Industrial Security is a particularly big challenge. To enable our customers to overcome this challenge, we use our experience from the field of Safety to help them, with specific services and training for Industrial Security," says Wimmer.