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SvenskaWho it applies to, exactly
A general summary. The obligations of those who use the equipment are also set out in national legislation on work equipment.
The manufacturer
CE marking, EU declaration of conformity, technical file (Annex IV) and instructions for use in the language of the member state.
The importer and the distributor
Check that the accessory arrives with its marking and documentation, and keep that documentation.
You, the user
The Regulation doesn’t name you as an economic operator, but it hits you squarely: without the manufacturer’s documentation and an inspection history, you can’t prove an accessory is compliant.
What the Regulation requires
Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 repeals Directive 2006/42/EC and applies from 20 January 2027. For the first time it explicitly classifies lifting accessories — slings, chains, wire ropes, webbing slings, shackles, hooks — as machinery-related products, with obligations of their own.
For companies that use these accessories it means one thing: paper records and spreadsheets are no longer enough. You need an inventory, inspections, traceability, document management and retention you can demonstrate.
CE marking and identification
THE REGULATION
On the product or its packaging, legible and indelible.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Every accessory must be identifiable with it in your hand: a code, QR or NFC tag that survives the environment.
EU declaration of conformity
THE REGULATION
A document that accompanies the accessory.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Findable item by item, not in a shared folder nobody remembers.
Technical file (Annex IV)
THE REGULATION
Technical documentation available to the authorities.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
It belongs to the manufacturer. Your job is to know who made each accessory so you can ask them for it.
Instructions for use
THE REGULATION
In the language of the member state; digital format allowed.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Digital is fine. They must be within reach of whoever uses the accessory, not on a shelf.
Retention ≥ 10 years
THE REGULATION
The manufacturer must keep it for at least a decade.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
If you’re asked for it and the manufacturer is gone, your copy is the only one left.
Traceability
THE REGULATION
Knowing who each accessory was bought from and who it was sold to.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
History for each item: registration, custody, inspections and results. No gaps.
From 2006 to 2027
Four milestones, no countdown: the date is fixed and doesn’t depend on anyone.
2006
Directive 2006/42/EC
The framework for machinery and accessories until now.
2023
Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 is published
A new framework that replaces the Directive enters into force.
Now
Transition period
Companies digitise their inventory, inspections and documentation.
20-01-2027
Mandatory application
The Regulation becomes fully applicable and repeals the Directive.
What changes with your suppliers
What you’ll receive from 2027, and the cases where your own company becomes a manufacturer without meaning to.
What you’ll receive from 2027
CE marking, the working load limit marked so that it doesn’t wear off, instructions for use in the language your country requires and the EU declaration of conformity — or the address or code that leads to it. Your distributor must check all this before selling to you. And if the instructions come in digital form, ask for them on paper when you buy: they’re free and must be provided within a month.
When you become the manufacturer
Selling an accessory under your name or brand. Modifying one already on the market in a way that may affect its conformity. Or making a substantial modification: one the manufacturer didn’t foresee that creates a new hazard or increases an existing one. In all three cases the Regulation treats you as the manufacturer, with its conformity assessment and declaration.
Questions about the regulation
The regulatory information on this site is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. The authoritative text is the one published in the Official Journal of the European Union.