Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU

• The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU applies to electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC and sets the essential safety requirements for placing such equipment on the EU/EEA market.

• Manufacturers must perform a conformity assessment, issue an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), and prepare the required technical documentation.

• CE marking is mandatory for electrical equipment that falls within the scope of the directive.

• Electrical equipment may also be subject to the EMC Directive (EMCD). Radio equipment is governed by the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), whose safety requirements apply the LVD safety objectives without a voltage limit.

The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU defines essential safety objectives to ensure that electrical equipment can be used safely and does not endanger persons, domestic animals, or property when properly installed, maintained, and used as intended. These objectives are referred to in Article 3 and set out in Annex I. Annex II lists the equipment and phenomena excluded from the directive.

The LVD provides protection against:

• Electrical hazards, such as electric shock, short circuits, and insulation faults

• Thermal risks, including overheating, burns, and fire hazards

• Mechanical and structural hazards, such as moving parts, instability, and inadequate enclosure strength

• Other hazards arising from the equipment, such as non-electrical dangers revealed by experience

The directive applies to electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC, subject to the exclusions in Annex II. Equipment outside these voltage limits is not covered by the LVD. Consumer products among such equipment are generally subject to the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 insofar as no specific EU legislation regulates the same safety aspects.

Beyond safety, the LVD also supports the free movement of goods within the European Economic Area (EEA) by harmonizing technical requirements, reducing compliance barriers, and ensuring a consistent level of protection across all Member States.

Conformity under the Low Voltage Directive involves both technical product safety and the formal documentation required for CE marking.

Achieving compliance requires the following key steps:

• Assessing the essential safety requirements

• Preparing the technical documentation

• Issuing the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

• Affixing the CE marking

• Fulfilling all obligations related to economic operators and market surveillance

The following sections explain each step in detail and outline the full process for achieving conformity under the LVD.

Manufacturers must demonstrate that their products meet the essential safety requirements of the Low Voltage Directive before placing them on the market. The conformity assessment includes all technical and documentary measures required to ensure product safety within the European Economic Area (EEA).

1. Assessment of the Essential Safety Requirements

The essential safety requirements must be evaluated and documented using appropriate methods. This includes:

• Applying harmonized safety standards (e.g., EN 60335-1, EN 62368-1, EN 60204-1)

• Conducting a risk assessment covering all relevant hazards (electrical, thermal, mechanical, chemical)

• Demonstrating safe design, including insulation strength, temperature limits, fault protection, and environmental considerations

• Validating the finished product through laboratory tests or internal testing

• Assessing the impact of modifications (variants, firmware changes, component substitutions)

Using harmonized standards provides a presumption of conformity, although their application is voluntary. If standards are not applied—or only applied in part—the essential safety requirements must be fulfilled and documented through alternative technical solutions.

2. Technical Documentation

Manufacturers must compile the technical documentation and keep it, together with the EU Declaration of Conformity, for ten years after the electrical equipment concerned has been placed on the market. The documentation must demonstrate compliance with the essential safety requirements and must include:

• Product description, technical specifications, and intended use

• Design documentation (schematics, drawings, bills of materials)

• Test results and conformity evidence

• Applied harmonized standards or alternative solutions

• Risk assessment and mitigation measures

• Manufacturing and quality control processes

• A copy of the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

If the product falls under additional EU legislation (e.g., EMC Directive or RED), the technical file must address all applicable requirements.

3. EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

The EU Declaration of Conformity confirms that the product complies with the requirements of the LVD and any other applicable directives. It must:

• Be signed and dated by a responsible person

• Be available in the official language(s) of the target market

• Reference the applied harmonized standards

• Be included in the technical documentation

• Be issued before the product is placed on the market and updated whenever modifications affect compliance

By signing the DoC, the manufacturer assumes full responsibility for the product’s compliance.

Beyond the formal conformity assessment, the Low Voltage Directive requires manufacturers to demonstrate that electrical equipment is safely designed and constructed for its intended use. The directive defines safety objectives that must be met when the equipment is properly installed and maintained and used for its intended purpose or under conditions that can be reasonably foreseen.

To meet these safety objectives, manufacturers must apply suitable technical and design measures, including:

• Selecting safety-critical components, materials, and insulation systems

• Designing in accordance with recognized safety principles

• Testing under normal operating conditions and under foreseeable fault conditions

• Evaluating foreseeable abnormal conditions and single-fault conditions

• Considering environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and pollution degree

In practice, these requirements are most commonly demonstrated by applying harmonized safety standards, which are described in the next section.

The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU defines essential safety objectives but does not prescribe detailed technical solutions. Harmonized standards translate those objectives into technical requirements and provide one recognized route for demonstrating conformity. Their references are published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

Presumption of Conformity and Voluntary Use

Compliance with a harmonized standard cited in the OJEU gives a presumption of conformity only for the safety objectives covered by that standard. Applying harmonized standards is voluntary. If they are not applied—or are applied only in part—the manufacturer must demonstrate and document by other technical solutions how the applicable safety objectives are met.

The selection of standards depends on the product type, intended use, and environmental conditions. The presumption of conformity applies to the edition referenced in the OJEU, including any date on which the presumption for a superseded edition ends.

To use standards correctly, manufacturers should:

• Identify the edition referenced in the OJEU and check any date on which the presumption of conformity for a superseded edition ceases.

• Assess which standards and clauses are relevant to the product type, intended use, and foreseeable conditions.

• Document the standards applied in full or in part and any alternative technical solutions used.

• Define the necessary tests during development, verification, and production monitoring.

Relation to CE Marking

Applying cited harmonized standards can streamline the conformity assessment:

• They provide technical methods for addressing the risks covered by the relevant clauses.

• Applicable standards or other technical specifications are identified in the EU Declaration of Conformity.

Once electrical equipment meets the essential safety requirements of the Low Voltage Directive and the required documentation has been completed, it may bear the CE marking and be placed on the market within the European Economic Area (EEA). The CE marking confirms compliance with all applicable EU legislation.

1. Requirements for CE Marking

Before the CE marking can be applied, the following steps must be completed:

• Completion of the conformity assessment

• Preparation of the technical documentation

• Issuance of the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

• Implementation of all required technical safety measures

• Assessment of all applicable EU legislation (e.g., LVD + EMC Directive; RED for radio-enabled equipment)

Affixing the CE Marking

The CE marking must:

• be affixed visibly, legibly, and indelibly to the product or its data plate

• where marking the product is not possible or not warranted because of the nature of the equipment, be affixed to the packaging and accompanying documents instead

• comply with the legally defined proportions and marking requirements

The LVD provides only for internal production control (Module A). No Notified Body is involved, regardless of whether harmonized standards are applied. The manufacturer carries out the conformity assessment and assumes sole responsibility for the EU Declaration of Conformity.

Market surveillance authorities in EU Member States inspect and assess products placed on the market under the applicable EU market-surveillance framework, including Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.

Typical Actions by Market Surveillance Authorities

• Requesting the EU Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation

• Inspecting or testing products and assessing suspected risks

• Requiring the economic operator to bring non-compliance to an end

Possible Measures for Non-Compliance

• Restricting or prohibiting the product from being made available on the market

• Requiring withdrawal or recall where appropriate

• Applying penalties provided by national law

The measure taken depends on the nature and severity of the non-compliance. Dangerous products can be reported through the Safety Gate rapid alert system. Economic operators must cooperate with the competent authorities and maintain the required traceability.