Introduction

 

The European market enforces stringent safety access regulations for pressure equipment, with the core legislation comprising the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) and the Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive (TPED). Together, these directives form the dual pillars of the EU’s safety regulatory framework for pressure equipment, ensuring comprehensive safety across the entire lifecycle of design, manufacturing, and distribution. This article provides an in-depth analysis of these directives from the perspectives of definitions, scope of application, exemption rules, and their differences and connections.

PED

 

1. Overview of PED

PED stands for the Pressure Equipment Directive, initially adopted by the EU in 1997 as Directive 97/23/EC and updated in 2014 to Directive 2014/68/EU. This directive aims to ensure the safety and tradability of pressure equipment within the EU market. It covers the entire process of pressure equipment design, manufacturing, inspection, and raw materials, requiring that pressure equipment undergo conformity assessment and bear the “CE” marking to comply with the EU’s fundamental safety requirements. Manufacturers must select the appropriate certification modules based on the risk level of the equipment, with audits conducted by EU-recognized notified bodies. The implementation of the PED has standardized the circulation of pressure equipment in the EU market, safeguarding human and environmental safety.

2. PED Scope

The PED applies to pressure equipment with a maximum allowable pressure greater than 0.5 bar, including:

• Pressure vessels (e.g., storage tanks, heat exchangers);
• Piping (including pipes or systems composed of pipes, fittings, expansion joints, hoses, or other pressure-bearing components);
• Safety accessories (e.g., safety valves, bursting discs);
• Pressure accessories (e.g., valves, filters, flow meters);
• Assemblies (e.g., pressure cookers, fire extinguishers, compressor units).

3. Exemptions under PED

Generally, the PED is mandatory for pressure equipment, but there are exceptions. According to Article 4, paragraph 3 of Directive 2014/68/EU, if the technical requirements for pressure equipment fall below the limits specified in Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 2, the equipment need only be designed according to sound engineering practices. Provided it does not contravene other EU harmonized standards, such equipment is exempt from the CE marking requirement.

TPED

 

1. Overview of TPED

TPED stands for the Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive, initially adopted by the EU in 1999 as Directive 1999/36/EC and updated in 2010 to Directive 2010/35/EU. This directive applies to the type approval assessment, manufacturing supervision, initial and periodic inspections, requalification, and internal inspection service oversight of transportable pressure equipment and containers within the EU. Certified transportable pressure equipment must bear the “π” marking to enter the EU market.

2. TPED Scope

The TPED applies to transportable pressure equipment used in road (ADR—European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road), rail (RID—Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail), and inland waterway transport (ADN—European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways). Specific categories include:

• Cylinders (e.g., oxygen cylinders, acetylene cylinders);
• Manifold cylinder pallets (e.g., refillable long tube bundles for gases);
• Transportable pressure vessels (e.g., portable tanks, tank containers);
• Valves and other accessories on cylinders/tube bundles/transportable pressure vessels.

3. Exemptions under TPED

Under the TPED framework and its implementation in ADR/RID/ADN international transport agreements, exemptions can be categorized as follows:

Core Differences and Connections between PED and TPED

 

1. Core Differences

2. Inherent Connections

Both PED and TPED are based on the EU’s New Approach Directives framework, adopting the compliance path of Essential Safety Requirements (ESRs) + harmonized standards (EN standards) to ensure that pressure equipment meets core safety, health, and environmental protection requirements during design and manufacturing (PED focuses on fixed scenarios, while TPED emphasizes transportable scenarios). TPED builds upon and complements PED, referencing PED's safety requirements during the design and manufacturing stages. The two directives share a consistent foundational safety logic.

Conclusion

 

FITOK has obtained PED certification for fittings, valves, and tubing, as well as TPED certification for transportable cylinders and cylinder valves. Additionally, pressure equipment with DN ≤ 25 is designed and manufactured in accordance with the ISO 9001:2015 quality system and relevant national and international standards (recognized as sound engineering practices), exempting it from the CE marking requirement under the PED. For more information about FITOK certifications, please contact FITOK or our authorized distributors. You may also visit the FITOK official website or submit an inquiry via online message, and our team will promptly assist you.