Specialist conference on the new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230

On 28 October 2024, a full-day conference was held in Zurich on the new EU Machinery Regulation. This was the second time that IBF had organised the event, which it does in collaboration with Swissmem, the Swiss mechanical and electrical engineering industries' association. With a variety of high-level presentations and a comprehensive overview of the upcoming changes, the event offered companies and experts a valuable opportunity to prepare for the changes to the future EU regulation at an early stage and to plan the necessary measures. Especially for manufacturers from Switzerland, a proactive approach to the Machinery Regulation is essential, as its implementation can also affect exports to the EU.

The conference focused on the main differences between the previous Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. Participants received in-depth information on the revised safety and health requirements that will need to be met in the future, including the point of ‘protection against corruption’, which is particularly important for cyber security.

A particular focus was on identifying areas within the company where action is needed. Experts presented tried and tested approaches for implementing the regulation, with a particular focus on electronic documentation in the form of digital operating instructions. In the future, these digital documents will play a crucial role in meeting legal requirements and being able to quickly provide information for inspections. 

In addition, the possible effects on Swiss law were examined and the Swiss market supervisory authority provided an assessment of the regulatory developments. The institutional issues between Switzerland and the EU and their influence on access to the EU market were also of interest to the participants. The individual presentations were simultaneously translated into French for the participants from French-speaking Switzerland.

IBF and Swissmem would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants, speakers and staff for a successful conference day in Zurich. The conference has shown that it is an important forum for the exchange of knowledge and practical tips on the Machinery Regulation.
 

Tips:

• We have summarised a detailed overview of the changes brought about by the new Machinery Regulation in our technical article "New Machinery Regulation".
• < We will share this knowledge with you in compact form in our half-day seminar ‘Changeover to the new Machinery Regulation’
   

Impressions of the event