European Council Directive 90/396/EEC ('the Gas Appliance Directive’) relating to appliances burning gaseous fuels was adopted in 1990. It is based on the New Approach and contains essential requirements that an appliance must meet when it is placed on the European market. The Directive does not indicate how these requirements must be met, thus leaving flexibility to manufacturers as regards technical solutions to be adopted.
The Directive was implemented in the UK by the Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/711). The adoption of Directive 93/68/EEC (‘the CE marking Directive’) in 1993 brought about amendments to the Gas Appliances Directive that were implemented into consolidated national law through the Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/1629) which came into force, subject to certain transitional provisions, on 1 January 1996.
Gas appliances and fittings that comply with the Regulations will be presumed to comply with the Gas Appliances Directive, as amended, and be entitled to free circulation throughout the European Union.
‘Appliances’ means any gas burning appliance used for cooking, (space) heating, hot water production, refrigeration, lighting or washing and having, where applicable, a normal water temperature not exceeding 105°C.
Forced draught burners and heating bodies to be equipped with such burners are also considered as appliances.
‘Fittings’ means safety devices, controlling devices or regulating devices and sub-assemblies, separately marketed for trade use and designed to be incorporated into or assembled to constitute a gas burning appliance.
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