What are the objectives of Regulation (EU) 2016/426?
The Gas Appliances Regulation (GAR) lays down basic rules for equipment and fittings operated with gaseous fuels to ensure the safety of persons, pets or goods to be sold on the EU internal market. The regulation is the revised version of Predecessor Directive 2009/142/EC for gas consumption equipment. The GAR also deals with the energy efficiency of products, in accordance with the more specific EU eco design legislation. In addition, for gas appliances containing electrical components, the manufacturer shall provide reports on compliance with the Low Voltage Directive and the EMC Directive covered by this Regulation. The following important definitions from Article 2 of the Regulation clarify the aim of the Regulation:
Gaseous fuel: "is any fuel in gaseous state at a temperature of 15°C and an absolute pressure of 1 bar".
Appliances: "Appliances operated with gaseous fuels and used for cooking, cooling, air conditioning, heating, water heating, lighting or washing, as well as fan burners and radiators equipped with such burners".
Fittings: "Safety, control or regulation devices and their subassemblies intended for installation in a device or assembly to a device".
What is the main content of Regulation (EU) 2016/426?
- The essential requirements laid down in the Regulation apply to household and non-household appliances as well as to fittings intended for installation in these appliances. The valves are safety, control or regulating devices and subassemblies. The Regulation also applies to all new or used equipment manufactured in the EU or imported from third countries.
- The essential requirements are set out in Annex 1 to the Regulation. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring compliance with these requirements. Importers and distributors have the same obligations as manufacturers.
- The rules for the application of CE conformity of gas appliances and fittings in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008 are listed in Annex III to the Regulation. Annex III also contains rules for the conformity assessment procedure and the coordination of notified bodies.
- Chapter V of the Regulation lays down the rules for EU market surveillance.
What is presented in the annexes of the GAR and why are they important?
The annexes to the GAR contain important information on compliance with the regulation.
Annex I: It contains the essential requirements, which a device or fitting must meet when placed on the EU market. It does not specify how these requirements must be met, so manufacturers are flexible in their choice of technical solutions.
Annex II: Notifications from Member States on gas supply conditions
Annex III: Conformity assessment for equipment and fittings
Annex IV: CE marking and inscriptions
Annex V: EU declaration of conformity
Which products does the regulation apply to?
The scope of the GAR is limited to equipment that burns gaseous fuels and is used for the following purposes
- Cooking
- Heating
- Generate hot water
- Refrigeration technology
- Lighting and washing
- Control and safety devices and assemblies
The regulation provides for the following exceptions:
- Products specially developed for industrial processes
- Products for use in aircraft and railways
- Products for research purposes
- Items of historical or artistic value, such as antiques
What are the different examples of products covered by the GAR?
- Fireplaces & stoves
- Heaters (radiant heaters, ceiling heaters, patio heaters, table heaters)
- Herd
- Boiler
- Camping equipment
- Water heater
- Catering equipment
- Fuel cells
- Sterling engines
- Fuel cell systems
- Specialized articles
- LPG devices
- Hydrogen-powered devices
- Gas-fired hot air generators with forced convection for private households and other households for space heating, etc.
How does Regulation (EU) 2016/426 differ from its predecessor Directive 2009/142/EC?
- The validity of all documents from the GAD (2009/142/EC), the old regulation, ended with the activation of the GAR regulation on 21.04.2018. The EC type-examination certificates issued under the old regulation remain valid.
- The maximum operating temperature of 105°C0 was deleted in the GAR regulation.
- The new regulation GAR stipulates that the risk analysis must be included in the manufacturers' technical documentation.
- According to the new GAR, the application of the CE mark on the devices has become mandatory.
- In addition to the manufacturers, dealers and retailers are also responsible for the CE marking.
- Carbon monoxide limits have become mandatory for all devices with or without smoke extraction.
- The flame arrester is now mandatory for all devices in the GAR.
Validity periods:
The GAR prescribes a maximum validity period of ten years for EU type-examination certificates from the date of initial issuance. After these ten years, the certificate expires and the manufacturer must submit a new application, requiring a re-evaluation of the products to ensure that the products comply with the regulation. In addition, notified bodies must keep an eye on any changes to the product levels and determine whether the approved equipment still meets the essential requirements of the Regulation. If further investigations are found to be necessary, notified bodies are required to inform the manufacturer so that the certification can be updated accordingly.
How and when is compliance with EN standards required?
Harmonised standards establish a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the Regulation, the reference numbers of which have been published in the Official Journal of the EU. The application of harmonised standards is voluntary.
This Regulation is a complete harmonisation requirement that clarifies what requirements each gas appliance and fitting must meet. The new GAR Regulation contains an elaborated terminology of the applicable standards to facilitate the application of the legislation. The Regulation also introduces harmonised content for the communication of gas supply conditions in EU countries. This enables the design and construction of safe and properly functioning products.
EN 161 is an example of a harmonised European CEN standard adopted for the Gas Appliance Regulation that sets safety, construction and performance requirements for electrically operated automatic shut-off valves for gas burners and gas appliances.
What leads to CE marking?
"The general principles for the CE marking and its relationship to other markings are set out in Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008. "The rules for affixing the CE marking to equipment should be laid down in this Regulation", the Regulation states.
The GAR always requires the participation of third parties in the conformity assessment of products.
Manufacturers must assess the conformity of their products with the requirements of the Gas Appliance Regulation before placing them on the EU market. This can be achieved through technical solutions included in the harmonised European standards adopted for this Regulation for different product types. A more detailed examination of the essential requirements of this Regulation for CE conformity can be found in Articles 8 and 13 to 18 of the Regulation.
In the case of series-produced devices, the process consists of two phases:
- As explained in point 1 of Annex II to the Directive, the first phase involves the EC type-examination by a notified body.
- In the second phase, the manufacturer must either complete one of three EC declarations of conformity for type or opt for the EC test procedure. Points 2-5 of Annex II to the Directive provide details of these procedures.
In cases where the device is manufactured as a single piece or in small quantities, the manufacturer may opt for the EC test for single piece as described in point 6 of Annex II.
Once the conformity certification procedure has been completed, the CE marking may be affixed to a data plate attached to the device which cannot be removed or reused. The CE marking should not be applied to fittings, although they must be accompanied by a certificate of conformity.
What are the main elements of the CE marking procedure for equipment burning gaseous fuels?
The following are the most important elements to be considered when complying with the CE marking:
- What are EC type-examination procedures? The EC type-examination is the procedure by which a recognised testing body assesses and certifies that the product complies with the relevant regulation.
- What is the necessary content of the technical documentation for gas appliances? The most important areas in which a documentation in a Design History File (technical dossier) must necessarily be created and maintained are:
- A general description of the appliance or fitting
- Designs, manufacturing drawings and plans of components, subassemblies, circuits, etc. together with the necessary descriptive explanations
- A list of fully or partially applicable harmonised standards
- The results of design calculations, tests carried out, etc.
- Test reports
- Instructions for installation and use
- Instructions for fittings
How do you measure and analyze the risk of gas appliances?
The GAR (Gas Appliances Regulation) outlines precise measures for assessing and managing risks associated with gas appliances. Manufacturers must aim to eliminate planning and construction-related risks whenever possible and implement necessary precautions for unavoidable risks.
- Manufacturers are required to analyze several key areas posing risks to gas appliances, including manufacturing defects, installation errors, component failures, and user/operator mistakes. To ensure overall safety, gas appliance manufacturers should adhere to specific precautions, which can be established by a risk assessment.
- The regulation allows manufacturers to choose an acceptable risk assessment method, but documentation is mandatory. A widely used method is the "9-box grid". It classifies risks based on probability and severity, with high or medium risks addressed through constructive solutions, while warnings and instructions can handle minor risks.
