The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU (formerly 97/23/EC) of the EU sets out the standards for the design and fabrication of pressure equipment ("pressure equipment" means steam boilers, pressure vessels, piping, safety valves and other components and assemblies subject to pressure loading) generally over one litre in volume and having a maximum pressure more than 0.5 bar gauge. It also sets the administrative procedures requirements for the "conformity assessment" of pressure equipment, for the free placing on the European market without local legislative barriers. It has been mandatory throughout the EU since 30 May 2002, with 2014 revision fully effective as of 19 July 2016. The standards and regulations regarding pressure vessels and boiler safety are also very close to the US standards defined by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This enables most international inspection agencies to provide both verification and certification services to assess compliance to the different pressure equipment directives. From the pressure vessel manufactures PED does not generally require a prior manufacturing permit/certificate/stamp as ASME does. Contents Scope and Definitions (including exemptions of its scope) Market surveillance Technical requirements: classification of pressure equipment according to type and content. Free movement Presumption of conformity Committee on technical standards and regulations Committee on Pressure Equipment Safeguard clause Classification of pressure equipment Conformity assessment European approval for materials Notified bodies Recognized third-party organisations User inspectorates CE marking Unduly affixed CE marking International co-operation Decisions entailing refusal or restriction Repeal Transposition and transitional provisions Addressees of the Directive: the EU member states for implementation in national laws and/or regulations. Annex I: Essential safety requirements General Design Manufacturing Materials Fired or otherwise heated pressure equipment with a risk of overheating (article 3.1) Piping Specific quantitative requirements for certain pressure equipment Appendix II: Conformity assessment tables. Actually diagrams of pressure vs. volume (or diameter for pipes), for classification of equipment in four classes. Appendix III: Conformity assessment procedures Appendix IV: Minimum criteria to be met when designating the notified bodies (article 12) and the recognised third party organisations (article 13) Appendix V: Criteria to be met when authorising user inspectorates (article 14) Appendix VI: CE marking Appendix VII: Declaration of conformity Transition to Directive 2014/68/EU Directive 97/23/EC was fully superseded by directive 2014/68/EU from 20 July 2016 onwards. Article 13 of the new directive (classification of pressure equipment) became effective 1 June 2015, replacing article 9 of directive 97/23/EC. UK implementation