Regulation 2016/425

The placing of personal protective equipment on the European market is regulated by European Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (formerly 89/686 EEC).

This Regulation was introduced to define the requirements that manufacturers of personal protective equipment need to meet to be able to make their products available on the European market. It has been in force since April 2018, replacing the former 89/686 guidelines for manufacturers.

Now that the one-year transition period has lapsed, all PPE products now need to comply with this new Regulation. The Regulation ensures that all personal protective equipment sold within the European Union is standardized according to the respective standards.