Transport safety: transportable pressure equipment

The Committee has adopted the report by Felipe CAMISON ASENSIO (E, EPP) on the proposal for a Council directive on transportable pressure equipment. This directive will fill the gaps in legislation on the manufacture of transport, marketing, use and maintenance of equipment meeting the requirements of Directive 94/55 and 96/49/EC. Main objectives of the proposal are to enhance safety in the transport of this equipment and ensure its free movement within the EU. The rapporteurs welcomes the idea to meet the two objectives mentioned above rather than to create a body of law that would serve to cover all problems in the sector. An orderly transition is needed from current transportable pressure equipment to that of the future. This can be done through periodic inspections and conformity assessments. The present directive will assure mutual recognition of inspections. Another major advantage is that products can secure a higher market share. For this purpose, the equipment concerned must be easily identifiable. The best way of doing this is to give them a distinnctive mark different from those currently in force for stable pressure equipment. A number of amendments on this very technical proposal has been tabled.�