LVD Harmonised Standards

Article 12 of Directive 2014/35/EU links presumption of conformity to harmonised standards or parts of standards whose references have been published in the Official Journal. The presumption is limited to the LVD safety objectives in Article 3 and Annex I that the cited standard or cited part covers.

The Commission harmonised-standards service explains the same publication dependency: references must be published in the OJEU, use of harmonised standards remains voluntary, and manufacturers or conformity assessment bodies may use another technical solution to demonstrate compliance with mandatory legal requirements.

Since 1 December 2018, the LVD harmonised-standards page states that references are published in, and withdrawn from, the OJEU by Commission implementing decisions. A standards register should therefore cite the implementing decision, OJ reference, standard number, amendments and corrigenda, and any withdrawal date shown for that reference.

An OJEU reference can be restricted or withdrawn when the Commission concludes that a harmonised standard does not satisfy the LVD safety objectives it aims to cover. That means the standards register must preserve the text of the restriction or notice, not just the standard number.

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1457 is a concrete example. It provides for withdrawal of the reference to EN 60335-2-60:2003 for whirlpool baths and whirlpool spas from 18 January 2027, and adds restricted or notice-based entries for EN 60335-1:2012 and EN 60335-2-27:2013. The restriction for EN 60335-1:2012 concerns the clause 20.2 part referring to a test probe similar to test probe B; the notice for EN 60335-2-27:2013 concerns specified notes on product classifications and use locations.

Restrictions should be handled as engineering constraints. If a product relies on a restricted standard, the technical file should identify the affected clause or note and include separate analysis, testing, design controls, or instructions showing how the relevant Annex I safety objective is met.

The current LVD framework is a moving OJEU list, not a one-time standards snapshot. Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2723 replaced the older 2019 decision framework, published a single act for many LVD references, and set annexes for published and withdrawn references. Later decisions amend that register by inserting revised standards, deleting older rows, and deferring withdrawal where manufacturers need time to adapt.

The Commission's official LVD publications page, checked on 25 July 2026, lists Decision (EU) 2023/2723, its amendments of 19 April 2024, 30 October 2024, 16 July 2025, and 22 July 2025, plus the separate Decision (EU) 2025/1464 on EN 60335-2-14:2006 for kitchen machines. The page also warns that its downloadable summary lists have not been updated since April 2025 because of database maintenance, so use the OJEU decisions rather than the summary file for current status.

Examples within that published framework include Decision (EU) 2024/1198 for boxes, enclosures, underground conduit systems, and low-voltage switchgear and controlgear; Decision (EU) 2024/2764 for Edison screw lampholders, circulation pumps, toilet appliances, boxes and enclosures, and EV conductive charging; and Decision (EU) 2025/1488 for flat flexible cables and electric-vehicle charging cables.

When a product standard is replaced, keep both the old and new reference visible until the withdrawal date passes. The register should show which declaration, test report, design review, and production-control evidence still relies on the old reference and what work is needed before the deferred withdrawal applies. Withdrawal removes the cited reference's presumption of conformity from the stated date; it does not replace the manufacturer's duty to assess whether the existing design still meets every Annex I objective.

The technical file should prove why the selected standards are applicable to the exact product model, rated voltage, intended use, foreseeable conditions, accessories, software or firmware dependencies, installation environment, and user instructions. A certificate or lab report is not enough if it does not identify the same model, standard edition, amendments, and OJEU status.

Annex III to the LVD requires technical documentation that enables assessment of conformity and includes an adequate risk analysis and assessment. It also requires, where applicable, a list of harmonised standards applied in full or in part and, where those standards are not applied, descriptions of the solutions adopted to meet the Directive's safety objectives. Partial application must identify the parts applied.

Use standards evidence alongside design drawings, component specifications, risk analysis, test reports, production monitoring records, instructions, labels, and the EU declaration of conformity. Manufacturers must keep the technical documentation and EU declaration for 10 years after the electrical equipment has been placed on the market.