General

At the beginning of 2001, and until 2003, the placing on the market of electrical equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres is regulated by two basic types of European legislation:

• directives prior to 1994 ;

• directive 94 / 9 EC.

Directives prior to 1994 required compliance with construction standards, whereas Directive 94/9/EC defines the essential safety requirements (ESRs) that equipment must meet. This means that compliance with the rules of the standards is no more than a presumption of compliance with the ESRs; in other words, a piece of equipment may not comply with all the rules of the standards...