The EU Machinery Regulation, explained.
Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027 and replaces the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. These guides cover what changes, the Annex I split, when a notified body is now mandatory, and the genuinely new duties. General information, not legal advice. Verified as at 12 July 2026.
What changes on 20 January 2027
The Machinery Regulation in one page: the application date, the repeal of the Directive, and the changes that matter to a manufacturer.
Annex I · Art. 25Annex I: Part A versus Part B
How the old Annex IV becomes Annex I, why the two-part split matters, and what each part forces on the conformity route.
Routes · Art. 25When a notified body is mandatory
The line between self-certification and a mandatory notified body, and the standards-coverage fork that decides it for Part B.
Annex I Part A · newSelf-evolving and AI safety functions
The new high-risk categories for machine-learning safety functions, and why they can never be self-declared.
Documentation · Annex IIIDigital instructions for use
What is now allowed digitally, the paper-on-request rule within one month, and the paper-safety-info rule for non-professional use.
Roles · substantial modificationSubstantial modification
When a change to a machine already on the market makes the modifier the manufacturer, with the full obligations that follow.