The EU Machinery Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, is the new EU law on machinery safety. It replaces the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and, as of October 2026, applies to machinery placed on the EU market from 20 January 2027.
There is no transition period in which you can choose. A machine placed on the market up to 19 January 2027 must meet the Directive. A machine placed on the market from 20 January 2027 must meet the Regulation. If your machine ships late and arrives after that date, the new rules apply to it.
Why it matters for machines made in India
Many Indian machines for Europe take months to build and weeks to ship. An order placed in late 2026 can easily reach the EU market after 20 January 2027. Ask your supplier now which set of rules it is designing to, and get the answer in writing.
As a regulation, the new law applies directly in every EU country without national transposition. That should make the rules more uniform across member states.
What changes
- A list of high-risk machinery replaces the old Annex IV, and for some categories a notified body must always be involved.
- Instructions may be supplied in digital form, but the buyer can ask for a paper copy free of charge at the time of purchase.
- New safety requirements cover software, connected machines, protection against corruption of control systems, and machines with self-evolving behaviour.
- Importers and distributors have clearly written duties, including checking the manufacturer's documents and adding their own contact details.
- Anyone who substantially modifies a machine after it is placed on the market can become its manufacturer in law.
- The EU declaration of conformity and the technical documentation follow the Regulation's own annexes.
What stays the same
The core method does not change. The manufacturer still assesses risks, designs to the essential health and safety requirements, compiles a technical file, signs a declaration and affixes the CE marking. Harmonised standards still give a presumption of conformity for the requirements they cover. Our guide to CE marking for machinery explains who is responsible for each step.
For many standard machines, much of the existing work can be carried over. The gaps tend to be in control system safety, cybersecurity, digital instructions and the updated documentation.
How to check where you stand
Read the Regulation's text on EUR-Lex and check the European Commission's machinery pages for guidance and any amendment. Ask a notified body or a CE consultant whether your machine is on the high-risk list. Confirm with your national market surveillance authority if your case is unclear.
Ask your Indian supplier three questions. Has it reviewed the machine against the Regulation? Will the declaration and instructions follow the new format? Does it know whether a notified body is needed? Vague answers are a warning sign.
Next step
We check documents and machines against your order before shipment, and flag gaps early. To review a machine you plan to ship to the EU, book a free sourcing review.