The EC Declaration of Conformity is the document by which the manufacturer declares that the machine complies with the applicable requirements. For machinery it is governed by Annex II.A of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. It must accompany every machine and is part of the Technical File.
What Is the EC Declaration of Conformity?
The EC Declaration of Conformity is the act by which the manufacturer (or their representative) certifies that the machine meets the essential safety requirements of the applicable EU directives (primarily the Machinery Directive). It should not be confused with CE marking (the symbol affixed to the machine): the marking is the visual sign, the Declaration is the document that "backs it up" and must be supplied with the machine.
What Must the EC Declaration Contain (Annex II.A)?
According to Annex II.A of Directive 2006/42/EC, the EC Declaration must contain:
- Identification of the machine: name and address of the manufacturer and, where applicable, their representative; the machine's designation, type, serial number (or other identifying element)
- An explicit declaration that the machine complies with the provisions of the directive (and any other applicable directives)
- References to the harmonised standards (or other technical standards) used
- The name, address and identification number of the notified body (if involved)
- Where applicable: an indication that the machine is intended to be incorporated into another machine or assembly of machines
- The place and date of the declaration
- Identification and signature of the person authorised to bind the manufacturer or their representative
Who Signs the EC Declaration of Conformity?
The EC Declaration must be signed by a person authorised to legally bind the manufacturer (or their representative). In practice: the company's legal representative or a delegate holding power of attorney. The signature can be handwritten or, where permitted, digital. The Declaration accompanies the machine (on paper or in electronic format, according to the applicable rules) and a copy must be kept in the Technical File.
EC Declaration Template and Multiple Languages
There is no single "official template" required by law, but the content must comply with Annex II.A. The Declaration must be drawn up in the (or one of the) official language(s) of the Member State in which the machine is placed on the market or put into service; it's often provided in several languages (Italian, English, German, etc.) to ease circulation within the single market. CE marking software like Reesly generates the EC Declaration in the correct, multi-language format straight from the machine's data, avoiding errors and omissions.
Reesly ProTip
With Reesly you generate the EC Declaration of Conformity (Annex II.A) in one click: the machine and manufacturer data are already aligned with the Technical File, correctly formatted, multi-language. Discover the features and request a demo.
The EC Declaration and the Technical File
A copy of the EC Declaration must be included in the Technical File (Annex VII). The Technical File and the Declaration must be consistent: the same machine data, the same manufacturer, the same directives and standards. This is why it's important for the EC Declaration, the manual and the risk assessment to come from the same data (something a centralized CE marking software guarantees). For the full process: How to CE Mark a Machine.
From "EC" to "EU": How the Declaration Changes Name in 2027
The name isn't fixed forever. Under Directive 2006/42/EC, the document is officially called the EC declaration of conformity (Annex II.A) - "EC" here stands for "European Community", the legal term used in directives adopted before the Lisbon Treaty. From 20 January 2027, when Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 becomes fully applicable, the same document is renamed the EU declaration of conformity, set out in a new template in Annex V of the Regulation. The content and purpose stay essentially the same - what the manufacturer declares, and why - but the name, the annex reference and some formatting details (such as a mandatory photo of the machine) change. Reesly already generates the correct version - EC today, EU from 2027 - from the same project data, so you don't need to track this transition manually.
Frequently Asked Questions About the EC Declaration
What is the EC Declaration of Conformity?
It's the document by which the manufacturer (or their representative) declares that the machine complies with the essential safety requirements of the applicable directives. It must accompany the machine and is part of the Technical File. For machinery it is set out in Annex II.A.
Who signs the EC Declaration of Conformity?
It is signed by a person authorised to bind the manufacturer or their representative (e.g. the legal representative or a delegate with power of attorney). It can be handwritten or, where permitted, digital.
What must the EC Declaration contain?
Identification of the machine and the manufacturer, a declaration of conformity with the applicable directives, references to the standards used, any notified body involved, place and date, and identification and signature of the signatory (Annex II.A).
Is it called "EC" or "EU" declaration of conformity?
Both, depending on when: it's the "EC declaration of conformity" under the current Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC (Annex II.A), and it becomes the "EU declaration of conformity" under Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (Annex V) from 20 January 2027. Machines placed on the market before that date keep the "EC" version; from 2027, new machines need the "EU" version.
Also read: Machinery Technical File, How to CE Mark a Machine, Machinery Directive Regulation.