Explosives for Civil Uses

PHASE 1: Does the Explosives for Civil Use Directive Apply to Your Product?

As a manufacturer, you need to secure copies of the Directives and judge whether they apply to your product. The European Commission does not publish a list of products to which their laws apply; they require the manufacturer to determine the applicability of directives to any given product. For Directive 93/15/EEC, Explosives for Civil Use, the European Union utilizes the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods recommendations, which are published in the United Nations Orange Book at http://www.un.org. This Directive does not apply to pyrotechnical articles. The Directive also does not apply to explosives or ammunition intended for use by a country’s armed forces or police force if in accordance with the country’s national laws. There are several exceptions to the ammunition exemption which are detailed in Articles 10, 12, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 19 of this Directive.

This Directive does not prevent EU member countries from designating other materials not covered by this Directive as explosives under national laws or regulations. If your product falls within the scope of several directives, you must conform to the provisions of each directive. To view the Explosives for Civil Use Directive and see the latest list of standards for that directive, please go to the European Commission's website at http://www.newapproach.org and click on "Directives and Standards."

This overview of the Explosives for Civil Use Directive is still being developed. For additional information on this directive, please contact either of the U.S. Department of Commerce's EU Specialists: Bob Straetz at 202-482-4496 or Sylvia Mohr at 011 32 2 508 2675

PHASE 2: CE Marking Requirements for the Explosives for Civil Use Directive

The Explosives for Civil Use Directive does not allow for CE Marking self-certification. Certification is obtained through a testing facility that is approved by the European Commission. A list of approved testing facilities is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities along with their identification numbers and the tests that the lab is approved to conduct. Article 6 of the Explosives for Civil Use Directive details the requirements your product must meet for CE Marking certification.

To view the Explosives for Civil Use Directive and see the latest list of standards for that directive, please go to the European Commission's website at http://www.newapproach.org and click on "Directives and Standards."

This guide to the Explosives for Civil Use Directive is still being developed. For additional information on this directive, please contact either of the U.S. Department of Commerce's EU Specialists: Bob Straetz at 202-482-4496 or Sylvia Mohr at 011 32 2 508 2675.