Powering Safety & Innovation
Under the Low Voltage and EMC Directives, harmonised standards provide a voluntary technical route to demonstrating compliance. A relevant OJEU citation can support presumption of conformity only for the requirements it covers. Other technical solutions may be used, with appropriate evidence. Manufacturers must still complete the applicable conformity-assessment, documentation and marking obligations. See the European Commission's explanation of harmonised standards.
⚙️ Machine Safety
Protect operators and equipment with EN 60204-1, the benchmark for electrical equipment of machines.
⚡ Power Distribution
Check the EN 61439 series for requirements relevant to low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies.
💡 Lighting & Appliances
Validate safety and performance for luminaires (EN 60598) and household devices (EN 60335).
Common Standards Families for Electrical Engineering
The following standards families address different electrical-engineering tasks. Select the relevant parts and editions for your equipment, installation and applicable legal framework. This is not a universal market-entry checklist.
| Standard | Title / Scope | Key Application |
|---|---|---|
| EN 60204-1 | Safety of Machinery - Electrical Equipment | Industrial machines & automation. |
| EN 61439 | Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear | Power distribution panels. |
| EN 50110 | Operation of electrical installations | Workplace safety procedures. |
| EN 60598 | Luminaires - General requirements | LED & traditional lighting safety. |
| EN 60335 | Household electrical appliances | Consumer product safety testing. |
| EN 62305 | Protection against lightning | Building & infrastructure safety. |
Strategic Advantages of Compliance
Appropriate standards can help structure design, testing and conformity evidence. Their usefulness depends on the product, intended use, applicable legislation and the exact references selected.
- CE marking: Use relevant standards as part of the evidence for applicable requirements. Follow the conformity-assessment procedure required by the legislation, and complete the technical documentation, declaration and marking obligations.
- Technical consistency: EN and IEC references can help manufacturers, suppliers and laboratories work to common specifications. Check national differences and destination-market requirements before relying on the same evidence in another country.
- Documented evidence: Record the standards selected, design decisions, risk assessment and test results. This supports assessment and traceability; applying a standard does not remove the manufacturer's responsibilities.
- Energy performance: Check product-specific ecodesign measures, including scope, application dates and measurement rules. Electrical-safety and EMC evidence does not by itself demonstrate compliance with separate energy-performance requirements.
For the next steps, use our CENELEC standards search guide and harmonised-standard verification checklist.
Buying guides for individual IEC references
If you have identified the product or safety task, these guides help narrow the publication choice before ordering:
- IEC 60598-1 luminaire safety buying guide — check the general document, relevant Part 2 and European adoption.
- IEC 62368-1 AV and ICT safety buying guide — compare edition, correction and European amendment options.
- IEC 61439-1 assembly buying guide — distinguish general rules from the applicable assembly-specific part.
- IEC 61508-1 functional safety buying guide — place Part 1 within the series and check relevant sector documents.
The guides link to exact Genorma records. An international IEC reference, European adoption and EU harmonised citation need separate checks for the equipment and destination market.
📥 Access Official Electrotechnical Standards
Check the external catalogue for the exact reference, scope, edition, language, available format and licence. This guide does not host the official standards documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between IEC and EN standards?
IEC standards are international publications. EN identifies a European Standard; some ENs adopt IEC work, but not every EN originates from IEC. For an EU Declaration of Conformity, follow the applicable legislation and identify the standards or other technical specifications actually used. Check the exact EN edition and OJEU citation when relying on a harmonised reference.
Is the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) mandatory?
The LVD sets mandatory safety requirements for equipment within its scope: equipment designed for rated voltages between 50 and 1,000 V AC or between 75 and 1,500 V DC, subject to the exclusions in Annex II and the applicable product framework. Check scope before applying the voltage test. Harmonised standards remain a voluntary way to demonstrate the safety objectives they cover. See Directive 2014/35/EU, Article 1 and Annex II.
What is Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)?
Electromagnetic compatibility concerns both the disturbances equipment produces and its ability to function in its intended electromagnetic environment. Assess emissions and immunity using methods suitable for the product and intended use. The requirements concern acceptable performance under expected conditions, rather than complete immunity to every source of interference. See EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, Annex I.
Explore Standards for Other Industries
Navigate to other key sectors to find relevant European and International standards.