Lifts provide an essential means of comfortable and safe access to different floors in buildings. The installation of lifts in new or existing buildings has an increasingly important role to play in an ageing society. It supports the social integration of people with special needs and offers freedom of access to people with reduced mobility.
EU legislation and lifts
The Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU permits the free circulation of lifts and safety components for lifts within the internal EU market and ensures a high level of safety for lift users and maintenance staff.
- This harmonised EU legislation governs the design, manufacture, and installation of lifts.
- It is mainly relevant for lift installers and components manufacturers but also has important implications for the owners and users of lifts.
- It is aligned with the new legislative framework policy and is applicable from 20 April 2016, replacing the previous Directive 95/16/EC.
Guidance on the application of the directive
- Guide to application of lifts directive (3 MB)
- New lifts in existing wells (14 KB)
- Testing of lift landing doors - Information note (13 KB)
- EMC standards on emission and immunity (208 KB)
- Common approach on UMPC devices (97KB)
EU declaration
With regard to access to cars for disabled people, EU countries are encouraged to take any national measures necessary to ensure that all levels of existing buildings, as well as those under construction are accessible to disabled people, particularly those who use wheelchairs.
It is recommended that at least one lift accessible to disabled people in wheelchairs be provided in all new buildings. Furthermore, the lift must fulfil all regulatory requirements (as regards dimensions, position of controls, etc.)
Existing lifts
The safety of existing lifts (those installed prior to the Lifts Directive 95/16/EC coming into force) is subject to national regulations. The recommendation on improving safety of existing lifts invites EU countries to take all necessary actions to ensure a satisfactory level of maintenance for existing lifts and to improve the safety of these lifts.
The recommendation is not legally binding and is implemented by the EU countries in light of the situation and provisions existing at national level.
Standardisation
European harmonised standards for Directive 2014/33/EU are produced by the European standardisation organisation: the European Committee for Standardization - CEN (technical committee CEN/TC 10 ). Their references are published in the official journal of the European Union (OJEU).
Notified bodies for lifts
- List of bodies notified under Directive 2014/33/EU (NANDO information system )
- European coordination of notified bodies for lifts (NB-L)
'Recommendation for use' (RfU) sheets
These 'technical sheets for coordination' report the common position of the notified bodies – sector Lifts – approved by the expert group 'NB-L' and endorsed by the lifts working group.
Directive 2014/33/EU on lifts and safety components for lifts
- RfUs for lifts - Directive 2014/33/EU (353 KB) considered as endorsed (January 2022)
Directive 95/16/EC on lifts and safety components for lifts
- RfUs for lifts - Directive 95/16/EC (3 MB) considered as endorsed (September 2016)
Further information
- Report: implementation and functioning of the lifts directive
- Staff working document: Evaluation of the lifts directive
- Evaluation of the lifts directive
- Minutes of the meetings of the lifts working group from 2002 onwards (3 MB)
- Contact points (151 kB) and Market surveillance authorities (151 kB)