Can equipment certified to an old edition of an Ex standard still be sold or installed?
Abstract
Usually yes. Equipment already placed on the market or installed may stay in use, and IECEx certificates to older editions remain valid. Under ATEX, each new unit must meet the state of the art when placed on the market, so the manufacturer must review superseded standards.
Usually yes, but the answer depends on what is being done with the equipment. Equipment already installed, or already placed on the market and sitting in stock, does not become illegal when a standard is revised. IECEx certificates to older editions stay valid until cancelled or suspended. Under ATEX, however, every new unit a manufacturer places on the market must meet the generally acknowledged state of the art on that day, so the manufacturer must review its certificate when the harmonised standard behind it is superseded.
Short answer
- Installed equipment: may stay in service. A new edition of a construction standard does not require existing equipment to be replaced or recertified.
- Stock already on the market: a distributor may sell units that were lawfully placed on the market earlier; the Commission's ATEX Guidelines say distributors need not re-check products against obligations that changed later.
- New production under ATEX: the manufacturer must take changes in harmonised standards into account (Article 6(4) of Directive 2014/34/EU). If the old specifications no longer ensure the essential requirements, the EU-type examination certificate is no longer valid and a re-evaluation is needed.
- IECEx: there is no requirement to upgrade an existing certificate to a later edition, and it remains valid while its status is Current. New certificates may only be issued to the current edition or the one before it.
- Projects and users may still require recent editions by contract or national rule.
ATEX: what counts is the day each unit is placed on the market
The ATEX directive applies to each product individually, at the moment it is first made available on the EU market. A certificate does not freeze the rules for every unit ever made under it.
Harmonised standards give a presumption of conformity. When a revised standard is published, the Commission's ATEX Guidelines explain that a manufacturer may keep using the old harmonised standard until the new one supersedes it at the end of the transition period. After that, the old edition no longer gives presumption of conformity.
The Guidelines then distinguish two cases:
- The original specifications still meet the essential health and safety requirements. The EU-type examination certificate remains valid. EU-type examination certificates have no obligatory expiry date.
- The state of the art has moved substantively, which a revised harmonised standard is one way of recognising. CEN or CENELEC decide whether, and in what respects, a revision changes the state of the art and say so in the foreword of the new standard. If it has, the certificate is no longer valid for new production, and the manufacturer should ask a notified body for re-evaluation. Changes of harmonised standards are among the changes that are recorded in a supplement or revised certificate.
Notified bodies are expected to alert the holders of their certificates when harmonised standards are revised, but the responsibility for holding a valid certificate stays with the manufacturer. A new certificate has no retroactive effect: products placed on the market while the manufacturer held a valid certificate are not affected.
Example: A gas detector's EU-type examination certificate lists the general requirements standard of the time. A later edition becomes harmonised and the old one is superseded. The manufacturer compares the editions. If no change affects this design, it records that review, and the notified body may issue a supplement that updates the standards list. If a change does matter, for instance a new marking or test requirement, the type is re-assessed before further units are placed on the market. Detectors already delivered to wholesalers are unaffected.
IECEx: older editions stay valid
The IECEx Certified Equipment Scheme takes a simpler line. According to the IECEx FAQ:
- a new edition of a standard does not require a new issue of an existing certificate, because the certificate attests compliance with the edition listed on it;
- there is currently no requirement to upgrade an existing certificate, and a new issue for a design change may still use the older edition;
- the IECEx rules allow new certificates only against the current edition or one edition prior (unit verification certificates excepted);
- an up-issue to a newer edition does not cancel earlier issues.
IECEx also warns that a new edition does not mean older equipment is unsafe, and recommends that manufacturers, customers and users consider whether the changes matter for their application.
Installing and keeping equipment in service
| Situation | Usual answer |
|---|---|
| Equipment installed years ago, certificate to an old edition | Keep in service and inspect and maintain it to IEC 60079-17; the installation is normally judged against the rules that applied when it was installed, unless national law or the owner requires an upgrade |
| New installation, equipment from stock already on the EU market | Can be installed if EPL, gas group, temperature class and certificate conditions fit the area |
| New installation, project specification demands current editions | The contract decides; ask the supplier for an updated certificate |
| Relocating old equipment to a new site | Check the national workplace rules and the area data; see the second-hand question below |
Selection under IEC 60079-14 is based on the equipment protection level, group, temperature class, ambient range and certificate conditions. Read older certificates carefully: markings changed over the years, for example from EEx to Ex and to marked equipment protection levels, and IEC 60079-0 edition 8 (2026) requires the rated ambient range on every marking. Older equipment without that marking is not non-compliant; it was certified under the rules of its time.
Common mistakes
- Rejecting equipment only because the certificate is a few years old. Check the status and the content, not the date alone.
- Assuming an old ATEX certificate covers new production forever. The manufacturer must keep pace with superseded harmonised standards.
- Confusing certificate validity with suitability. A valid certificate to any edition still has to match the zone, gas group and temperature class.
Related on excodex
- EU-Type Examination Certificates and Notified Bodies explained
- The IECEx scheme explained: CoC, ExTR, QAR and the online certificate database
- Quality assurance for Ex manufacturers: QAN, QAR and ISO/IEC 80079-34
- Does an ATEX certificate expire or need renewing?
- Does refurbished or second-hand Ex equipment need a new certificate?
Standards and further reading
- Directive 2014/34/EU, Article 6 (obligations of manufacturers, including changes in harmonised standards): legislation.gov.uk
- European Commission, ATEX 2014/34/EU Guidelines, 6th edition (January 2026), sections on presumption of conformity, the EU-type examination certificate and the state of the art, and validity of certificates: webgate.ec.europa.eu
- IECEx, frequently asked questions on the Certified Equipment Scheme: iecex.com
- IEC 60079-14, design, selection and erection of electrical installations; IEC 60079-17, inspection and maintenance of electrical installations
This article is general technical information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable standards, the equipment certificates and instructions, national regulations or the assessment of a competent person.