Manufacturing & Industrial Production

• Product Liability (legacy Dir. 85/374/EEC → new EU Regulation forthcoming)

The EU product liability framework governs the responsibility of manufacturers for damage caused by defective products, forming a core legal pillar for the manufacturing and industrial production sector. Under the legacy Product Liability Directive 85/374/EEC, producers are subject to strict liability, meaning they may be held liable for defects regardless of fault, where a product fails to provide the safety a person is entitled to expect.

For manufacturers, this regime directly affects product design, quality control, supply-chain management, and post-market monitoring. Liability may arise from defects in manufacturing, design, or instructions, as well as from insufficient warnings or safety information.

The forthcoming new EU Product Liability Regulation modernises this framework to reflect digitalisation, automation, AI-enabled products, and complex industrial supply chains. It expands coverage to software, updates, and connected components, while clarifying evidentiary rules and accountability across production networks.

Together, the existing and upcoming rules make product safety, compliance, and traceability central legal obligations for industrial producers, reinforcing consumer protection while increasing the importance of preventive risk management in manufacturing operations.

• Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (replacing Machinery Directive)

The Machinery Regulation replaces the former Machinery Directive with a directly applicable EU framework governing the design, manufacture, and placing on the market of machinery and related products. It modernises safety requirements to reflect automation, robotics, digital controls, and AI-enabled machinery, which are now integral to industrial production.

For manufacturers, the Regulation introduces enhanced obligations on risk assessment, conformity procedures, technical documentation, and CE marking, while addressing new risks linked to software updates, connectivity, and human–machine interaction. It also strengthens rules for high-risk machinery, ensuring stricter oversight and harmonised safety standards across the EU.

By aligning machinery safety with technological innovation, the Regulation reinforces operator protection, legal certainty, and market access, making compliance a critical element of lawful and competitive manufacturing operations in the European industrial sector.

• General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988

The General Product Safety Regulation establishes the horizontal safety framework for non-food consumer products placed on the EU market, ensuring that all products are safe throughout their lifecycle. It strengthens obligations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors, particularly in relation to risk assessment, traceability, and corrective actions.

For the manufacturing and industrial production sector, the Regulation introduces stricter requirements on product design, documentation, and post-market surveillance, including enhanced duties to monitor products in use, report safety incidents, and manage recalls. It also extends safety obligations to products sold online, increasing accountability across modern supply chains.

By reinforcing preventive safety measures and market surveillance, the Regulation promotes consumer protection, regulatory compliance, and trust, making product safety management a central responsibility for manufacturers operating within the EU.

• REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006

The REACH Regulation governs the registration, evaluation, authorisation, and restriction of chemicals used and placed on the market within the European Union. It applies directly to manufacturers and industrial producers that manufacture, import, or use chemical substances in their production processes or finished products.

For the manufacturing sector, REACH imposes obligations related to substance registration, supply-chain communication, risk assessment, and safe use documentation. Companies must ensure that chemicals used in production are properly assessed for human health and environmental risks, and that information on hazardous substances is communicated throughout the supply chain.

By shifting the burden of proof to industry, REACH strengthens chemical safety, transparency, and environmental responsibility, making regulatory compliance an essential component of sustainable and legally sound industrial production in the EU.

• CLP Regulation (EC) 1272/2008

The CLP Regulation governs the classification, labelling, and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures placed on the EU market. It aligns EU rules with the UN Globally Harmonised System (GHS), ensuring that chemical hazards are clearly identified and communicated.

For manufacturers and industrial producers, CLP imposes strict obligations to classify chemical hazards correctly, label products with standardised hazard symbols and warnings, and ensure safe packaging. These requirements apply across industrial supply chains, from raw materials to finished products, and directly affect workplace safety, transport, and downstream use.

By ensuring consistent hazard communication, the CLP Regulation enhances worker protection, environmental safety, and regulatory transparency, making it a critical compliance element for lawful and responsible industrial production in the EU.

• Ecodesign/ESPR (EU) 2024/1781 (sustainable products framework)

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) establishes a comprehensive EU framework for sustainable product design, significantly expanding the scope of earlier ecodesign rules beyond energy-related products. It introduces requirements aimed at improving product durability, reparability, recyclability, and environmental performance throughout the entire product lifecycle.

For manufacturers and industrial producers, ESPR affects product design, material selection, supply-chain transparency, and technical documentation. It introduces new obligations such as digital product passports, enhanced information duties, and restrictions on the destruction of unsold goods for certain product categories. Compliance will increasingly influence market access and competitiveness within the EU.

By embedding sustainability and circular-economy principles into product regulation, ESPR transforms environmental responsibility into a core legal and strategic consideration for industrial production in the European Union.

• Waste/Packaging: Packaging & Packaging Waste (new PPWR incoming), WEEE, RoHS (sector-specific)

The EU waste and packaging framework regulates how products are designed, placed on the market, collected, and recycled, making it a core compliance area for manufacturers and industrial producers. It reflects the EU’s shift toward a circular economy, where waste prevention, recyclability, and resource efficiency are legal obligations rather than voluntary goals.

The forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) replaces the existing directive-based regime with directly applicable EU rules, introducing stricter requirements on packaging minimisation, recyclability, reuse targets, and labelling. Manufacturers must reassess packaging design, materials, and supply-chain practices to ensure market access.

The WEEE Directive imposes extended producer responsibility for electrical and electronic equipment, requiring manufacturers to finance and organise the collection, treatment, and recycling of end-of-life products. The RoHS Directive complements this framework by restricting the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, directly affecting material selection and product engineering.

Together, these regimes make waste management and material compliance a strategic and operational priority for industrial producers, linking environmental responsibility with legal compliance and long-term competitiveness in the EU market.

Technical Requirements to Products Act

Protection Against the Harmful Impact of Chemical Substances and Mixtures Act (REACH/CLP)

Waste Management Act;

Environmental Protection Act

Health and Safety at Work Act