REFERENCE / Information for use
Machinery instructions and digital information
Instructions must describe the actual product and support safe use. The Regulation permits digital delivery subject to specific conditions.
The Directive remains the current framework before 20 January 2027. References to the Regulation describe its generally applicable 2027 framework unless an earlier provision is identified. This is independent educational information.
Write for the supplied machine
Instructions should explain the intended use, operating limits and necessary precautions for the machinery as supplied. The risk assessment and final protective measures should inform the content. A generic manual copied across a product family can omit important differences in configuration or use.
Consider installation, operation, adjustment and maintenance tasks. Identify the model clearly and provide information that is understandable to the intended users. Instructions are part of the safety argument; they cannot replace feasible design and safeguarding measures.
Digital instructions from 2027
Article 10(7) of the Regulation allows instructions in digital format. Manufacturers must indicate how to access them, make them printable, downloadable and saveable, and keep them accessible online for the expected lifetime and at least ten years after placement on the market.
Users who request paper instructions at the time of purchase must receive them free within one month. For machinery intended for non-professional users, or foreseeably used by them, essential safety information for putting into service and safe use must be supplied on paper. A QR code alone does not address every condition.
Language and accessibility of the information
The Regulation requires instructions and safety information in a language easily understood by users, as determined by the Member State concerned. They must be clear, understandable and legible. A company’s preferred internal language is not necessarily sufficient for its target market.
Plan offline access for breakdowns and revisions for long-lived equipment. Keep model-specific files available rather than redirecting all historical links to a current sales page. Test the access method in the conditions in which users will need it.
Keep the current framework in view
The Regulation’s digital-delivery permission is part of its generally applicable 2027 framework. Do not assume it removes current Directive obligations for machinery placed on the market earlier. Consult the Directive’s instructions provisions and official application guidance.
Review instructions with the people responsible for the final risk assessment and verification. Record the approved version and the product configurations it covers. Treat changes to limits, safety functions or residual risks as reasons to review the information again.
Sources & related reading
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, consolidated 27 July 2026: Article 10(7); Annex III, section 1.7.4.
- Directive 2006/42/EC, consolidated text: current framework.
- European Commission machinery legislation and guidance.
Continue with eu machinery law: the working framework, machinery regulation: the 2027 transition, machinery scope and product definitions.
Machine-specific interpretation and verification need competent assessment. This publication does not give legal advice or guarantee compliance.