Fire safety products, flammable or explosive devices, machinery and equipment

Minister for the Interior Decree amending Minister for the Interior Decrees on the fire prevention compliance of certain products

The aim of the decree is to amend Minister for Local Government Decree No 22/2009 of 23 July 2009 on the rules for obtaining fire prevention certificates of compliance (hereinafter: the ‘Minister for Local Government Decree’) and the Minister for the Interior Decree No 26/2004 of 11 June 2004 on the designation of bodies inspecting, controlling and certifying certain technical products for fire safety (hereinafter: the ‘Minister for the Interior Decree’).

Act XXXI of 1996 on fire protection, technical rescue and fire brigades prescribes that a fire prevention certificate of compliance must be obtained in order to market and install a fire safety product or a flammable or explosive device, machine or equipment. Fire prevention certificates of compliance may be issued by designated certification bodies.

The Minister for the Interior Decree governs the designation procedure, and determines, inter alia, the information content of the designation request. Based on legislation currently in force, the product group and the device type in which the applicant intends to pursue an activity subject to certification shall be specified in the request.

The product group of fire safety products, flammable or explosive devices, machinery and equipment is constantly changing parallel to technical development, and so do the conditions required for their marketing, installation and use.

The amendment to the decrees is bi-directional: on the one hand it repeals the rules that became null and void due to product classification changes, and specifies the activities relating to fire safety products and flammable or explosive devices, machinery and equipment in the procedure to designate the certification body; on the other hand it reduces the administrative burdens on customers.