Lifts: approximation of minimum requirements of security (repeal. Directives 84/528/EEC and 84/529/EEC)

The Council adopted its common position with a qualified majority, Spain having voted against and the United Kingdom having abstained. The common position retained the spirit of all the proposals for amendments made by the Commission in order to take account of the European Parliament's amendments. However, in order to reach an overall agreement, the Council made certain significant changes to the initial proposal. In particular, it: - incorporated in the first article the European Parliament's amendment in the form presented by the Commission in its amended proposal; - supplemented the definition of a lift in light of the EP's amendment; - added five additional exclusions in order to better clarify the scope of the directive; - in addition to the concept of installer, added the definition of a model lift and that of a safety component; - increased safety in the installation of lifts by providing for a) the possibility for Member States to ensure that the person responsible for work on the building or construction and the installer of the lift remained in contact; b) the ban on using lift shafts for any piping or wiring other than that necessary for the operation of the lift; - agreed with the EP in harmonising the terminology with that used in Regulation (EEC) No 93/68 on marking; - opted for a specific standing committee of an advisory nature; - added to the conformity assessment procedure for safety components production checks by a notified body, whilst providing for the possibility of being free from this by operating a quality assurance system for checking production; the choices offered to the installer in terms of conformity assessment procedures were extended; - stipulated that the Commission should re-examine the functioning of the directive, at the latest seven years after its adoption, and submit any proposals for appropriate amendments; - rearranged the list of safety components in Annex IV (removal of the points relating to the cables or chains used to suspend the car and their attachments and the lining material for friction pulleys; inclusion of electrical safety devices in the form of safety circuits with electrical components). �