§137 ノーティファイドボディの調整

The exchange of experience between the Notified Bodies is organised in the framework of a European Coordination of Notified Bodies for Machinery, NB-M. The purpose of NB-M is to discuss problems arising in the course of the conformity assessment procedures and to harmonise the practice of the Notified Bodies. In some cases, Notified Bodies are represented by a national coordination group set up in their country. Participation in coordination activities is one of the criteria for the notification of bodies – see §408: comments on Annex XI.

NB-M is divided into a number of groups that cover the different categories of machinery listed in Annex IV. These are called Vertical Groups (VGs).

There are currently 13 VGs that meet as necessary to deal with the following subjects:

VG1 Woodworking machinery VG2 Meatworking machinery VG3 Presses for cold-working metals VG4 Injection or compression moulding machines VG5 Machines for underground work VG6 Household waste collection skips (RCVs) VG7 Removable transmission shafts VG8 Vehicles servicing lifts VG9 Lifting persons devices VG 11 Safety components VG 12 ROPS and FOPS VG 13 Full quality assurance VG 14 Portable cartridge-operated fixing and other impact machinery

In addition, NB-M has a Horizontal Committee that supervises and coordinates the work of the Vertical Groups and deals with issues common to all of the Notified Bodies. The Horizontal Committee meets twice a year, under the chairmanship of an elected representative of one of the Notified Bodies. Representatives of the European Commission and of three Member States chosen by the Machinery Working Group take part in these meetings as observers.

The European Commission contributes to the functioning of NB-M by financing the technical secretariat, which prepares the work of the Group, and the administrative secretariat, which organises the meetings and manages the circulation of documents.

NB-M adopts so-called "Recommendations for Use" (RfUs) which provide agreed answers to questions that have been discussed in the Vertical Groups. In general, RfUs are established where no relevant harmonised standard is available or where the relevant harmonised standard does not provide a sufficiently precise answer to a certain question. When a relevant harmonised standard is adopted or when the harmonised standard is revised accordingly, the RfU is withdrawn. The RfUs are approved by the NB-M Horizontal Committee then communicated to the Machinery Working Group for endorsement. The RfUs that have been endorsed by the Machinery Working Group are published on the Commission’s Website EUROPA. The RfUs are not legally binding but, once they have been agreed by NB-M and have been endorsed by the Machinery Working Group, they are to be considered as an important reference for ensuring uniform application of the Machinery Directive by the NBs.