TPED - Directive 2010/35/EU

What TPED is and why it matters

The Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive (TPED) — formally Directive 2010/35/EU on transportable pressure equipment — is the EU law that governs the receptacles, valves, accessories and tanks used to move dangerous goods under pressure across the Union. If you manufacture, import or distribute gas cylinders, cryogenic vessels, tube trailers, tank containers or the valves fitted to them, TPED almost certainly applies to you. Its purpose is to ensure that this equipment is safe both when it is first placed on the market and throughout its working life, while allowing it to circulate freely within the EU.

TPED matters because pressure receptacles are filled, emptied, transported and refilled many times over decades, so the law does not stop at the point of sale. It ties the EU market directly to the international agreements on the carriage of dangerous goods — ADR (road), RID (rail) and ADN (inland waterways) — and adds the conformity assessment, marking and surveillance machinery the EU relies on. The practical effect is that the technical rules come from the international transport agreements, while TPED provides the EU framework that makes them enforceable and gives equipment a single passport to move between Member States.

📄 Official text: Directive 2010/35/EU on transportable pressure equipment — on EUR-Lex →

Who TPED applies to

TPED applies across the supply chain and across the life of the equipment, not just to its maker. The duties scale with your role, but every link is covered:

Manufacturers — anyone who makes transportable pressure equipment, or has it made and markets it under their own name or trademark. They design and build to the Annexes of ADR/RID/ADN, draw up the technical documentation and ensure conformity assessment is carried out.
Importers — businesses bringing transportable pressure equipment from outside the EU into the Union market. They must verify the manufacturer has met its obligations, that the conformity assessment was done and the documentation exists, before placing equipment on the market.
Distributors — operators further down the chain who must check that the Pi marking and required documents are present and act with due care before making equipment available.
Owners and operators — those who hold and use the equipment carry duties around periodic inspection, ensuring receptacles are not used outside their valid inspection interval.

The Directive covers new transportable pressure equipment placed on the market, as well as existing equipment for the purposes of periodic inspection, intermediate inspection, reassessment of conformity and re-use. Equipment exclusively used for the transport of dangerous goods between EU and third countries under the international agreements is treated in line with those agreements.

Key dates and timeline

2010 — Directive 2010/35/EU was adopted, replacing the earlier transportable pressure equipment directive (Directive 1999/36/EC) and aligning the EU framework with the modern structure of ADR/RID/ADN.
Periodic alignment — because TPED references the Annexes to ADR, RID and ADN, the underlying technical requirements are updated on the international cycle (typically every two years). Equipment must meet the requirements of the agreements as they apply at the relevant time, so the “live” technical content changes even though the Directive number stays the same.

Core requirements

Conformity with ADR/RID/ADN and technical documentation

At the heart of TPED is a single principle: transportable pressure equipment must satisfy the construction, inspection and marking requirements set out in the Annexes to ADR, RID and ADN. TPED itself does not invent separate technical specifications — it makes the international rules the benchmark for placing equipment on the EU market. Manufacturers must apply those requirements, draw up the technical documentation describing the equipment and how it meets them, and keep it available for the authorities. Where the agreements allow design types, the design type is assessed and the production is then built to that approved type.

Conformity assessment by a notified body

Before new transportable pressure equipment can be placed on the market, its conformity must be assessed in accordance with the procedures set out in the Annexes to ADR/RID/ADN. This assessment is carried out by a notified body — a conformity assessment body designated by a Member State and notified to the Commission for TPED. The notified body verifies the design type and the production conformity, and the manufacturer draws up the documentation demonstrating that the applicable procedures have been followed. Valves and other accessories with a direct safety function are assessed alongside the receptacles they serve.

The Pi (π) marking

Equipment that has successfully passed conformity assessment carries the Pi (π) conformity marking rather than the CE marking used for most other product legislation. The Pi marking is the visible sign that the equipment conforms to TPED and to the applicable requirements of ADR/RID/ADN, and that the conformity assessment and any required inspections have been carried out. It is affixed by, or under the responsibility of, the manufacturer, and is followed by the identification number of the notified body involved in the inspection. Only equipment bearing a valid Pi marking — kept current through periodic inspection — may circulate and be filled within the Union.

Periodic and intermediate inspection

Because pressure receptacles stay in service for years, TPED requires periodic inspection at the intervals set in ADR/RID/ADN, and where applicable intermediate inspection between periodic dates. These inspections — carried out by a notified body in accordance with the agreements — verify that the receptacle remains safe to fill and transport. The notified body that performs the periodic inspection applies, or has applied, the Pi marking together with its identification number and the date, so the receptacle’s marking shows it is within a valid inspection interval. Equipment that fails or is overdue may not be filled or transported until it has been re-inspected.

Reassessment of conformity

TPED provides a route for reassessment of conformity for transportable pressure equipment that was manufactured and put into service before the relevant requirements applied, or that does not bear the Pi marking but is otherwise suitable. A notified body examines the equipment against the applicable requirements of ADR/RID/ADN; if it is satisfied, the Pi marking is applied so that legacy equipment can continue to be used and circulated lawfully within the Union. This keeps serviceable older receptacles in use without compromising the single safety standard.

Obligations by role

Manufacturers — design and build to ADR/RID/ADN, arrange conformity assessment by a notified body, draw up technical documentation, and affix the Pi marking.
Importers — verify the conformity assessment was carried out and the documentation and Pi marking are in place before placing equipment on the market, and cooperate with authorities.
Distributors — check the Pi marking and accompanying documents are present and act with due care before making equipment available.
Owners and operators — ensure periodic and intermediate inspections are completed on time and that receptacles outside a valid interval are withdrawn from use until re-inspected.

Enforcement

Each Member State designates the authorities responsible for market surveillance and for notifying conformity assessment bodies under TPED. In Denmark, the Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) is the competent authority for pressure equipment, working alongside the transport authorities that enforce the carriage of dangerous goods.

Authorities can require corrective action, restrict or prohibit the placing on the market of non-compliant equipment, and act where the Pi marking has been wrongly affixed or where equipment is used outside a valid inspection interval. Because the technical rules are shared internationally through ADR/RID/ADN, non-compliance can have consequences across borders. The qualitative reality for a business is that a receptacle with an invalid or missing Pi marking cannot lawfully be filled or transported, which can halt operations quickly.

Getting compliant

Confirm whether your equipment is transportable pressure equipment under TPED and which of ADR/RID/ADN apply to it.
Design and build to the applicable Annex requirements, including valves and accessories with a safety function.
Arrange conformity assessment by a notified body and obtain the design-type and production verification.
Compile and retain the technical documentation.
Affix the Pi marking with the notified body’s identification number.
Track periodic and intermediate inspection intervals and ensure they are carried out on time.
Use the reassessment of conformity route for serviceable legacy equipment that does not already bear the Pi marking.

How Conphora helps

Conphora monitors TPED and the ADR/RID/ADN requirements it references, mapping your transportable pressure equipment against them and flagging gaps in conformity assessment, the Pi marking, technical documentation and inspection intervals before they become enforcement problems. The platform helps you generate and keep the right documentation, and alerts you when obligations change — including the international cycle updates — so your compliance stays current.

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Sources and further reading

This guide is for general information and is not legal advice.

Last updated: 12 June 2026