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GAR CE / Product Safety 10 min

GAR: Gas Appliances Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/426), explained

The Gas Appliances Regulation requires appliances burning gaseous fuels, and their fittings, to meet its essential requirements and operate safely, with duties for manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors. It has applied since 21 April 2018, replacing Directive 2009/142/EC; the emergency procedures added by Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 apply from 29 May 2026.

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Reviewed 24 September 2026 by Conphora compliance team · Next review 12 March 2027 · Not legal advice

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Who it applies to

Covered by the act

  • Appliances burning gaseous fuels used for cooking, refrigeration, air-conditioning, space heating, hot water production, lighting or washing, and forced draught burners and heating bodies to be equipped with such burners
  • Fittings: safety devices, controlling devices or regulating devices and sub-assemblies thereof, designed to be incorporated into an appliance or to be assembled to constitute an appliance
  • Any fuel in a gaseous state at 15 °C under an absolute pressure of 1 bar, so natural gas, LPG and town gas appliances alike, in the gas families and groups identified by the appliance category marking
  • Appliances made available on the market or put into service, and fittings made available on the market, in the course of a commercial activity, whether in return for payment or free of charge
  • The economic operators in the chain: manufacturers (including those using the appliance for their own purposes), authorised representatives, importers and distributors

Derived and downstream products

  • An appliance is 'normally used' when it is correctly installed and regularly serviced per the manufacturer's instructions, used with the normal variation in gas quality and supply pressure communicated by the Member State, and used for its intended purpose or in a reasonably foreseeable way; compliance is judged in normal use (Art. 1(2) and Art. 3(1))
  • Where an aspect of an appliance or fitting is covered more specifically by other Union harmonisation legislation, the regulation does not apply to that aspect, and the rational-use-of-energy requirement in Annex I, point 3.5, does not apply to appliances covered by an ecodesign measure under Directive 2009/125/EC (Art. 1(4) and Art. 1(5))
  • Appliances and fittings conforming to harmonised standards whose references are published in the Official Journal are presumed to meet the essential requirements those standards cover (Art. 13)
  • An importer or distributor that sells under its own name or trade mark, or modifies an appliance or fitting in a way that may affect compliance, is treated as the manufacturer (Art. 11)
  • Fittings are CE-marked and travel with a copy of the EU declaration of conformity that states their characteristics and contains instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance (Art. 7(7), Art. 15(3) and Art. 15(6))
  • Member States may keep national requirements protecting persons, domestic animals and property during normal use, provided they do not require modifications to the appliance; in Denmark, executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 requires Danish instructions and safety information and a Danish or English EU declaration of conformity (Art. 3(3))

Roles under the act

Manufacturer (including brand owners and own-use manufacturers)

Any natural or legal person who manufactures an appliance or a fitting or who has an appliance or a fitting designed or manufactured, and markets that appliance or fitting under his name or trademark or uses the appliance for his own purposes; an importer or distributor that sells under its own name or trade mark or modifies an appliance or fitting in a way that may affect compliance is treated as the manufacturer.

Source · Art. 2, point (17), and Art. 11
Authorised representative

Any natural or legal person established within the Union who has received a written mandate from a manufacturer to act on his behalf in relation to specified tasks; the mandate cannot cover the duty to design and manufacture to the essential requirements or to draw up the technical documentation.

Source · Art. 2, point (18), and Art. 8(1)
Importer

Any natural or legal person established within the Union who places an appliance or a fitting from a third country on the Union market.

Source · Art. 2, point (19)
Distributor (wholesaler or retailer)

Any natural or legal person in the supply chain, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who makes an appliance or a fitting available on the market.

Source · Art. 2, point (20)

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Does GAR apply to your product?

Three questions, a first answer from the regulation’s own scope rules. No account needed.

The rules behind this check
  1. Appliances specifically designed for use in industrial processes carried out on industrial premises, Appliances specifically designed for use on aircraft and railways, Appliances specifically designed for research purposes for temporary use in laboratories · any · any Not in scope The regulation does not apply to appliances specifically designed for use in industrial processes carried out on industrial premises, for use on aircrafts and railways, or for research purposes for temporary use in laboratories; an appliance is 'specifically designed' only when its design is intended solely to address a specific need for a specific process or use, so a standard appliance sold into industry stays in scope. Source · Art. 1(3) and Art. 2, points (7) and (8)
  2. Appliances burning liquid or solid fuel, or electric appliances, that do not burn a gaseous fuel · any · any Not in scope The regulation covers appliances burning gaseous fuels, a fuel in a gaseous state at 15 °C under an absolute pressure of 1 bar; oil, pellet, wood and electric appliances fall under other legislation such as the Ecodesign, Low Voltage or Construction Products rules. Source · Art. 1(1) and Art. 2, points (1), (3) and (6)
  3. Appliances or fittings conforming to Directive 2009/142/EC and placed on the market before 21 April 2018 · any · any It depends Appliances and fittings in conformity with Directive 2009/142/EC and placed on the market before 21 April 2018 may still be made available and, for appliances, put into service; any unit first placed on the market from that date must comply with the regulation. Source · Art. 44, Art. 45 and Art. 46(2)
  4. Domestic gas appliances for cooking, space heating, hot water, refrigeration, air-conditioning, lighting or washing (hobs, cookers, boilers, water heaters, patio heaters, barbecues), Commercial catering and other professional appliances burning gaseous fuel (restaurant ranges, fryers, ovens, laundry equipment), Forced draught burners and heating bodies to be equipped with such burners, Appliances designed for a particular gas family, gas group or supply pressure (natural gas, LPG, town gas, gases with a hydrogen content) · Manufacturer (including brand owners and own-use manufacturers), Importer, Distributor (wholesaler or retailer), Authorised representative · any In scope Appliances burning gaseous fuels for cooking, refrigeration, air-conditioning, space heating, hot water production, lighting or washing, and forced draught burners and heating bodies for such burners, may be made available and put into service only if they comply with the regulation when normally used; the appliance must be designed for the gas types and supply pressures the Member State has communicated and carry its appliance category and nominal supply pressure, and the obligations fall on the manufacturer, authorised representative, importer and distributor with no company-size threshold. Source · Art. 1(2), Art. 2, points (1), (12) and (21), Art. 3(1), Art. 4 and Annex IV, point 1(d) and (e)
  5. Gas fittings: safety, controlling or regulating devices and sub-assemblies (valves, thermostats, regulators, ignition and flame-supervision controls) · Manufacturer (including brand owners and own-use manufacturers), Importer, Distributor (wholesaler or retailer), Authorised representative · any In scope Safety, controlling or regulating devices and their sub-assemblies designed to be incorporated into an appliance or assembled to constitute one may be made available only if they comply with the regulation; they go through the same conformity assessment, bear the CE marking and are accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity with incorporation instructions. Source · Art. 2, point (2), Art. 3(2), Art. 7(7), Art. 14(1) and Art. 15(3)
  6. any · any · any It depends Whether the regulation applies turns on whether the product burns a gaseous fuel for one of the listed uses or is a fitting for such an appliance, whether it is specifically designed for an excluded industrial, aircraft, railway or laboratory use, when it was first placed on the market, and which role the operator holds. Source · Art. 1, Art. 2, Art. 3 and Art. 44

Key dates

  1. Regulation (EU) 2016/426 adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, replacing Directive 2009/142/EC with a directly applicable regulation aligned with the New Legislative Framework Source · title and signature block after Art. 46
  2. Entry into force, the twentieth day after publication in OJ L 81 of 31 March 2016 Source · Art. 46(1)
  3. Article 4 on gas supply conditions, Articles 19 to 35 on notified bodies, Article 42 on the committee and Annex II apply Source · Art. 46(2)(a)
  4. Deadline for Member States to communicate to the Commission and the other Member States the types of gas and corresponding supply pressures used on their territory, per Annex II Source · Art. 4(1) and Annex II
  5. Article 43(1) applies: Member States lay down their penalty rules and notify them to the Commission Source · Art. 43(1) and Art. 46(2)(b)
  6. The regulation applies in full and Directive 2009/142/EC is repealed; appliances and fittings conforming to the directive and placed on the market before this date may still be made available and, for appliances, put into service Source · Art. 44, Art. 45 and Art. 46(2)
  7. Executive order nr. 236 of 13 March 2019 in force: the penalty provision of executive order nr. 239/2018 is recast as § 47(1), which fines breaches of §§ 7 to 17, §§ 19 to 32 or § 38 of the order and breaches of Articles 3(1) and (2), 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14(1), 15, 17(1) to (3), 18, 23(2) to (11), 25, 31 to 33, 37(1) and (3) and 39(2) of the regulation Source · § 1, nr. 5
  8. Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 in force: internal market emergency procedures inserted as Chapter Va (Articles 40a to 40e) and two definitions added to Article 2 Source · Art. 4 and Art. 7
  9. The emergency procedures of Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 apply Source · Art. 7
  10. Executive order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026 in force: executive order nr. 239/2018 is re-based on the gas safety act (consolidated act nr. 257 of 9 February 2026), Erhvervsstyrelsen replaces Sikkerhedsstyrelsen throughout, a new § 45(2) requires the crisis-relevant-good information and labelling in Danish or English, and the fine provision is extended to that duty and to Article 40c(5) and (7) Source · § 1, nr. 1 to 6, and § 2

What you must do

Obligations by role

Manufacturer (including brand owners and own-use manufacturers)14
  • Design and manufacture appliances so that they operate safely and present no danger to persons, domestic animals or property when normally used, and fittings so that they fulfil their purpose when incorporated, meeting the Annex I essential requirements on risk analysis, materials, design and construction, unburned gas release, ignition, combustion and carbon monoxide, rational use of energy, temperature and contact with food and drinking water. Art. 5, Art. 7(1) and Annex I
  • Carry out a risk analysis of the appliance or fitting to identify the risks it presents and the Annex I essential requirements that apply, and record it in the technical documentation. Art. 7(2) and Annex III, point 1.3
  • Draw up the Annex III technical documentation: drawings, the harmonised standards applied or the solutions adopted, calculations, test reports, installation and use instructions and, for a fitting, its EU declaration of conformity. Art. 7(2) and Annex III, point 1.3
  • Submit the appliance or fitting to EU type-examination (Module B) by a single notified body of your choice, combined with Module C2, D, E or F, or use Module G for single units or small quantities. Art. 14 and Annex III
  • Draw up the EU declaration of conformity per Annex V, translated into the languages the Member State requires, as a single declaration where other Union acts also apply. Art. 7(2), Art. 15 and Annex V
  • Affix the CE marking, followed by the identification number of the notified body involved in the production control phase and the last two digits of the year of affixing. Art. 7(2), Art. 16 and Art. 17(3)
  • Keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity, together with the EU type-examination certificate and its annexes, at the disposal of the national authorities for 10 years after the appliance or fitting was placed on the market; the certificate itself is valid for at most 10 years. Art. 7(3) and Annex III, points 1.6 and 1.9
  • Keep series production in conformity, taking account of design changes and changes in the harmonised standards or other specifications relied on, and inform the notified body of modifications to the approved type. Art. 7(4) and Annex III, point 1.7
  • Where the risks warrant it, sample-test marketed appliances and fittings, investigate complaints, keep a register of complaints, non-conforming products and recalls, and keep distributors informed of that monitoring. Art. 7(4)
  • Mark the appliance or fitting with a type, batch or serial number and the Annex IV inscriptions: your name, registered trade name or trade mark and a single postal contact address, the type of electrical supply where applicable, the appliance category marking, the nominal supply pressure and the information needed for correct and safe installation, affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly before placing on the market. Art. 7(5), Art. 7(6), Art. 18 and Annex IV
  • Supply each appliance with installation instructions for the installer, use and servicing instructions for the user and warning notices on the appliance and its packaging stating the gas type, supply pressure, appliance category and restrictions on use, in a language the Member State determines; supply each fitting, or each batch delivered to a single user, with a copy of the EU declaration of conformity containing incorporation, adjustment, operation and maintenance instructions. Art. 7(7) and Annex I, points 1.5 to 1.7
  • If you consider or have reason to believe that an appliance or fitting you placed on the market does not conform, immediately bring it into conformity, withdraw or recall it, and where it presents a risk inform the competent authorities of the Member States where you made it available with details of the non-compliance and the corrective measures. Art. 7(8)
  • On a reasoned request, provide the authority with all information and documentation demonstrating conformity, in paper or electronic form and a language it understands, and cooperate on measures to eliminate the risks. Art. 7(9)
  • Be able to identify, for 10 years after each supply, the economic operators that supplied you and the economic operators you supplied. Art. 12
Authorised representative6
  • Act only under a written mandate from the manufacturer that sets out the tasks you perform on its behalf. Art. 8(1) and Art. 8(2)
  • Keep the EU declaration of conformity and the technical documentation at the disposal of the national market surveillance authorities for 10 years after the appliance or fitting was placed on the market. Art. 8(2)(a)
  • On a reasoned request, provide the authority with the information and documentation demonstrating conformity, and cooperate with it on measures to eliminate the risks of the products covered by your mandate. Art. 8(2)(b) and Art. 8(2)(c)
  • Do not take over the manufacturer's duty to design and manufacture to the essential requirements or to draw up the technical documentation; those cannot form part of the mandate, although the mandate may cover lodging the EU type-examination application and the CE marking and declaration duties of the production modules. Art. 8(1) and Annex III, points 1.10 and 2.5
  • Where the notified body instructs it, affix the notified body's identification number after the CE marking on the manufacturer's behalf. Art. 17(3)
  • Be able to identify the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied for 10 years. Art. 12
Importer10
  • Place only compliant appliances and fittings on the market, and before doing so check that the manufacturer carried out the Article 14 conformity assessment, drew up the technical documentation, affixed the CE marking, supplied the instructions and safety information or, for a fitting, the copy of the EU declaration of conformity, and applied the identification, inscription and address requirements; hold non-conforming products back and inform the manufacturer and the authorities where they present a risk. Art. 9(1) and Art. 9(2)
  • Indicate your name, registered trade name or trade mark and a postal contact address on the appliance or fitting or, where not possible, on its packaging or in an accompanying document, in a language end users or appliance manufacturers and the authorities understand. Art. 9(3)
  • Ensure the appliance is accompanied by instructions and safety information in the language the Member State determines, and the fitting by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity with incorporation, adjustment, operation and maintenance instructions in a language appliance manufacturers understand. Art. 9(4)
  • While an appliance or fitting is under your responsibility, keep storage and transport conditions from jeopardising its compliance with the essential requirements. Art. 9(5)
  • Where the risks warrant it, sample-test marketed appliances and fittings, investigate complaints, keep a register of complaints, non-conforming products and recalls, and keep distributors informed of that monitoring. Art. 9(6)
  • If an appliance or fitting you placed on the market does not conform, immediately take corrective measures, withdraw or recall it, and where it presents a risk inform the competent authorities of the Member States concerned. Art. 9(7)
  • Keep a copy of the EU declaration of conformity at the disposal of the market surveillance authorities for 10 years after placing on the market, and ensure the technical documentation can be made available on request. Art. 9(8)
  • On a reasoned request, provide the authority with the information and documentation demonstrating conformity in a language it understands, and cooperate on measures to eliminate the risks. Art. 9(9)
  • Be able to identify, for 10 years after each supply, the economic operators that supplied you and the economic operators you supplied. Art. 12
  • If you place an appliance or fitting on the market under your own name or trade mark, or modify one in a way that may affect compliance, you carry the manufacturer's obligations under Article 7. Art. 11
Distributor (wholesaler or retailer)7
  • Act with due care and, before making an appliance available, verify that it bears the CE marking and is accompanied by instructions and safety information in the language of the Member State where it is sold, and that the manufacturer and importer have applied their identification, inscription and address requirements; hold non-conforming products back and inform the manufacturer or importer and the authorities where they present a risk. Art. 10(1) and Art. 10(2)
  • Before making a fitting available, verify that it bears the CE marking and is accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity with incorporation, adjustment, operation and maintenance instructions in a language appliance manufacturers understand. Art. 10(2)
  • Keep storage and transport conditions from jeopardising compliance with the essential requirements. Art. 10(3)
  • If an appliance or fitting you made available does not conform, make sure corrective measures are taken to bring it into conformity, withdraw or recall it, and where it presents a risk immediately inform the competent authorities of the Member States concerned. Art. 10(4)
  • On a reasoned request, provide the authority with the information and documentation demonstrating conformity, and cooperate on measures to eliminate the risks of appliances or fittings you made available. Art. 10(5)
  • Be able to identify, for 10 years after each supply, the economic operators that supplied you and the economic operators you supplied. Art. 12
  • If you sell under your own name or trade mark or modify an appliance or fitting in a way that may affect compliance, you take on the manufacturer's obligations. Art. 11

GAR in plain terms

The Gas Appliances Regulation (GAR), formally Regulation (EU) 2016/426, is the EU’s safety law for appliances that burn gaseous fuels and for the fittings built into them. Appliances may be made available on the market and put into service only if, when normally used, they comply with the regulation, and fittings only if they comply (Art. 3). Compliance means meeting the Annex I essential requirements, which start from one general rule: appliances must be so designed and constructed as to operate safely and present no danger to persons, domestic animals or property when normally used (Art. 5 and Annex I, point 1.1).

The regulation replaced Directive 2009/142/EC on 21 April 2018 (Art. 45). As a regulation it applies directly in every Member State without transposition, and it brought the gas appliance rules into the New Legislative Framework, with the same economic operator duties, traceability and market surveillance procedures as the other CE-marking acts. Unlike the Low Voltage Directive, it keeps a mandatory notified body in the conformity route.

Official text Read the regulation on EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2016/426 (CELEX 32016R0426), or the consolidated text of 29 May 2026 that includes the internal market emergency procedures.

Scope

The regulation applies to appliances and fittings (Art. 1(1)). Appliances are appliances burning gaseous fuels used for cooking, refrigeration, air-conditioning, space heating, hot water production, lighting or washing, and also forced draught burners and heating bodies to be equipped with such burners (Art. 2, point (1)). Fittings are safety devices, controlling devices or regulating devices and sub-assemblies thereof, designed to be incorporated into an appliance or to be assembled to constitute an appliance (Art. 2, point (2)). A gaseous fuel is any fuel in a gaseous state at 15 °C under an absolute pressure of 1 bar (Art. 2, point (6)), so natural gas, LPG and town gas appliances are all covered; the gas families and groups an appliance is designed for are identified by its appliance category marking (Art. 2, points (9) to (12)).

Three groups of appliances are outside the regulation: those specifically designed for use in industrial processes carried out on industrial premises, for use on aircrafts and railways, and for research purposes for temporary use in laboratories. An appliance is specifically designed only when the design is intended solely to address a specific need for a specific process or use (Art. 1(3)), so a standard appliance sold to a factory stays in scope. Where another Union act covers an aspect more specifically, the regulation does not apply to that aspect, and the rational-use-of-energy requirement in Annex I, point 3.5, does not apply to appliances covered by an ecodesign measure (Art. 1(4) and Art. 1(5)).

Compliance is judged in normal use: the appliance is correctly installed and regularly serviced per the manufacturer’s instructions, used with the normal variation in gas quality and supply pressure that the Member State has communicated, and used for its intended purpose or in a reasonably foreseeable way (Art. 1(2)). Member States had to communicate the types of gas and supply pressures used on their territory by 21 October 2017, following Annex II, and the Commission publishes them in the Official Journal (Art. 4). The duties fall on the economic operators: manufacturer, authorised representative, importer and distributor (Art. 2, point (21)). A manufacturer is whoever manufactures an appliance or fitting or has it designed or manufactured and markets it under his own name or trademark, or uses the appliance for his own purposes (Art. 2, point (17)), and an importer or distributor that sells under its own brand or modifies a product in a way that may affect compliance takes on the manufacturer’s obligations (Art. 11). Non-compliant appliances may be shown at trade fairs and demonstrations behind a visible sign that says they are not for sale until brought into conformity (Art. 6(3)).

What you must do

Essential requirements

Annex I is compulsory and is applied taking account of the state of the art at the time of design and manufacture. The manufacturer must analyse the risks that apply to the appliance or fitting and design it on that basis, applying in order: eliminate or reduce risks as far as possible, take protection measures against the risks that remain, and inform users of the residual risks (Annex I, points 1.2 and 1.3). Every appliance must be accompanied by installation instructions for the installer, including the interface specifications for connecting it to the gas supply, auxiliary energy, combustion air and flue gas system, by use and servicing instructions for the user, and by warning notices on the appliance and its packaging stating the gas type, supply pressure, appliance category and any restrictions on use (Annex I, points 1.5 and 1.6). Fittings carry their incorporation, adjustment, operation and maintenance instructions as part of the EU declaration of conformity (Annex I, point 1.7).

Materials must withstand the mechanical, chemical and thermal conditions they will foreseeably meet (Annex I, point 2). The design and construction requirements cover stability and wear, condensation, explosion risk from an external fire, water and air ingress into the gas circuit, auxiliary energy fluctuations, gas-related risks of electrical or electromagnetic origin, pressurised parts, the failure and precedence of safety and controlling devices, protected factory settings and clearly marked controls (Annex I, point 3.1). Appliances must limit unburned gas release so that no dangerous accumulation occurs, especially indoors (point 3.2), ignite smoothly with assured cross-lighting (point 3.3), burn stably without unacceptable concentrations of harmful substances or accidental release of combustion products, including in abnormal draught conditions, and never cause dangerous concentrations of carbon monoxide (point 3.4). They must use energy rationally (point 3.5), keep surfaces and nearby parts at safe temperatures with an appropriate reaction time for children and elderly people (point 3.6), and not impair food or drinking water they touch (point 3.7). These obligations apply to fittings as far as relevant (Annex I, point 3).

Harmonised standards

Appliances and fittings that conform to harmonised standards, or parts of them, whose references are published in the Official Journal are presumed to conform to the essential requirements those standards cover (Art. 13). The Commission’s GAR page points to the CEN heating, ventilation and air-conditioning standards, whose use is voluntary. Where an appliance also has electrical parts, the results of the conformity assessment under the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU or the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU are taken into account for the gas-related risks of electrical and electromagnetic origin (Annex I, points 3.1.7 and 3.1.8).

Conformity assessment with a notified body

Before placing an appliance or fitting on the market, the manufacturer must submit it to a conformity assessment procedure (Art. 14(1)). Series-manufactured appliances and fittings go through EU type-examination, Module B production type, in which a notified body examines the technical documentation and a representative specimen and issues an EU type-examination certificate valid for at most 10 years (Annex III, point 1). The manufacturer combines it with one production-phase module of his choice: conformity to type based on internal production control plus supervised product checks at random intervals (Module C2), quality assurance of the production process (Module D), product quality assurance (Module E) or product verification (Module F) (Art. 14(2)). For an appliance or fitting produced as a single unit or in small quantities the manufacturer may instead choose conformity based on unit verification, Module G (Art. 14(3)). The application is lodged with a single notified body, and the technical documentation must include a risk analysis and assessment, a general description, drawings and schemes, the harmonised standards applied or the solutions adopted instead, design calculations, test reports, installation and use instructions and, for a fitting, its EU declaration of conformity (Annex III, point 1.3). Records and correspondence are kept in an official language of the notified body’s Member State or a language it accepts (Art. 14(4)).

EU declaration of conformity, CE marking and inscriptions

The EU declaration of conformity states that the Annex I essential requirements have been demonstrated, follows the Annex V model, contains the elements of the modules used, is kept up to date and is translated into the languages the Member State requires; where several Union acts require a declaration, one single declaration covers them all, and a copy is supplied with every fitting (Art. 15). The declaration for a fitting states its characteristics and contains instructions on how the fitting is to be incorporated or assembled (Art. 15(3)).

The CE marking follows the general principles of Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 (Art. 16) and is affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to the appliance and the fitting or to their data plate before placing on the market, or to the packaging and accompanying documents where the product does not allow it, followed by the identification number of the notified body involved in the production control phase and the last two digits of the year in which it was affixed (Art. 17). The Annex IV inscriptions are affixed the same way before placing on the market: the manufacturer’s name, registered trade name or trade mark, the appliance type, batch or serial number, the type of electrical supply where applicable, the appliance category marking, the nominal supply pressure and the information needed for correct and safe installation, and, as far as relevant, the same for fittings (Art. 18 and Annex IV).

Obligations by role

Manufacturers design and manufacture to the essential requirements, draw up the technical documentation and run the conformity assessment, draw up the declaration and affix the CE marking, keep both for 10 years, keep series production in conformity, sample-test and keep a complaints register where the risks warrant it, mark the product with an identifier, the Annex IV inscriptions and their name and address, supply instructions and safety information in the required language, take corrective action and inform the authorities of risks, and cooperate on request (Art. 7). Authorised representatives act under a mandate that must at least cover keeping the documents and cooperating with authorities, and cannot take over the design or documentation duties (Art. 8). Importers place only compliant products on the market, verify the manufacturer’s work, add their own name and address, ensure instructions and the fitting declaration in the required language, protect the product in storage and transport, sample-test where the risks warrant it, take corrective action and keep the declaration for 10 years (Art. 9). Distributors verify the CE marking, documents, language and inscriptions before making a product available, protect it in storage and transport and see that corrective action is taken (Art. 10). Importers and distributors that sell under their own brand or modify a product become manufacturers (Art. 11), and every operator identifies its suppliers and customers for 10 years (Art. 12).

Emergency procedures from 29 May 2026

Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 inserted Chapter Va. Articles 40b to 40e apply only to appliances and fittings designated as crisis-relevant goods, only while an internal market emergency mode under Regulation (EU) 2024/2747 is active and only after the Commission has adopted the corresponding implementing act (Art. 40a). During such a period notified bodies process applications for the listed products as a matter of priority (Art. 40b); a Member State may authorise, on a duly justified request, the placing on the market of a specific appliance or fitting without the notified-body procedures, provided compliance with Annex I is demonstrated under the authorisation; such appliances and fittings bear no CE marking (Art. 40c(7)), and once the Commission extends the authorisation to the whole Union by implementing act they must carry the information that they are placed on the market or used for the manufacturer’s own purposes as a ‘crisis-relevant good’ (Art. 40c(2), second subparagraph); the Commission may list standards or establish common specifications that give a presumption of conformity where harmonised standards are missing or cannot be used (Art. 40d); and Member States prioritise market surveillance of the listed products and assist one another (Art. 40e). Since 30 May 2026, § 45(2) of executive order nr. 239/2018 requires appliances or fittings covered by an extension of an authorisation under Article 40c(2) to carry clear, understandable and legible information that they are placed on the market or used for the manufacturer’s own purposes as a ‘crisis-relevant good’, in Danish or English (executive order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026, § 1, nr. 4).

Enforcement and penalties

Market surveillance follows Article 15(3) and Articles 16 to 29 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 (Art. 36); those articles were repealed by Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, which lists the Gas Appliances Regulation in its Annex I, so the reference is read as Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 since 16 July 2021. Where an authority has sufficient reason to believe that an appliance or fitting presents a risk to the health or safety of persons or to domestic animals or property, it evaluates the product, requires corrective action, withdrawal or recall within a period commensurate with the risk, informs the notified body, and if the operator does not act prohibits or restricts the making available, withdraws or recalls the product and informs the Commission and the other Member States (Art. 37). Compliant products that still present a risk can be treated the same way (Art. 39), and the Commission decides disputed national measures through the Union safeguard procedure (Art. 38). Formal non-compliance, such as CE marking missing or wrongly affixed, Annex IV inscriptions or the notified body’s number missing, a declaration not drawn up correctly or not accompanying a fitting, incomplete technical documentation or missing manufacturer or importer identification, must be ended and otherwise leads to restriction, prohibition, withdrawal or recall (Art. 40).

Penalties are set nationally: Member States lay down effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for infringements by economic operators, which may include criminal penalties for serious infringements, and had to notify them to the Commission by 21 March 2018 (Art. 43). In Denmark, the market surveillance of gas appliances runs under the product act (consolidated act nr. 22 of 8 January 2026), which lists the regulation in section 2(1), point 41, and makes Erhvervsstyrelsen the control authority, while the national rules themselves — executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 on the safety of gas equipment — were re-based on the gas safety act (gassikkerhedsloven, consolidated act nr. 257 of 9 February 2026) by amending order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026; Sikkerhedsstyrelsen became the Markedsovervågning department of Erhvervsstyrelsen (the Danish Business Authority) on 1 January 2026 and continues the same tasks. The authority can sample products, including under a hidden identity, issue temporary bans, order warnings, withdrawal or recall, order unlawful CE marking removed and prohibit or destroy non-compliant products; infringements are punished with fines and, under aggravating circumstances such as danger to safety or health, an accident with serious injury or death, repetition or systematic infringement for gain, with imprisonment of up to 2 years. Executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018, § 47, as recast by executive order nr. 236 of 13 March 2019 and extended by executive order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026, separately punishes with a fine, unless a higher penalty is due under other law, breaches of §§ 7 to 17, §§ 19 to 32, § 38 and § 45(2) of the order and breaches of Articles 3(1) and (2), 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14(1), 15, 17(1) to (3), 18, 23(2) to (11), 25, 31 to 33, 37(1) and (3), 39(2) and 40c(5) and (7) of the regulation, with liability for companies under Chapter 5 of the Danish Criminal Code (§ 48). Executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 on the safety of gas equipment requires the instructions and safety information accompanying an appliance to be in Danish and the EU declaration of conformity accompanying a fitting to be in Danish or English, and entrusts the assessment and monitoring of Danish notified bodies to DANAK. Since 30 May 2026 the order itself names Erhvervsstyrelsen, which under § 41 of the order relies on DANAK to issue the accreditation certificate and to assess and monitor the Danish notified bodies.

How Conphora helps

Conphora monitors the GAR and its harmonised standards and maps your products against the essential requirements, flagging gaps in the risk analysis, the technical documentation, the type-examination certificate and its 10-year validity, the EU declaration of conformity and the inscriptions before they become enforcement problems. The platform helps you build and keep the documentation and the 10-year records, combines the GAR declaration with the LVD, EMC and other declarations the same appliance needs, and alerts you when a standard, a Member State’s gas supply conditions or the regulation changes.

See how Conphora works · See plans and pricing

Sources

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

Penalties

Enforced by National market surveillance authorities enforce the regulation directly with the powers of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, which lists it in Annex I. In Denmark, the market surveillance of gas appliances runs under the product act (consolidated act nr. 22 of 8 January 2026), which lists the regulation in section 2(1), point 41, and makes Erhvervsstyrelsen (the Danish Business Authority, whose Markedsovervågning department is the former Sikkerhedsstyrelsen since 1 January 2026) the control authority, while the national rules themselves — executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 on the safety of gas equipment, which adds the Danish language requirements — were re-based on the gas safety act (gassikkerhedsloven, consolidated act nr. 257 of 9 February 2026) by amending order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026. Since 30 May 2026 the order itself names Erhvervsstyrelsen, which under § 41 of the order relies on DANAK to issue the accreditation certificate and to assess and monitor the Danish notified bodies. The toolkit is corrective action within a period commensurate with the risk, prohibition or restriction of the making available, withdrawal or recall, orders to end formal non-compliance such as missing CE marking, notified-body number, inscriptions or declaration, and national penalties that must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive and may include criminal penalties for serious infringements.

Member States lay down the rules on penalties for infringements of the regulation by economic operators; the penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive, may include criminal penalties for serious infringements, and had to be notified to the Commission by 21 March 2018. Market surveillance authorities evaluate appliances and fittings that present a risk to the health or safety of persons or to domestic animals or property, require corrective action, withdrawal or recall within a period commensurate with the risk, inform the notified body, and if the operator fails to act prohibit or restrict the making available, withdraw or recall the product and notify the Commission and the other Member States; compliant products that still present a risk can be treated the same way. Formal non-compliance, such as CE marking missing or wrongly affixed, Annex IV inscriptions or the notified-body number missing, an EU declaration of conformity not drawn up correctly or not accompanying a fitting, incomplete technical documentation or missing manufacturer or importer identification, must be ended and otherwise leads to restriction, prohibition, withdrawal or recall. In Denmark, the regulation is enforced under produktloven (consolidated act nr. 22 of 8 January 2026), which lists it in section 2(1), point 41, and makes Erhvervsstyrelsen the control authority with powers to sample products, issue temporary bans, order warnings, withdrawal or recall, remove unlawful CE marking and prohibit or destroy non-compliant products; infringements are punished with fines and, under aggravating circumstances such as danger to safety or health, an accident with serious injury or death, repetition or systematic infringement for gain, with imprisonment of up to 2 years. Executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018, § 47, as recast by executive order nr. 236 of 13 March 2019 and extended by executive order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026, separately punishes with a fine, unless a higher penalty is due under other law, breaches of §§ 7 to 17, §§ 19 to 32, § 38 and § 45(2) of the order and breaches of Articles 3(1) and (2), 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14(1), 15, 17(1) to (3), 18, 23(2) to (11), 25, 31 to 33, 37(1) and (3), 39(2) and 40c(5) and (7) of the regulation, with liability for companies under Chapter 5 of the Danish Criminal Code (§ 48). Executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 on the safety of gas equipment requires Danish instructions and safety information and a Danish or English EU declaration of conformity and entrusts the assessment of notified bodies to DANAK. Since 30 May 2026, § 45(2) of executive order nr. 239/2018 requires appliances or fittings covered by an extension of an authorisation under Article 40c(2) to carry clear, understandable and legible information that they are placed on the market or used for the manufacturer's own purposes as a 'crisis-relevant good', in Danish or English.

Source · Art. 43, Art. 37, Art. 39 and Art. 40Source · § 2, stk. 1, nr. 41, § 9, §§ 12 to 16 and § 37Source · §§ 41 to 45, § 47 and § 48Source · § 1, nr. 5Source · § 1, nr. 4 to 6Source

What changed

Entry into force, amendments and Compliance Radar entries for GAR, newest first.

  1. Guidance

    Guide rebuilt from the consolidated text and Danish law

    The body was rewritten from the consolidated text of 29 May 2026: the exact Article 1(3) exclusions and the 'specifically designed' test, the Module B plus C2, D, E, F or G conformity routes, the Annex IV inscriptions, the fitting rules, the transitional provision and the 2024 emergency chapter. The Danish enforcement basis was corrected. In Denmark, the market surveillance of gas appliances runs under the product act (consolidated act nr. 22 of 8 January 2026), which lists the regulation in section 2(1), point 41, and makes Erhvervsstyrelsen the control authority, while the national rules themselves — executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 on the safety of gas equipment — were re-based on the gas safety act (gassikkerhedsloven, consolidated act nr. 257 of 9 February 2026) by amending order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026.

    Source · Art. 1, Art. 14, Art. 18, Art. 44 and Annex IVSource · § 2, stk. 1, nr. 41, and § 9Source · § 1, nr. 2Source
  2. Amendment

    Denmark: executive order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026 amends the gas equipment order

    Executive order nr. 485 of 28 May 2026 in force: executive order nr. 239/2018 is re-based on the gas safety act (consolidated act nr. 257 of 9 February 2026), Erhvervsstyrelsen replaces Sikkerhedsstyrelsen throughout, a new § 45(2) requires the crisis-relevant-good information and labelling in Danish or English, and the fine provision is extended to that duty and to Article 40c(5) and (7).

    Source · § 1, nr. 1 to 6, and § 2
  3. Applies

    Emergency procedures for crisis-relevant appliances and fittings apply

    Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 applies: Articles 40a to 40e let notified bodies prioritise conformity assessment, let a Member State authorise the placing on the market of a specific appliance or fitting without the notified-body procedures, let the Commission list standards or set common specifications giving a presumption of conformity, and require prioritised market surveillance and mutual assistance, for appliances and fittings designated as crisis-relevant goods while an internal market emergency mode under Regulation (EU) 2024/2747 is active.

    Source · Art. 4 and Art. 7Source · Art. 40a to Art. 40e
  4. Amendment

    Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 in force: internal market emergency procedures

    The amending regulation of 9 October 2024, published on 8 November 2024, adds the definitions of crisis-relevant goods and internal market emergency mode to Article 2 and inserts Chapter Va (Articles 40a to 40e); it entered into force on the twentieth day after publication and applies from 29 May 2026.

    Source · Art. 4 and Art. 7
  5. Amendment

    Denmark: executive order nr. 236 of 13 March 2019 recasts the penalty provision of the gas equipment order

    Executive order nr. 236 of 13 March 2019 in force: the penalty provision of executive order nr. 239/2018 is recast as § 47(1), which fines breaches of §§ 7 to 17, §§ 19 to 32 or § 38 of the order and breaches of Articles 3(1) and (2), 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14(1), 15, 17(1) to (3), 18, 23(2) to (11), 25, 31 to 33, 37(1) and (3) and 39(2) of the regulation.

    Source · § 1, nr. 5
  6. Applies

    Regulation (EU) 2016/426 applies in full; Directive 2009/142/EC repealed

    The economic operator duties, conformity assessment, CE marking and market surveillance provisions apply and Directive 2009/142/EC is repealed; appliances and fittings conforming to the directive and placed on the market before 21 April 2018 may still be made available and, for appliances, put into service.

    Source · Art. 44, Art. 45 and Art. 46(2)
  7. Applies

    Notified-body, gas-supply-condition and committee provisions apply

    Article 4, Articles 19 to 35, Article 42 and Annex II apply, so Member States could notify conformity assessment bodies and had until 21 October 2017 to communicate their gas types and supply pressures; Article 43(1) on penalty rules followed on 21 March 2018.

    Source · Art. 4(1) and Art. 46(2)
  8. In force

    Regulation (EU) 2016/426 enters into force

    Adopted on 9 March 2016 as a directly applicable regulation replacing Directive 2009/142/EC and aligned with the New Legislative Framework, and published in OJ L 81 on 31 March 2016, the regulation entered into force on the twentieth day after publication.

    Source · Art. 46(1)

Questions people ask about GAR

When did the Gas Appliances Regulation 2016/426 start to apply?

The regulation was adopted on 9 March 2016, published in the Official Journal on 31 March 2016 and entered into force on 20 April 2016. Article 4 on gas supply conditions, Articles 19 to 35 on notified bodies, Article 42 and Annex II applied from 21 October 2016, Article 43(1) on penalties from 21 March 2018, and the rest from 21 April 2018, when Directive 2009/142/EC was repealed. The internal market emergency procedures added by Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 apply from 29 May 2026.

Source · Art. 45 and Art. 46Source · Art. 7
Which products does the GAR cover?

Appliances burning gaseous fuels used for cooking, refrigeration, air-conditioning, space heating, hot water production, lighting or washing, plus forced draught burners and heating bodies to be equipped with such burners, and fittings, meaning safety, controlling or regulating devices and their sub-assemblies designed to be incorporated into an appliance or assembled to constitute one. A gaseous fuel is any fuel in a gaseous state at 15 °C under an absolute pressure of 1 bar.

Source · Art. 1(1) and Art. 2, points (1), (2) and (6)
Which appliances are excluded from the GAR?

Appliances specifically designed for use in industrial processes carried out on industrial premises, for use on aircraft and railways, and for research purposes for temporary use in laboratories. An appliance counts as specifically designed only when its design is intended solely to address a specific need for a specific process or use. Where another Union act covers an aspect more specifically, the regulation does not apply to that aspect, and the rational-use-of-energy requirement does not apply to appliances covered by an ecodesign measure.

Source · Art. 1(3), Art. 1(4) and Art. 1(5)
Do I need a notified body for the GAR?

Yes. Series-manufactured appliances and fittings go through EU type-examination (Module B, production type) by a notified body, combined at the manufacturer's choice with conformity to type based on internal production control plus supervised product checks at random intervals (Module C2), quality assurance of the production process (Module D), product quality assurance (Module E) or product verification (Module F). For a single unit or small quantities the manufacturer may instead choose conformity based on unit verification (Module G). The notified body's identification number follows the CE marking, and its type-examination certificate is valid for at most 10 years.

Source · Art. 14, Art. 17(3) and Annex III, point 1.6
Are gas fittings CE-marked?

Yes. Fittings follow the same conformity assessment procedures as appliances, bear the CE marking and the notified body's number, and must be accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity, which states the fitting's characteristics and contains instructions on how it is to be incorporated into an appliance or assembled to constitute one, together with adjustment, operation and maintenance instructions. Where a large number of fittings are delivered to a single user, one copy per batch or consignment is enough.

Source · Art. 7(7), Art. 14(1), Art. 15(3), Art. 15(6) and Art. 17(1)
What must be marked on a gas appliance?

The CE marking followed by the identification number of the notified body involved in the production control phase and the last two digits of the year of affixing, a type, batch or serial number, and the Annex IV inscriptions: the manufacturer's name, registered trade name or trade mark, the type of electrical supply where applicable, the appliance category marking, the nominal supply pressure and the information needed for correct and safe installation. The manufacturer's and importer's postal contact addresses go on the appliance or, where not possible, on the packaging or an accompanying document. Warning notices on the appliance and its packaging state the gas type, supply pressure, appliance category and restrictions on use.

Source · Art. 7(5), Art. 7(6), Art. 9(3), Art. 17, Art. 18, Annex I, point 1.6.3, and Annex IV
Do gas appliances need Danish instructions?

Yes. The regulation requires instructions and safety information in a language easily understood by consumers and other end users, as determined by the Member State concerned, and Denmark's executive order nr. 239 of 23 March 2018 on the safety of gas equipment requires the installation and use instructions and safety information accompanying an appliance to be in Danish and the EU declaration of conformity accompanying a fitting to be in Danish or English. Since 30 May 2026 the order itself names Erhvervsstyrelsen, which under § 41 of the order relies on DANAK to issue the accreditation certificate and to assess and monitor the Danish notified bodies. Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, since 1 January 2026 the Markedsovervågning department of Erhvervsstyrelsen, states the same on its guidance page.

Source · Art. 7(7), Art. 9(4) and Art. 10(2)Source · § 41 and §§ 42 to 45Source · § 1, nr. 3Source
How long must I keep the technical documentation and traceability records?

Manufacturers keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity, and a copy of the EU type-examination certificate with its annexes, for 10 years after the appliance or fitting was placed on the market; authorised representatives keep both at the disposal of the authorities for the same period, and importers keep a copy of the declaration for 10 years and ensure the documentation can be produced. All economic operators must be able to identify who supplied them and whom they supplied for 10 years after the supply.

Source · Art. 7(3), Art. 8(2), Art. 9(8), Art. 12 and Annex III, point 1.9

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Related

Related regulations

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Sources

  1. Regulation (EU) 2016/426 on appliances burning gaseous fuels, consolidated text of 29 May 2026 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0426-20260529
  2. Regulation (EU) 2016/426 as published in OJ L 81, 31 March 2016 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016R0426
  3. Document information, dates and relationships for CELEX 32016R0426 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32016R0426
  4. Regulation (EU) 2024/2748 on emergency procedures for the conformity assessment, presumption of conformity, common specifications and market surveillance of products (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32024R2748
  5. Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products, Annex I item 63 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R1020
  6. Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 on accreditation and market surveillance (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R0765
  7. Gas Appliances Regulation (GAR), guidance sheets, Q&A and Member State gas communications (European Commission, DG GROW) https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/pressure-equipment-and-gas-appliances/gas-appliances-sector/gas-appliances-regulation_en
  8. Gasapparatforordning og EU-vejledning (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, Erhvervsstyrelsen) https://www.sik.dk/erhverv/produkter/gas-produkter/love-og-regler/gasapparatforordning-og-eu-vejledning
  9. CE-godkendelse af gasapparater og -udstyr (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, Erhvervsstyrelsen) https://www.sik.dk/erhverv/produkter/gas-produkter/vejledninger/ce-godkendelse-gasapparater-og-udstyr
  10. Produktloven og bekendtgørelse om sikkerhed for gasmateriel (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, Erhvervsstyrelsen) https://www.sik.dk/erhverv/produkter/gas-produkter/love-og-regler/bekendtgoerelse-om-sikkerhed-gasmateriel
  11. Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, en del af Erhvervsstyrelsen from 1 January 2026 (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) https://www.sik.dk/sikkerhedsstyrelsen-del-erhvervsstyrelsen
  12. Bekendtgørelse af lov om produkter og markedsovervågning, LBK nr. 22 af 8. januar 2026 (Retsinformation) https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2026/22
  13. Bekendtgørelse om sikkerhed for gasmateriel, BEK nr. 239 af 23. marts 2018 (Retsinformation) https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2018/239
  14. Bekendtgørelse nr. 236 af 13. marts 2019 om ændring af bekendtgørelse om sikkerhed for gasmateriel (Retsinformation) https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2019/236
  15. Bekendtgørelse nr. 485 af 28. maj 2026 om ændring af bekendtgørelse om sikkerhed for gasmateriel (Retsinformation) https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2026/485
  16. Bekendtgørelse af lov om sikkerhed for gasanlæg, gasinstallationer og rørledninger til gas (gassikkerhedsloven), LBK nr. 257 af 9. februar 2026 (Retsinformation) https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2026/257
  17. Lov om produkter og markedsovervågning, lov nr. 799 af 9. juni 2020, § 43 moving gas equipment from gassikkerhedsloven to produktloven (Retsinformation) https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2020/799

About this guide

Reviewed by
Conphora compliance team, Compliance editors, Conphora
Reviewed
24 September 2026
Next review
12 March 2027

Written from the official text on EUR-Lex and the Commission’s guidance, with a source for every fact. It is not legal advice.

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Conphora (2026). GAR: Gas Appliances Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/426), explained. Retrieved 13 October 2026 from https://www.conphora.com/regulations/gar/
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