The Marine Equipment Directive governs the safety equipment placed on board ships flying the flag of an EU member state, applying the international rules uniformly.

It applies to manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors of the equipment on the Commission's list, such as life-saving appliances. Conforming equipment carries the wheel mark, not the CE marking.

It has applied since 18 September 2016, replacing Directive 96/98/EC, and the Commission keeps the list of equipment and the applicable standards up to date through implementing regulations.

You test to the international standards, complete conformity assessment with a notified body, draw up an EU declaration of conformity with technical documentation, and affix the wheel mark with the notified body number and year, optionally with an electronic tag.

Conphora maps your equipment against MED, flags gaps in conformity assessment, the wheel mark, declarations and documentation, and alerts you when the list or the standards change.

The full guide is at conphora.com.