Marine Equipment Directive (MED) 2014/90/EU
Directive 2014/90/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on marine equipment — the "MED" — replaced Directive 96/98/EC and has applied since 18 September 2016. It covers marine equipment placed on board EU-flagged ships subject to international Conventions, principally SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea), MARPOL, COLREG, and the Load Lines Convention. The MED is distinctive in that it does not use the CE marking: in-scope equipment bears the "wheelmark" — a stylised ship's wheel symbol — together with the Notified Body identification number. Published as OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 146.
Legal status and timeline
- Adoption: 23 July 2014.
- Date of application: 18 September 2016.
- Repeal of Directive 96/98/EC: 18 September 2016.
- Status in October 2026: applies. Annex of equipment categories is periodically updated by Commission Implementing Regulations as IMO standards develop.
Scope: products covered
Article 3 applies to "marine equipment" defined as equipment falling within the scope of the international Conventions for which compliance is required at the time the equipment is placed on board an EU-flagged ship subject to those Conventions. The equipment in scope is listed by Commission Implementing Regulations adopted annually, most recently Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1434 of 30 June 2026, in force since 31 August 2026, which repealed Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1533. The list covers categories such as:
- Life-saving appliances (life jackets, immersion suits, lifeboats and rescue boats);
- Marine pollution prevention equipment (oily-water separators, sewage treatment systems);
- Fire protection equipment (fire detection systems, sprinkler systems, breathing apparatus, fire-resistant structural components);
- Navigation equipment (radars, GPS receivers, magnetic compasses, gyrocompasses, voyage data recorders);
- Radio-communication equipment (VHF/MF/HF radios, EPIRBs, SARTs);
- COLREG equipment (signalling lights, sound signalling devices).
Exclusions
Equipment for ships not subject to the listed Conventions (e.g., recreational craft below SOLAS thresholds), military equipment, and equipment for fishing vessels below SOLAS thresholds. Recreational craft are covered by their own Directive.
Essential requirements
The MED's substantive requirements derive from the international Conventions and IMO Resolutions, supplemented by the relevant testing standards (IMO, ISO, IEC, EN, ITU). The Commission Implementing Regulation listing equipment categories indicates the applicable Convention, Regulation, and testing standards for each item.
Conformity assessment procedures
Annex II provides modules adapted from Decision 768/2008/EC for the marine environment:
- Module B (EU type-examination) +
- Module D (production QA), Module E (product QA), or Module F (product verification);
- Module G (unit verification), for equipment produced individually or in small quantities.
Notified Body involvement is mandatory throughout. The Notified Body identification number appears next to the wheelmark.
The wheelmark
Article 9 and Annex I require the wheelmark — a stylised ship's wheel symbol — in place of the CE mark. The wheelmark is affixed visibly, legibly, and indelibly to the product or its data plate (and, where relevant, embedded in its software), or, where that is not possible or not warranted due to the nature of the product, to the packaging and accompanying documents (Article 10). The wheelmark is followed by the identification number of the Notified Body involved in the production control phase and the year in which the mark is affixed. The technical proportions of the wheelmark are set in Annex I.
Technical documentation
Annex II Module-specific provisions. Retention: at least 10 years after the wheelmark has been affixed, and in no case less than the expected life of the equipment (Article 12(4)). See technical documentation.
EU Declaration of Conformity
Article 16; the declaration follows the model structure in Annex III to Decision No 768/2008/EC. See EU Declaration of Conformity.
Electronic tag
Article 11 provides for an electronic tag (e-tag) on marine equipment, allowing automated identification and tracking. The Commission has adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/608 setting the technical specifications for the e-tag. The e-tag complements the wheelmark and supports ship surveys and inspections.
Recent and upcoming changes
The MED's equipment list is updated annually by Commission Implementing Regulation. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1533, in force from 23 September 2025, added IRNSS receivers as a new GNSS item; Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1434 updated requirements and testing standards for existing items without adding new ones. The Commission has been working on alignment of MED Notified Body designation with classification societies recognised under Regulation (EC) 391/2009.
Related legislation
- SOLAS, MARPOL, COLREG, Load Lines Convention — the IMO Conventions the MED implements.
- Regulation (EC) 391/2009 on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations (recognised organisations).
- Directive 2009/15/EC on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations (Member State authorities).
- Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU — excludes equipment within the MED's scope.
- Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU — covers recreational craft, which are outside the MED.
Common errors
- CE mark in place of wheelmark. Marine equipment in scope of the MED must bear the wheelmark.
- Reliance on a Notified Body not designated for the MED. Designation is sector-specific.
- Equipment from third countries without MED conformity assessment. Equipment placed on board EU-flagged ships must conform regardless of the country of origin.
Sources
- Directive 2014/90/EU (Marine Equipment) — EUR-Lex consolidated text.
- European Commission — Marine equipment (DG MOVE).
- Commission Implementing Regulations on equipment categories — published annually in the OJEU.
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) Conventions — SOLAS, MARPOL, COLREG, Load Lines.
- Commission Notice — Blue Guide 2022 — EUR-Lex.