Q. Did the original directive result from the creation of the single market in Europe?

A. Yes, the single market depended on the elimination of barriers to trade between member states and enshrined protection for the freedom of movement of capital, people, goods and services. The Engineering and Machine building sectors were and are important sectors of the European economy. However, prior to the first machinery directive there were no common regulaions or standards for machinery supplied on the market. The aim of the EU in introducing the Directive 89/392/EEC and it's amending Directive 98/37/EC, generally known as the "Machinery Directive", was to ensure the free movement of the products within the scope by guaranteeing a high and common level of protection in the areas of health, safety and consumer rights.