John,
If proof were needed that one branch of the Commission doesn't know what the
other branch is doing then [COM(2003) 252 Final, of 12 May 2003] is it.
All I can say is that many times now I have sat in rooms in Brussels with the
European Commission; the DTI and their counterparts in other Member States;
industry representatives, consumer groups; and standards bodies where the
revision of the LVD has been under discussion in the "Working Group LVD
Update" since May 2001 {in fact, even before that if you take into account the
discussions within the full LVD Working Party (Working Party of Governmental
Experts on Directive 73/23/EEC}. As indicated in my message late last Friday,
the Commission ARE producing a draft revision to the LVD that goes down to
zero volts. As I also indicated before, it is not (quite) a done deal that
the LVD will do down to zero volts with the upper voltage limits remaining the
same (unlike the R&TTED, which has now lower limits and no higher limits
either).
I have previously provided this group with the latest information on the
changes to the LVD that, to my knowledge, exists within the public domain.
Of course John, if you want a second opinion then please contact the DTI
yourself: subsequently, please let this group know I was correct all along.
Thanks,
Richard Hughes
Safety Answers Ltd.
