I work in the environmental sector and a great many good things come from Europe directives. Many are far beyond what individual governments would be bold enough to enforce.
A lot of the poor legislation happens when the EU directives are incorporated into member states home laws and extra bits are bolted on.
With regards to ec 2006/42. I have skimmed it and I'm not sure what the complaint is about. There may be bits that could be taken out of context or misinterpreted but on the whole it seems reasonable. The jist is that this directive protects workers and consumers from poor and dangerous tools. I think it is about sale or distribution of free tools not a tool that you knock up for yourself at home.
Think about those dangerous power drill circular saw attachments from the 70's. Sure they were democratising for the diyer but lacking in basic safety features. That is what this directive aims to prevent.
If you want ammo here is the full directive
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content ... 32006L0042Article 4.1 does not seem particularly exciting to me.
- Code: Select all
Article 4
Market surveillance
1. Member States shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that machinery may be placed on the market and/or put into service only if it satisfies the relevant provisions of this Directive and does not endanger the health and safety of persons and, where appropriate, domestic animals or property, when properly installed and maintained and used for its intended purpose or under conditions which can reasonably be foreseen.
Ps I am a closet EU directives geek
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