What are Notified Bodies?
What are Notified Bodies?
When ATEX equipment requires third-party certification, the organisations that perform this work are called notified bodies. These are independent conformity assessment bodies that EU Member States have evaluated and formally "notified" to the European Commission as competent to carry out specific assessment procedures under the ATEX Equipment Directive (2014/34/EU). The EC ATEX Guidelines (§97-104) describe their role in detail.
Why Notified Bodies Exist
For higher-risk equipment—Category 1 and 2—the directive doesn't allow manufacturers to self-certify. The stakes are too high: equipment destined for Zone 0 or Zone 1 must demonstrably meet safety requirements, verified by someone independent. Someone must examine the design, test physical specimens, and verify that production quality systems actually work. This independent oversight is what notified bodies provide.
The Notification Process
The "notified" part of the name comes from a formal process. When a Member State determines that a conformity assessment body meets all the necessary requirements, it notifies the European Commission and other Member States. Only after this notification—and listing in the NANDO database—can the body act officially under the directive. This ensures consistent quality across all notified bodies in the EU.
What Notified Bodies Do
Under the ATEX directive, notified bodies can be authorised to perform several conformity assessment procedures:
- EU-Type Examination (Module B): Examining technical designs and testing representative specimens—the design approval stage
- Quality assurance of production (Module D): Auditing and monitoring the manufacturer's production quality system
- Product verification (Module F): Testing samples from production to verify they match the approved design
- Supervised product testing (Module C1): Spot-checking during production
- Unit verification (Module G): Examining and testing every individual product
A particular notified body might be authorised for all these procedures or only some, depending on their competence and the scope of their notification.
Requirements for Notified Bodies
The requirements are stringent. A notified body must demonstrate independence and impartiality—no conflicts of interest with the manufacturers they assess. They must employ competent personnel with relevant technical knowledge in explosion protection. They must maintain quality management systems, professional liability insurance, and strict confidentiality procedures.
Accreditation by a national accreditation body (typically to EN ISO/IEC 17065) is the preferred way to demonstrate competence. The notified body is then monitored by the Member State to ensure ongoing compliance.
Choosing a Notified Body
Manufacturers can choose any notified body authorised for the relevant procedure, anywhere in the EU—there's no requirement to use one in your own country. The NANDO database on the European Commission's website lists all notified bodies, showing exactly which procedures and product scope each is authorised for. When selecting, consider their specific technical expertise in your protection types, their reputation and track record, practical factors like language and location, and their turnaround times—though speed should never compromise thoroughness.
Certificates and Ongoing Oversight
When a notified body approves a design through EU-Type Examination, they issue a certificate. This certificate number appears on the ATEX marking and in the EU Declaration of Conformity. For products requiring production-phase involvement, the notified body's four-digit identification number also appears on the marking.
The relationship doesn't end with certification. Notified bodies must periodically review certificates they've issued and can withdraw or suspend them if products no longer comply. Manufacturers must inform the notified body of any design changes that might affect compliance. This ongoing oversight is what gives the certification system its credibility.
The NANDO Database
The New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations (NANDO) database is the official EU register. Before engaging any organisation claiming to be a notified body, verify their listing in NANDO. The database shows their notification number, which directive(s) they're notified under, which conformity assessment modules they can perform, and any limitations on their scope. This transparency helps manufacturers make informed choices and prevents fraudulent certification.