The European Parliament and Council Directive 95/16/EC of 29 June 1995 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to lifts establishes European legal requirements for the design, installation and placing on the market of new lifts. It also sets out the conformity assessment procedures to be followed by lift installers to ensure conformity with these requirements. The provisions of the Directive are implemented in the national law of each Member State of the European Union.
The Directive covers new lifts permanently installed in buildings and constructions for carrying passengers or passengers and loads. It also applies to certain safety components for lifts listed in Annex IV of the Directive. It does not cover lifts temporarily installed on construction sites, cable ways and funicular railways, or lifts installed on machinery or in mine shafts.