The Low Voltage Agreement Group
for industrial equipment

General

The Low Voltage Agreement Group (LOVAG) is an open agreement which any certification body worldwide complying with the LOVAG rules may join. LOVAG started in 1991 and has presently six signatories to the Agreement, coming from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Spain.

LOVAG’s main purpose as an Agreement Group shall be for the mutual recognition of the test reports and/or certificates of conformity by its signatories.

The basic aim of LOVAG is the harmonisation of the testing and certification of electrical equipment to which European directives such as the Low Voltage Directive (LVD), the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC) and the Machinery Safety Directive (MSD) are applicable. The focus is on Low Voltage Electrical Equipment for industrial commercial and similar use.

LOVAG Certificates

The issue of a LOVAG Certificate means that it has been produced by a signatory to the agreement following the IEC/EN standards, and the common applications and test methods contained in LOVAG Test Instructions. The testing will have been carried out in a recognised test laboratory accepted by the LOVAG members.

Benefits of LOVAG

• Through Peers’ Assessment the certification bodies maintain and improve the operation and integrity of the members of the group.
• The signatories to the Agreement are required to comply with the European Standard EN 45011 (ISO/IEC Guide 65) before they may sign the Agreement.
• LOVAG provides protection of the integrity reputation and experience of the signatories and their laboratories
• LOVAG is a Registered Agreement Group by EOTC, the European Organisation for Conformity Assessment, and is in conformity with the EOTC Guidelines for Agreement Groups.
• LOVAG provides a service of one-stop certification for its clients that is acceptable in the European Economic Area as well as all over the world.
• The laboratories used for testing low voltage electrical equipment are required to comply with ISO/IEC 17025 before they may be accepted for testing for LOVAG certification.
• By participating in LOVAG the manufacturers may make use of his own laboratory resource and receive third party certification through the Certification Organisation
• LOVAG Certificates and LOVAG Test Reports can be issued for the complete standard or specific parts (e.g. a complete sequence(s) ) of the IEC or EN standards.

Objectives of LOVAG

The objectives of the Low Voltage Agreement Group are as follows:

• To provide a forum for co-operation between similar certification bodies in Europe and worldwide providing certification of low voltage equipment for industrial, commercial and similar applications.
• To provide integrity and quality of type test certificates acceptable in the market by common application of standards and test methods through agreed LOVAG Test Instructions.
• To present test certificates and test reports in a common format recognisable in the market and acceptable in the European Economic Area and elsewhere in the world.
• To provide acceptable one-stop testing and certification of low voltage equipment for its customers covering:

1. All relevant Directives
2. IEC Standards
3. European Norms (ENs)

• To facilitate trade and help manufacturers with well-established certificates accepted in Europe and worldwide.
• To provide equivalent certificates from each signatory body to the Agreement.
• To provide an open agreement for any certification body complying with its requirements to join.

Participating Certification Bodies

For details on other participating organisations and other aspects, visit the LOVAG website.

Information

20/10/2004