30.1.76 Official Journal of the European Communities . No L 24/45 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 18 December 1975 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres {(76/117/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2), Whereas national legislation in force to ensure the safety of electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres differs from one Member State to another, thus constituting a barrier to tride; Whereas such differences may be eliminated if electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres is required to comply with harmonized technical standards; Whereas, however, the possibility should be borne in mind that certain types of equipment may offer an equivalent degree of safety to that of the harmonized standards although not complying with these standards; Whereas provision should be made for an approved body to check that such equipment complies with the harmonized standards or offers a degree of safety which is at least equivalent; whereas inspections must cover not only the documentation but also the construction and assembly of the equipment; \ Wheteas certificates and marks recognized in all Member States must be used to certify that the equipment has passed these inspections; () OJ No C 87, 2. 9. 1971, p. 4. () O] No C 41, 29. 4. 1971, p. 6. Whereas the technical specifications prescribed in the Directives concerning ‘electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres need to be promptly adapted in line with technical progress; whereas, to facilitate the implementation of the appropriate necessary measures, a procedure should be laid down .for close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission within a Committee on the adaptation to technical progress of the Directives on the removal of technical barriers to trade in electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres; Whereas it is possible that equipment for use .in potentially explosive atmospheres, even though it has been certified and marked for free movement, may represent a safety risk; whereas a procedure should therefore be laid down to obviate this risk, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Article 1 This Directive shall apply to electrical equipment capable of use in a potentially explosive atmosphere with the exception of equipment designed for work underground in mines susceptible to fire damp and of medical equipment. Article 2 For the purposes of this Directive ‘electrical cquipment’ means any constituent part of an electrical installation or any other electrical device. Article 3 A ‘potentially explosive atmosphere’ exists in spaces in which dangerous quantities of flammable substances may occur in the form of gas, vapour, haze or dust capable of combining with air to form potentially explosive mixtures.