The Member States of the European Union shall take all necessary measuresto ensure that machinary or safety components may be placed on the market and put into service only if the do not endanger the health and safety of persons and, where appropriate, domestic animals or property, provided that they are properly installed, maintained and used for their intended purpose. 

Machinery and safety components must be in compliance with the essential health and safety requirements set out in Annex I to the Directive. 

In order to certify the conformity of machinery and safety components with the requirements of the Directive, the manufacturer or his authorised representative within the Community must, for each machine or safety component, draw up a declaration of conformity and, in addition, affix the CE marking only for machinery. 

Before placing machinery on the market, the manufacturer or his authorised representative established within the Community must: 

1. If the machinery is not covered by Annex IV of the Directive, compile the technical file in accordance with Annex VII A and the conformity assessment and manufacturing control procedure as indicated in Annex VIII. 
    
2. If the machinery is covered by Annex IV of the Directive and constructed in accordance with an harmonised standard, compile the technical file in accordance with Annex VII A and follow one of the following procedures: 

The conformity assessment and manufacturing control procedure as set out in Annex VIII. 

1. EC type-examination and manufacturing control procedure in accordance with Annex IX. 
    
2. Total Quality Assurance procedure as indicated in Annex X. 

The procedures set out in Annexes IX and X reffered to in points "2b" and "2c" shall be carried out by Bodies Notified by the European Community which are deemed to meet the minimum requirements set out in that Directive. 

Directive 2006/42/EC also sets out the concept of 'partly completed machinery' for which the manufacturer or his authorised representative established in the Community must prepare the relevant technical documentation referred to in Annex VII B, the assembly instruction referred to in Annex VI and prepare the Declaration of Incorporation referred to in Annex II Part 1 Section B.