Last June, the United Kingdom invoked the "safeguard clause" (art. 6 of the Machinery Directive) to prevent the manufacturing and circulation of soil working machines (e.g. rotary power harrows and cultivators) made in accordance with the harmonised standard EN 708:1997. The UK’s objection is that this standard lowers the existing UK levels of protection and does not satisfy several of the essential health and safety requirements of Annex 1 to the Machinery Directive: 1.1.2 (Principles of safety integration), 1.2 (Controls), 1.3.7 (Prevention of risks related to moving parts) and 1.4.1 (General requirements for guards and protection devices).

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