EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853)
Directive (EU) 2024/2853 of 23 October 2024 on liability for defective products is the new EU Product Liability Directive replacing Council Directive 85/374/EEC (which had governed product liability since 1985). The 2024 PLD entered into force on 8 December 2024 and Member States must transpose it by 9 December 2026 (Article 24); 85/374/EEC remains applicable to products placed on the market before 9 December 2026 (Article 22 transitional). Key modernisation points: (a) expanded definition of 'product' in Article 4(1) explicitly including software (whether embedded or supplied separately as a SaaS / standalone product), AI systems, and digital manufacturing files; (b) expanded categories of damage in Article 6 covering destruction or corruption of data not used for professional purposes, medically recognised damage to psychological health, and material losses from data loss; (c) substantial modification rule in Article 4(18) making the modifier liable for the modified product; (d) economic-operator chain liability in Articles 7-8 including manufacturer + authorised representative + importer + fulfilment service provider + distributor + online platform under Article 7(3) where they have a contract with the consumer; (e) disclosure-of-evidence regime in Article 9 (the new procedural rules requiring defendants + third parties to disclose relevant evidence on plaintiff motion) and Article 11 presumptions of defectiveness + causality; (f) cybersecurity-related defect treatment (a cybersecurity defect that compromises product safety qualifies as a 'defect' per Recital 38 + Article 7(2)(d)); (g) limitation periods in Articles 15-16: 3-year claim limitation + 10-year long-stop from the date the actual defective product was placed on the market / put into service / substantially modified, extended to 25 years for latent personal injury. Coordination with the proposed AI Liability Directive (Commission Proposal COM(2022) 496): the Commission withdrew the AILD proposal in February 2025 making the 2024 PLD the operative regime for AI-product liability.
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Framework Domains (7)
PLD: Damages, Defectiveness and Substantial Modification
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.4(18)-SubstantialMod | Substantial modification (PLD Articles 4(18), 7(1) and 16(3)) - the modifier becomes a PLD manufacturer |
| PLD-Art.6 | Categories of damage covered (PLD Article 6) |
PLD: Final Provisions, Repeal and Transposition
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.19_20_21 | Transparency, reporting, evaluation (PLD Articles 19-21) |
| PLD-Art.22_23_24 | Transitional, repeal of 85/374/EEC and transposition (PLD Articles 22-24) |
PLD: Liability and Economic Operators
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.5 | Right to compensation (PLD Article 5) |
| PLD-Art.7_8 | Economic operators liable and chain of responsibility (PLD Articles 7-8) |
PLD: Limitation Periods, Reduction and Contribution
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.15 | Limitation period (PLD Article 15) - 3-year claim limitation |
| PLD-Art.16 | Long-stop period (PLD Article 16) - 10 years + 25 years for latent injury |
| PLD-Art.17 | Reduction or denial of liability - manufacturer defences (PLD Article 17) |
| PLD-Art.18 | Contribution and right of recourse (PLD Article 18) |
PLD: Proof, Evidence Disclosure and Presumptions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.10 | Defectiveness (PLD Article 10) - factor-based assessment |
| PLD-Art.11 | Burden of proof and presumptions (PLD Article 11) |
| PLD-Art.12_13_14 | Limits on plaintiff burden + procedural rules + special procedures (PLD Articles 12-14) |
| PLD-Art.9 | Disclosure of evidence (PLD Article 9) - the new procedural disclosure regime |
PLD: Software, AI and Cybersecurity Defect Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.10-AI | AI system as defective product (PLD Articles 4(1), 4(21), 10(c)) - AI Liability Directive Commission withdrawal context |
| PLD-Art.10-Cyber | Cybersecurity-related defect (PLD Article 10(f) + Recital 38) - coordination with CRA + GPSR |
PLD: Subject Matter, Scope and Definitions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PLD-Art.1_2_3 | Subject matter, scope and definitions (PLD Articles 1-3) |
| PLD-Art.4 | Definitions (PLD Article 4) - the expanded product / software / AI definitions |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853), you already cover:
EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR, Regulation 2023/988)
22%
4 controls mapped
Compare →EU Cyber Resilience Act
17%
3 controls mapped
Compare →European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882)
11%
2 controls mapped
Compare →+ 3 more: EU AI Act (11%), EU Machinery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1230) (6%)
See all 6 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 6 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853)?
EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853) is a compliance framework from European Union with 7 domains and 18 controls. Directive (EU) 2024/2853 of 23 October 2024 on liability for defective products is the new EU Product Liability Directive replacing Council Directive 85/374/EEC (which had governed product liability since 1985). The 2024 PLD entered into force on 8 December 2024 and Member States must transpose it by 9 December 2026 (Article 24); 85/374/EEC remains applicable to products placed on the market before 9 December 2026 (Article 22 transitional). Key modernisation points: (a) expanded definition of 'product' in Article 4(1) explicitly including software (whether embedded or supplied separately as a SaaS / standalone product), AI systems, and digital manufacturing files; (b) expanded categories of damage in Article 6 covering destruction or corruption of data not used for professional purposes, medically recognised damage to psychological health, and material losses from data loss; (c) substantial modification rule in Article 4(18) making the modifier liable for the modified product; (d) economic-operator chain liability in Articles 7-8 including manufacturer + authorised representative + importer + fulfilment service provider + distributor + online platform under Article 7(3) where they have a contract with the consumer; (e) disclosure-of-evidence regime in Article 9 (the new procedural rules requiring defendants + third parties to disclose relevant evidence on plaintiff motion) and Article 11 presumptions of defectiveness + causality; (f) cybersecurity-related defect treatment (a cybersecurity defect that compromises product safety qualifies as a 'defect' per Recital 38 + Article 7(2)(d)); (g) limitation periods in Articles 15-16: 3-year claim limitation + 10-year long-stop from the date the actual defective product was placed on the market / put into service / substantially modified, extended to 25 years for latent personal injury. Coordination with the proposed AI Liability Directive (Commission Proposal COM(2022) 496): the Commission withdrew the AILD proposal in February 2025 making the 2024 PLD the operative regime for AI-product liability. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853) have?
EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853) has 18 controls organised across 7 domains. The largest domains are PLD: Limitation Periods, Reduction and Contribution (4 controls), PLD: Proof, Evidence Disclosure and Presumptions (4 controls), PLD: Damages, Defectiveness and Substantial Modification (2 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853) map to?
EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853) maps to 6 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR, Regulation 2023/988) (22% coverage), EU Cyber Resilience Act (17% coverage), European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) (11% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with EU Product Liability Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2853) compliance?
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