The elevator industry is facing significant change. The EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 standards are being replaced by the international standards ISO 8100-1 and ISO 8100-2, which are also being published in a European version as EN ISO 8100-1 and EN ISO8100-2. The aim is to harmonize safety and design requirements for passenger and freight elevators worldwide. The new standards are scheduled for publication at the end of 2025. In Europe, the standards will only become officially valid during the course of 2026, following their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

“Due to the transition to the new standards, all valid certificates that mention EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 must also be analyzed and reissued,” says Jonas Conrady, International Manager Certification in the Business Unit Lifts, Cranes and Conveyors at TÜV SÜD. In addition, the new standards are more comprehensive and in some cases also contain more detailed requirements. This may mean that manufacturers will have to submit further documentation or carry out additional tests. With ReCert Easy, TÜV SÜD is presenting a service at interlift 2025 that is designed to ensure the smoothest possible transition to the new standards and make the issuance of new certificates as easy as possible.

Proof of compliance with the ASME Code requirements is helpful for accessing the US market. In the US, elevators are only approved after installation, and requirements may vary from state to state. “Certification of components according to ASME 17.1 usually simplifies the approval process, even if it is not mandatory,” explains Conrady. In addition, a manufacturer can decide which points should be taken into account for certification. This allows the scope of an ASME certificate to be adapted to the scope of a European certificate, for example. It is crucial for acceptance that a certificate is issued by a National Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) such as TÜV SÜD.

Cybersecurity is also becoming increasingly important for the elevator industry. This is reflected, among other things, in the fact that cyber risks are also taken into account in the new ISO 8100-1 and 8100-2 standards. Clear references are used here to regulate how connected systems are to be designed to be “secure” or cyber-secure in the future.

Further information on TÜV SÜD’s services in this area is available at
tuvsud.com/en/services/management-system-certification/lift-certification..

Technical presentation: Belts and coated ropes as load-bearing equipment from the perspective of a notified body, Chadi Noureddine, TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH, Oct. 14, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Hall 4, VFA-Forum.