The EU Machinery Regulation (MR), which comes into force in January 2027, is designed to modernize how every machine – whether newly built or significantly modified – is assessed for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. At first glance, the regulation may appear to be simply the next chapter in the Machinery Directive (2006) story. But unlike its predecessor, it will automatically apply to all EU member states from day one, creating a single source of truth for machine builders.
Under the technical surface of the regulation lies something much more profound: A wake-up call on cybersecurity. It’s a reminder that the future of machine safety depends as much on security as on solid steel.
Tackling the awareness gap
When it comes to industrial regulations, it’s easy to assume that everyone knows what’s coming. After all, there’s so much at stake. In reality, the details and impact of the MR are only now coming into focus. Even large, established companies might presume that compliance will be a quick administrative task. Smaller firms are often even less prepared, with limited in‑house expertise or resources to keep up with new requirements.
Yet complying with the upcoming regulation isn’t optional. Machine builders must meet their requirements to achieve CE (Conformité Européenne) marking, which indicates a product has been assessed and meets EU health, safety, and environmental protection requirements. Non‑compliant machines won’t make it to market.
Preparation is key for navigating the MR. Manufacturers that integrate cybersecurity into their design and operating processes early on will find the transition relatively painless. For others, now is the time to start building a strategy. While no one is being asked to start from scratch with their machinery, everyone must be able to demonstrate that resilience against cyberattacks has been considered and documented.
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What’s actually changing
The most notable shift in the MR is its emphasis on security as a fundamental part of safety. Machine builders will have to carry out cybersecurity risk assessments, identifying where and how their systems might be exposed to the threat of cyberattacks.
To support this, a new harmonized standard – EN50742 Protection Against Corruption – is set to define how those assessments should be performed and what cybersecurity features need to be built into machinery. Following this upcoming standard will be the most straightforward way to comply with the MR requirements.
The results of these assessments may reveal that existing processes are sufficient, or they might highlight the need for further measures. A machine that operates entirely offline, for example, might need little more than a certificate of its isolation. But any machine with remote access, network connections, or cloud-based functionality will have to be equipped with evidence that its digital defenses are solid and fit for purpose.
While there’s no explicit requirement to bring in a third party to conduct the assessment, it may be the safest approach for companies without in-house cybersecurity expertise. At the end of the day, each manufacturer is responsible for proving that practices have been taken to secure its machines.
A subtle but crucial change
Compliance is one thing, but thorough documentation counts for a lot when it comes to the MR. Manufacturers need to be able to provide clear, traceable records showing that cybersecurity risks have been reviewed and that the risk assessment supports well-informed decisions.
Failing to comply will be as much a legal issue as a technical one. However, the regulation recognizes that sometimes the right course of action is to do nothing, provided that the reasons are clearly documented and justified. The goal is to promote deliberate, well‑reasoned choices, not just ticking a box.
Equally important is the fact that the regulation brings a modern update to paperwork itself. Fully digital documentation is permitted, bringing an end to the outdated need for printed manuals and paper certificates.
The tools supporting machine builders
The new requirements will be here before we know it. ABB aims to help machine builders navigate the change with confidence. That is why we aim to ensure that our components – from programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to drives, motors, and related equipment – meet the new regulations and are supported by transparent, security-level documentation.
By using components that already meet the necessary cybersecurity requirements, manufacturers can simplify their own compliance processes. It’s much easier to build a secure machine from already-secure parts, rather than trying to add on security after the fact. A secure-by-design approach helps machine builders strengthen protection at the device level and prove compliance more readily under the new MR.
Going forward, drives will be increasingly expected to carry independent third‑party certification confirming cybersecurity compliance in line with the MR. But PLCs play just as critical a role as drives in this landscape, acting as the brains of automation systems and therefore needing the same level of built‑in protection.
As well as ensuring that ABB’s own products meet the new standards, we are working with our customers to clarify what the regulation means in practice – namely, how to carry out effective cybersecurity assessments and document their results correctly. The goal is to help make regulatory readiness a natural part of the design process, rather than something addressed at the end, which can often cause manufacturers to rush the process and risk non-compliance.
Cybersecurity as a driver for progress
It’s natural to wonder whether these new cybersecurity requirements might act as an obstacle for innovation or digital transformation. Actually, the opposite is true. Without security, trust in connected technologies like the industrial Internet of Things collapses. Confidence with digitalization begins only when businesses feel certain they can manage risk effectively. And data access may come with a cost, but that cost is an investment in long-term resilience and growth.
Preparing for the future
For manufacturers, the first and most important step in navigating the upcoming MR is to conduct a cybersecurity risk assessment. Even if the assessment concludes that no immediate changes are needed, the process itself proves due diligence and is the starting point for long-term strategy and compliance. Guidance for carrying out this assessment will be outlined in the upcoming EN 50742 Protection Against Corruption standard, which spells out both the process and the technical expectations for building cybersecurity into machine design.
With compliant components and expert advice, ABB is helping customers transition smoothly into this new regulatory era. The goal is not just to comply today, but to ensure that industrial machines can stand up to tomorrow’s demands.
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