Free reference tool
EU language requirements for product documentation
Which languages must your manuals, labels, warnings and declarations be in? Pick your product type and the countries you sell to, and get the list of languages you need. The table below covers the 27 EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Last reviewed:
Select at least one country to see the languages you need.
Country-by-country table
| Country | Machinery | Medical devices, lay users | Medical devices, professional users | Consumer products | Notes and sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | German | GermanOfficial entry may be outdated | GermanEnglish accepted | German | English is accepted for professional medical devices. The Commission's table notes that Austria's medical device entry may not be up to date. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Belgium | Dutch, French, German | French, Dutch, German | one of: French, Dutch, GermanEnglish accepted | Dutch, French, German (by language region) | Consumer information follows the language region: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, German in the German-speaking Community, Dutch and French in Brussels. Medical devices for lay users need all three languages. Whether one regional language is enough for machinery is not confirmed: check with FPS Economy. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014); FPS Economy (BE): safety of machines |
| Bulgaria | Bulgarian | BulgarianOfficial entry may be outdated | BulgarianNo English option | Bulgarian | No English option for professional medical devices. The Commission's table notes that Bulgaria's entry may not be up to date. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Croatia | Croatian | Croatian | CroatianEnglish only under conditions | Croatian | English for professional medical devices only with the professional user's agreement. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Cyprus | GreekCheck with authority | GreekOfficial entry may be outdated | GreekEnglish accepted | Greek | Greek. English is accepted for professional medical devices and the declaration of conformity. For machinery, check with the national authority whether English alone is accepted. The Commission's table still cites Cyprus's pre-MDR medical device law. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Czechia | Czech | Czech | CzechNo English option | CzechNational rule confirmed | Czech even for professional medical device instructions. The medical device declaration of conformity may be in Czech, Slovak or English. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Czech Trade Inspection Authority: seller information duties |
| Denmark | Danish | Danish | DanishEnglish only under conditions | Danish | English for professional medical devices only on request. The medical device declaration of conformity may be in English. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Estonia | Estonian | Estonian | EstonianEnglish only under conditions | EstonianNational rule confirmed | Professionals may accept English, but the Language Act gives them the right to ask for Estonian. Consumers must get Estonian unless they agree otherwise. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; TTJA (EE): consumer protection requirements; Riigi Teataja (EE): Consumer Protection Act (2023 version) |
| Finland | Finnish, Swedish | Finnish, Swedish | Finnish, SwedishEnglish only under conditions | Finnish, Swedish | Bilingual country: plan for Finnish and Swedish. Information needed for the safe use of a medical device must be in both, even for professional users. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| France | French | French | FrenchNo English option | FrenchNational rule confirmed | The Loi Toubon makes French mandatory for instructions for use and warranty terms, with fines per offence. Under the Machinery Regulation, machinery instructions may be supplied digitally from 20 January 2027, but a free paper copy must be provided on request. No English option for professional medical devices. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Légifrance: Loi n° 94-665 (Loi Toubon); French Ministry of Agriculture: buying safe new machinery (PDF, 2010, Machinery Directive) |
| Germany | GermanNational rule confirmed | German | GermanEnglish only under conditions | GermanNational rule confirmed | Germany has already adopted its national rule under the Machinery Regulation (MaschinenDG §2): from 20 January 2027 the instructions, safety information and EU declaration of conformity must be in German, and so must assembly instructions and declarations of incorporation. For medical devices, English is allowed for professional users only in justified cases, and safety information must still be in German or the user's language. Sources: European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; MaschinenDG §2 (gesetze-im-internet.de); BAuA: MaschinenDG; ProdSG §6 (gesetze-im-internet.de) |
| Greece | Greek | GreekOfficial entry may be outdated | GreekEnglish only under conditions | Greek | The medical device rules listed by the Commission still date from before the MDR. English for professional devices only with the competent authority's approval. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Hungary | Hungarian | HungarianOfficial entry may be outdated | HungarianNo English option | HungarianCheck with authority | No English option for professional medical devices. For consumer information, check with the national consumer protection authority, which enforces Hungarian-language rules. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Hungarian consumer protection authority: press release on Hungarian-language rules for advertising and shop notices (PDF, Jul 2026) |
| Iceland | IcelandicCheck with authority | Icelandic | IcelandicEnglish accepted | IcelandicCheck with authority | EEA country. Lay instructions for class I and IIa medical devices may also be in English or a Nordic language other than Finnish. For machinery and consumer products, check with the national authority. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025 |
| Ireland | EnglishCheck with authority | English | EnglishEnglish accepted | English | English is sufficient for medical devices; Irish is optional alongside it. For machinery, confirm with the national authority that English alone is enough. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Italy | Italian | ItalianOfficial entry may be outdated | ItalianNo English option | ItalianNational rule confirmed | On consumer information, Italian must be at least as visible as any other language. Implant cards need Italian and English. No English option for professional medical devices. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Normattiva: Codice del consumo (D.Lgs. 206/2005), art. 9 |
| Latvia | Latvian | Latvian | LatvianEnglish only under conditions | LatvianNational rule confirmed | The Official Language Law is enforced with administrative fines. Even the medical device declaration of conformity must be in Latvian. English for professional devices only in healthcare facilities that consent. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Likumi.lv: Official Language Law |
| Liechtenstein | GermanCheck with authority | German | GermanEnglish only under conditions | GermanCheck with authority | EEA country, German-speaking, in a customs union with Switzerland. For machinery and consumer products, check with the national authority. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025 |
| Lithuania | Lithuanian | LithuanianOfficial entry may be outdated | LithuanianNo English option | LithuanianNational rule confirmed | No English option for professional medical devices. Article 17 of the State Language Law requires the names and descriptions of goods to be in Lithuanian. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; e-seimas (LT): Law on the State Language, official translation (Art. 17) |
| Luxembourg | one of: French, German | one of: French, German, LuxembourgishOfficial entry may be outdated | one of: French, German, LuxembourgishEnglish accepted | one of: French, German, Luxembourgish | Under the Machinery Directive, ILNAS accepts instructions in one of Luxembourg's official languages, in practice French or German. Luxembourg's law implementing the Machinery Regulation sets fines but no language rule, so for machinery placed on the market from 20 January 2027, confirm with ILNAS. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014); ILNAS (LU): Machinery Directive factsheet (PDF, 2021) |
| Malta | one of: Maltese, English | one of: Maltese, English | one of: Maltese, EnglishEnglish accepted | one of: English, Maltese | Maltese and English are both official: English alone is accepted for medical devices and, in practice, for other products. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Netherlands | Dutch | Dutch | DutchEnglish accepted | Dutch | Consumers need Dutch. English is widely accepted for professional medical devices and the declaration of conformity. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Norway | Norwegian | Norwegian | NorwegianNo English option | Norwegian | EEA country. Medical device software interfaces must be in Norwegian too, except standard terms such as On/Off. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Poland | Polish | Polish | PolishEnglish accepted | PolishNational rule confirmed | The Polish Language Act requires Polish for consumer instructions, warnings and warranty terms, and is enforced with fines. It does not cover business-to-business sales. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Dziennik Ustaw: Act on the Polish language (1999) |
| Portugal | Portuguese | Portuguese | PortugueseNo English option | Portuguese | No English option for professional medical device instructions; the declaration of conformity may be in English. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Romania | Romanian | Romanian | RomanianEnglish only under conditions | Romanian | English for professional medical devices needs the competent authority's approval, based on the healthcare professional's written consent. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Slovakia | Slovak | Slovak | SlovakEnglish only under conditions | SlovakNational rule confirmed | Consumers must get information in Slovak unless they agree to another language they understand. Labels of professional medical devices may be in English, but the instructions for use must be in Slovak; English in professional software interfaces must be explained in the Slovak instructions. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; Slovak Ministry of Economy: Act 108/2024 on consumer protection (EN, PDF) |
| Slovenia | Slovenian | SlovenianOfficial entry may be outdated | SlovenianEnglish accepted | Slovenian | Slovene, including the medical device declaration of conformity. Instructions for professional-use devices may be in a language the user understands (normally English). The Commission's table notes that Slovenia still applies its pre-MDR Medical Devices Act. Requirements in the Italian and Hungarian bilingual areas are not confirmed. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Spain | Spanish | Spanish | SpanishNo English option | Spanish + Catalan (Catalonia)National rule confirmed | Spanish nationwide. In Catalonia, the Consumer Code gives consumers the right to information in Catalan; the Constitutional Court upheld it with an interpretive reservation, and courts have confirmed fines. No English option for professional medical devices. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; BOE: Real Decreto 1468/1988 (labelling of industrial products); BOE: Constitutional Court ruling on the Catalan Consumer Code (2017) |
| Sweden | Swedish | Swedish | SwedishNo English option | Swedish | Swedish, even for professional medical device instructions. The declaration of conformity may be in English. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery (EUR-Lex); European Commission: language requirements for medical devices (MDR), Rev. 3, Aug 2025; European Commission: national language requirements for toys (overview, 2014) |
| Switzerland | German, French, ItalianNational rule confirmed | German, French, Italian | German, French, ItalianEnglish only under conditions | German, French, Italian (by language region)National rule confirmed | Not in the EU or EEA. Instructions must be in the official language of the region where the product is used, but written warnings must be in German, French and Italian, so machinery sold nationwide needs all three. Medical devices for lay users also need all three; fewer languages or English only under strict conditions for professionals. Sources: Fedlex: Product Safety Ordinance (PrSV, SR 930.111); Fedlex: Medical Devices Ordinance (MepV, SR 812.213), Art. 16; Swissmedic: FAQ on medical devices |
Legend
National rule confirmed the country has a confirmed national rule for this product type.
General rule based on the official language(s) of the country (the Machinery Directive rule until 19 January 2027) or on the official overviews listed below.
Check with authority we could not confirm the requirement in an official source: check with the national authority before you plan.
Official entry may be outdated the Commission's table marks the country's medical device entry as not recently updated, or the entry still cites pre-MDR national law.
The rules behind the table
EU product rules do not list languages themselves. Most of them require instructions and safety information "in a language which can be easily understood" by users, as determined by the Member State where the product is made available; the medical device rules require an official EU language chosen by that Member State. That is why the answer differs by country.
Machinery Regulation Regulation (EU) 2023/1230
Art. 10(7): instructions and safety information; Art. 11(7): assembly instructions for partly completed machinery; Art. 21(2): EU declaration of conformity translated into the language(s) required by the Member State. Replaces Directive 2006/42/EC. Applies from 20 January 2027. In depth →
Medical Devices Regulation Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR)
Art. 10(11): label and instructions for use in the official Union language(s) determined by the Member State; Art. 19(1): EU declaration of conformity. The IVDR (Regulation (EU) 2017/746, Art. 10(10)) has the same rule for in vitro diagnostics. Applies from 26 May 2021. In depth →
General Product Safety Regulation Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR)
Art. 9(7): instructions and safety information in a language easily understood by consumers, as determined by the Member State. Applies to consumer products not covered by more specific rules. Applies from 13 December 2024. In depth →
Low voltage, EMC and radio equipment Directives 2014/35/EU, 2014/30/EU, 2014/53/EU
LVD Art. 6(7) and RED Art. 10(8): instructions and safety information; EMC Art. 7(7): instructions and the information required by Art. 18; in a language easily understood by consumers and other end users, as determined by the Member State. Radio equipment applies from 13 June 2016. Applies from 20 April 2016.
Construction Products Regulation Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 (CPR)
Art. 22(6): product information, instructions and safety information; Art. 16(4): declaration of performance and conformity, in the language(s) determined by the Member State. Applies from 8 January 2026.
Personal protective equipment Regulation (EU) 2016/425
Art. 8(7): instructions and information in a language easily understood by consumers and other end users, as determined by the Member State. Applies from 21 April 2018.
Toy safety Directive 2009/48/EC → Regulation (EU) 2025/2509
Today: Directive 2009/48/EC, Art. 4(7) and Art. 11(3) (warnings). From 1 August 2030 the new Toy Safety Regulation applies: Art. 7(7) and 7(8), and a digital product passport replaces the declaration of conformity. Applies from 1 August 2030.
European Accessibility Act Directive (EU) 2019/882
Art. 7(7): instructions and safety information in a language easily understood by consumers and other end users, as determined by the Member State, for products in scope. Applies from 28 June 2025.
Practical next steps
Start from the countries you already sell to and the ones planned for the next two years, not only the current order. Translate the safety information first: warnings, safe use and maintenance are what authorities check. Keep one approved terminology list per language so that manuals, labels, software and the declaration of conformity say the same thing. Where a country accepts English for professional users, record the decision and the reason in your technical documentation.