CE Marking for products
Why CE marking?
Exporting your product to Europe provides a company with an opportunity to reach a large market.
With this comes the responsibility of ensuring your product meets the health and safety requirements of the European Economic Area (EEA). These countries currently are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
What does a CE mark on a product actually mean?
The CE mark on a product is the supplier's declaration that the product conforms to all applicable EU Directives and that appropriate conformity assessment procedures have been completed.
The current product categories and respective directives that require CE Marking are:
- Low voltage electrical equipment (LV)
- Simple pressure vessels
- Toys
- Construction products
- Equipment with electromagnetic emission (EMC)
- Personal protective equipment
- Non-automatic weighing instruments
- Active implantable medical devices
- Gas appliances
- New hot water boilers
- Explosives for civil uses
- Medical devices
- Equipment and protective systems for use in explosive atmospheres
- Recreational craft
- Lifts
- Pressure equipment
- Machinery
- In vitro diagnostic medical devices
- Radio and telecommunications terminal equipment
- Cableway installations designed to carry passengers
- Measuring instruments
If your product falls into any of the categories listed above, you are responsible for ensuring that all safety requirements set out in the relevant directives are met.
Do I have to CE mark my products?
CE marking is mandatory under European Law, as well as the National Laws of each EU Member State.
All products covered by New Approach Directives must be CE marked unless a specific Directive requires otherwise and the same product may be subject to several CE marking Directives. Using a CE mark is a declaration of compliance with all applicable Directives. A product may not be CE marked if the applicable Directives do not specifically require it. When a CE marking directive is applicable the CE mark must be fixed:
- to all new products, whether manufactured in the Member States or in third countries;
- to used and second-hand products imported from third countries; and
- to substantially modified products unless the applicable Directives specifically excludes this requirement.
How should I apply the CE mark?
Once the product conforms to all the applicable EU Directives and the relevant conformity assessment procedures have been carried out you may affix the CE mark.
CE marking must be applied by the manufacturer, or by his authorised representative within the Community.
The CE mark must take the form described in Directive 93/68/EEC. If it is reduced or enlarged proportions must be respected. The mark must be visible, legible and indelible to the product or to its data plate. If a minimum height for the mark of 5mm is not possible due to product size, it must be fixed to the packaging, and to accompanying documents.
Who is responsible for the conformity of the product and for fixing of the CE mark?
The manufacturer, whether established inside or outside the Community, is ultimately responsible for the conformity of the product and for fixing of the CE mark.
The manufacturer may appoint an authorised representative established in the Community to act on their behalf. The person responsible for placing the product on the market assumes the responsibilities of the manufacturer.
When is the CE mark applied?
The CE mark may not be used until conformity assessment procedures have been completed and the product complies with all the provisions of all relevant Directives.
CE marking and other marks: CE marking is the only marking which symbolises conformity with EU Directives A product may bear additional marks, provided that they: fulfil a different function from that of the CE marking; are not liable to cause confusion with it, and do not reduce its legibility and visibility. The CE mark replaces all European Union mandatory conformity marks which existed before harmonisation took place.
