CE-marking: What does the CE-mark mean?
Numerous products from different industries are marked with the abbreviation ‘’CE’’. The CE-marking indicates that a product is conform with every EU demand and policy for health, safety, and environment. The CE symbols stand for “Conformité Européenne”, what means ‘’European Conformity’’. By affixing the CE-marking, the manufacturer declares that the applicable requirements of the EU apply for the product. The CE-marking allows the respective products to be traded freely between member states. The European Economic Area (EEA) includes all EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The CE-marking may not be seen as a quality feature of a product or used as an advertising medium.
When is CE-marking required?
The EU-guidelines determine which product groups require CE-marking. For example this includes machines and systems. To be placed in the EU-market, products that require labeling must be marked with the CE-mark. The marking must be affixed before the product is placed on the market. The CE-marking is aimed more at the monitoring authorities in order to ensure the free movement of goods. There is no guideline for the labeling of foods, medicines, chemicals and cosmetics. Products for which no directives apply may not be marked with the CE mark.
Who allocate and checks the CE-marking?
With the CE-mark, the manufacturer indicates that the product conforms with the CE-policies of the European Community. The CE-marking-process is usually a self-certification-process. Only for particular product categories is the process required by an official certification-authority, to make sure that the essential requirements are met. A CE-consultant could be called in to guide through the certification and determine, if the official testing is necessary.
Certification Procedure: How to Obtain the CE Mark for Your Products
The manufacturer is responsible for the declaration of conformity and must check whether their product complies with the EU directives of the European Community. Approval is not usually necessary. The CE marking process consists of six steps: In the first step, the applicable regulations and harmonized standards are determined. The manufacturer then checks the requirements for the product in question and whether it complies with the standard. On this basis, the next step is to determine whether an independent conformity assessment by a notified body is necessary and to carry out the conformity assessment procedure. Depending on the product category, an independent conformity assessment body may need to be consulted. If this is the case, the code of the testing body must be indicated in addition to the CE mark. Once the technical documentation has been prepared, the CE mark can be affixed and the declaration of conformity can be issued in the final step.
How to Affix the CE Mark
The CE mark is affixed by the manufacturer and must be clearly visible, legible, and indelible. The marking consists of the two proportional letters "CE," with a minimum height of 5 mm. The color and font can be chosen freely. The marking is placed directly on the product or its accompanying label. If this is not possible, the packaging or accompanying documentation can be marked instead. All products offered by LQ comply with the European Community's CE directives on health protection, safety, and environmental protection, and are marked with the CE mark.