Product label: CE mark
Find out more about the CE mark product label here
Product label: CE mark
The CE mark (Conformité Européenne) is a mark on products that confirms that they comply with the basic EU requirements regarding safety, health protection, environmental protection and consumer protection. It enables the free movement of goods within the European Economic Area (EEA). By affixing the CE mark, the manufacturer declares that the product complies with the relevant EU directives.
Award criteria for the CE mark
The award criteria for the CE mark are based on compliance with various EU directives and standards designed to ensure that products are safe and environmentally friendly. Here are the essential steps and requirements for obtaining the CE mark, based on information from ce-zeichen.de:
- Intended use:
Specify what the product does and who uses it - Directive identification:
Identify the applicable EU directives and regulations that are relevant for the product, e.g. the Machinery Directive, the Low Voltage Directive, the EMC Directive, etc. - Harmonized standards:
Application of harmonized European standards that contain detailed technical specifications to ensure compliance with the directives - Risk assessment:
Carry out a risk assessment and document the safety-relevant features of the product - Technical documentation:
Create and compile the technical documentation, which includes a detailed description of the product, the declaration of conformity, circuit diagrams, construction plans, user information and, if applicable, maintenance instructions - Declaration of conformity:
Issuing of a declaration of conformity by an authorized person of the company, confirming compliance with all applicable directives (CE mark). - CE marking:
Affix the CE mark to the product, together with other necessary information such as the name and address of the manufacturer or importer - User information and translations:
Provision of user information in the language of the target market within the EU - Environmental protection and energy efficiency:
Compliance with requirements relating to energy efficiency and environmental protection, in particular through the Eco-Design Directive
These steps are necessary to ensure that the product is placed on the market safely and complies with the applicable EU legal requirements. Further information on the specific guidelines and procedures can be found on the website ce-zeichen.de.
CE mark: Certification body
The certification body for the CE mark is the manufacturer itself or a notified body commissioned by it. A notified body is an independent organization designated by an EU Member State and recognized by the European Commission to assess the conformity of products with EU directives.
A comprehensive list of notified bodies is available on the European Commission’s website.
This list enables manufacturers to identify a suitable notified body that is authorized to assess the conformity of their products with the applicable EU directives and to issue the CE mark.
Costs for the CE mark
The costs for CE marking can vary greatly and depend on the specific requirements of the product. Manufacturers should carefully examine the specific requirements for their product in order to obtain an accurate cost estimate.
- For simple products that do not require a Notified Body, the costs can be relatively low and mainly limited to internal working time.
- For complex products that require extensive testing and the involvement of a Notified Body, the overall costs can be considerably higher.
The CE mark is suitable for the following product groups:
The CE mark is suitable for a large number of product groups that are placed on the market in the European Union. Here is a list of the most important product categories that require CE marking:
- Electrical appliances and electronics
- Machines
- Medical devices
- Building products
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Toys
- Pressure equipment
- Potentially explosive atmospheres
- Measuring devices
- Elevators
- Ropeways
- Gas appliances
- Environmentally friendly design
- Pyrotechnic articles
- Pleasure craft and personal watercraft
- Energy consumption labeling
- Noise with outdoor appliances
Is the CE mark mandatory?
CE marking is mandatory for many products. It is an indication that the product complies with EU legal requirements to ensure health, safety and environmental protection before it is placed on the market.