Overview
CE Certification Services
We are passionate about helping companies to get the CE marking for their products. We are committed to making the complex CE marking certification process more transparent and easy to understand. We try to do this by explaining the rules in plain language. And by providing easy to use tools that enable you to manage the CE marking yourself. We encourage you to take control over your CE marking projects, ending your dependency on CE testing and certification bodies. You will save a lot of time and money, and dramatically increase your CE certification success rate when you are better prepared to apply the rules and requirements. The information on our website, as well as the services we offer, are dedicated to empowering you to take charge of CE marking, and to stay updated on the latest developments that affect your products’ compliance.
The purpose of CE marking
The CE marking is a conformity marking consisting of the letters “CE”, and taking the form as shown here. CE is an abbreviation for “Conformité Européenne”, French for “European Conformity”.
The CE marking symbolizes that a product it is affixed to is in conformity with all relevant essential requirements, and that the product compliance has been established using the appropriate conformity assessment procedure(s). The ‘essential requirements’ refer, among other things, to safety, public health and consumer protection.
CE marking is obligatory for any product covered by one or more of the so-called European “New Approach Directives”. Without the CE marking, these products are not allowed to be placed or to be put into service in the European Economic Area. In this regard, the CE marking sometimes is called a “trade passport”, because like carrying a passport when entering a country, the CE Marking is required for market access.
Benefits of CE Certification
The CE marking is a kind of trade passport for the European marketplace: it allows the manufacturer to freely circulate their product throughout the 30 countries of the European Economic Area (EEA).
The great benefit for manufacturers is that there is now only one set of requirements and procedures to comply with in designing and manufacturing a product for the entire EEA. The various and conflicting national regulations are eliminated. As a result, the product no longer needs to be adapted to the specific requirements of the different member states of the EEA.
In addition, it may be considered a benefit that by implementing the requirements, the product will be safer for the user and this may also reduce damage and liability claims.
The CE marking process
Identify the Directive(s) that are applicable to your product.Identify the conformity assessment procedure that must be taken. This could be self-declaration, involve testing, inspection or
quality system assessment from a Notified Body or a combination of these. The conformity assessment procedure will differ depending on your product and the Directive in respect of which you will be CE marking.
Determine the dates by which you must take action. This will be the date that the Directive comes into force. The majority of directives are already in force. In these cases, it is an offence to place a product on the market without CE marking because it indicates a presumption of conformity with all relevant Legislation.
Ensure the product complies with all the essential requirements of the Directive(s). Take appropriate measures to comply or identify existing data and test reports.
Identify whether independent assessment of your conformity to the Directive, or some aspects of it, is required from a Notified Body. This will be stated in the directive and is dependent upon the product you are CE marking. You must not affix CE marking to your product until all necessary certifications have been obtained from the Notified Body.
Maintain Technical Documentation required by the Directive(s). Your technical documentation should support your compliance with the requirements of the Directive. It is essential to retain this documentation.
Prepare the Declaration of Conformity and the required supporting evidence. The Declaration of Conformity along with the Technical Documentation should be available to Competent Authorities (EU Members) upon request.
Check that no other purely national requirements exist in the countries where the product will be sold. These may include national standards, labeling or packaging requirements.
Affix CE marking on your product and/or its packaging and accompanying literature as stated in the directive.