How to CE Mark Your Products
If you are planning to sell your products in the European Union (EU), you may need to comply with the CE Marking laws. This comprehensive guide will help you navigate the CE Marking process and ensure that your products meet the EU’s safety, health, and environmental requirements. The four-step process involves identifying the applicable laws, demonstrating conformity, declaring conformity, and applying the CE marking. Read on to learn more about the four steps required for getting a CE Mark on your products.
Step 1: Identify the applicable laws
Most but not all manufactured products fall under one or more of the CE marking laws. There are multiple laws to which there are frequent updates, additions and modifications. Unfortunately, though all details can be found on the European Commission Website, the EU does not keep an official single source of information on them. Try a search on their website and see why we’re still here.
Step 2: Show your product satisfies the law
Generally, there are three different methods to show how your product satisfies the law, and these methods may be blended together:
- Demonstrate conformity directly against the clauses of the law
- Demonstrate conformity by use of legally approved product standards – Harmonised Standards
- Demonstrate conformity by use of a governmentally accredited inspection or testing body – a Notified Body, like Technology International.
The first two methods do not require the use of a third party. If you have sufficient experience and knowledge then you can do it entirely in-house. Regardless of the chosen method, the result is a comprehensive set of documents called the Technical File. You need to be ready to hand this over to the EU Authorities if they ever ask for it, up to 10 years after you sold your final product in Europe.
Step 3: Declare Conformity
Draw up and sign a legal declaration that your product conforms to all applicable laws. This is an easy step, but be sure you know what you are doing legally. You are effectively signing a contract with EVERY individual European Government.
Step 4: Apply the CE marking
Fixing the stylized CE letters to your product is a legal claim that you have done the previous 3 steps, and that your product conforms to all applicable laws. Like Step 3, this is effectively signing a contract.
Contact Technology International for CE Marking Services
Technology International is an EU Notified Body that specializes in CE Marking. We are able to come to your facility to conduct CE Testing and identify your compliance options. Technology International is here to help you out with the entire four-step process outlined above.