The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in European Directives. The letters 'CE' are an abbreviation of Conformité Européenne, French for European conformity. The CE mark must be affixed to a product if it falls under the scope of the approx. 20 so called 'New Approach' Directives. Without the CE marking, and thus without complying with the provisions of the Directives, the product may not be placed in the market or put into service in the fifteen member states of the European Union and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. However, if the product meets the provisions of the applicable European Directives, and the CE mark is affixed to a product, these countries may not prohibit, restrict or impede the placing in the market or putting into service of the product. Thus, CE marking can be regarded as the products trade passport for Europe.
The CE mark is not a quality-mark.
First, it refers to the safety rather than to the quality of a product.
Second, most quality markings are voluntary opposite to the CE marking, which is mandatory for the products it applies to. CE indicates conformity with mandatory European safety requirements. European conformity is certified by following clear and understandable procedures, the so-called ‘conformity assessment procedures’
Why CE marking?
The European CE certification procedure has been mainly set up to:
1.Harmonize all varying national regulations for consumer and industrial products in European Member States, so that the Single Market is encouraged;
2.Bring about cost savings for producers;
3.Enhance the safety of products;
4.Supply public bodies with a uniform procedure that can be checked.
Formerly, product requirements and test procedures were set by the Member States of the EU. This meant that, for example, companies that wanted to sell their products on the European market sometimes had to deal with more than ten different technical requirements or procedures for just one product. The existence of all the different national legislation was contrary to the aim of the European Union in realizing one Single Market, in which there would be a free circulation of goods (as well as a free circulation of persons, services and capital).
All the different product requirements brought many costs for the producers. With the help of the CE Directives or 'New Approach' Directives, the measures have been optimized by setting up European (European-wide) requirements, the harmonization of national legislation and directives, standards and mutual recognition of the technical standards, tests methods (compliance tests) and test laboratories, so that producers no longer need to adapt their products to the different markets.
During the process of harmonization the safety level of all products was attuned and raised. In most European countries, safety and health had already been the subject of directives for many years but the safety level was not always satisfactory.
With the help of the conformity assessment procedures, the authorities can ascertain that the products that are placed on the market comply with the requirements as stated in the regulations of the directives. The CE marking is consequently largely for the benefit of the authorities. However, safe products are also necessary for the end user in the work or consumer environment.
The CE mark is applicable to: medical devices, machinery, industrial installations, toys, electrical equipment, electronics, domestic appliances, pressure equipment, personal protective equipment, recreational craft, refrigerators, measuring equipment etc.
The CE marking does not apply to: cosmetics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs.