What is CE Marking (CE Mark)?
CE Marking is the symbol as shown on the top of this page. The letters "CE" are the abbreviation of French phrase "Conformité Européene" which literally means "European Conformity". The term initially used was "EC Mark" and it was officially replaced by "CE Marking" in the Directive 93/68/EEC in 1993. "CE Marking" is now used in all EU official documents.
The Directives
In the period up to 1992, and subsequently, the European Parliament has enacted a series of measures intended to put the Single Market into practice. Some of these Directives have been aimed at removing barriers of a purely customs/excise nature, others have concentrated on transport arrangements to ensure the free movement of goods, while a series of Directives (produced under the heading of 'New Approach Directives) are intended to provide controls on product design, with the principal objective being to provide a 'level playing field' for product safety requirements across the European Community.
The directives cover a very wide range of product areas. One of the first to be implemented concerned the safety of children's toys. Subsequent directives have included provisions for machinery, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), personal protective equipment, medical devices, gas appliances and equipment for use in explosive atmospheres, among others. Also relevant is the Low Voltage Directive. Strictly speaking the LVD, which was first enacted in 1973, pre-dates the New Approach directives, but subsequent amendments have given it a very similar function and legal structure, and the amendment which introduced the requirement to CE mark products recognised that the LVD should broadly be treated as if it were a New Approach directive.
Benefits Of CE Marking
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.
With this "passport" your products can easily gain access to the entire European Union (EU) plus European Free Trade Association (EFTA) market.
Your product will be made safer for consumers and thus the damage claims and liability premiums will be reduced.
The multiple and conflicting national restrictions on regulated products will be eliminated. Thus the CE Marking on your product will make your trade with EU countries cheaper and easier.