The CE mark was introduced to show that a product complies with the appropriate directives and standards in Europe.
CE marking is required for products sold on the market in 30 countries that make up the European Economic Area (EEA), including European Union member states, as well as other countries such as Switzerland and Turkey.
In this article, we take a look at exactly which products need CE marking, discuss when CE marking isn’t needed, and offer guidance on which directives apply to your product.
CE marking is mandatory for products that are covered by at least one of the New Approach Directives. There is more information on these directives later in this article.
Even if a product has been manufactured outside the EEA, affixing the CE mark is mandatory if it is being sold in the EEA and comes under the scope of a directive requiring CE marking.
CE marking is not required for products being sold outside the EEA, Switzerland or Turkey. In other countries, different standards will need to be complied with, although these may be similar to CE marking requirements.
In the European market, there are some product categories to which CE marking does not apply:
These include, but are not exclusive to:
IES’s on-site CE marking service ensures that your equipment and products meet the requirements of standards such as the EMC Directive, LVD Directive and Machinery Directive.
There are 23 directives set out by the European Commission which apply to products that require CE marking. One or several of these directives may apply to your product.
If you are preparing a product for sale on the market in the EU, you’ll need a conformity assessment procedure to ensure that it’s compliant and can be CE marked.
IES offers a worldwide, on-site CE marking service to help you achieve compliance. Contact us today to find out more.