The letters ‘CE’ appear on many products that are traded on the single market in the European Economic Area (EEA), consisting of the 27 member states of the EU and European Free Trade Association countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The CE marking is required for many products and attests the verification by a manufacturer that these products meet EU safety, health or environmental requirements.
This guide provides an introduction to CE marking and the various situations in which it applies. You can also find information about what products CE marking applies to, how to use it successfully and how to ensure that you comply with all relevant regulations.
As a manufacturer, this will lead you through the process of affixing the CE marking to your specific product, by clearly illustrating the key steps to undertake from the beginning to the trading of the product. If you are a distributor or importer you will have to know the requirements that the products you are importing or distributing must meet to be traded freely within the EEA.
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.