CE marking and required testing for different products in the EU market

What is CE marking?

A CE marking indicates a manufacturer’s declaration of a product’s conformity with relevant EU directives and regulations. The manufacturer or the representative of the product is responsible for the attachment of CE marking. Therefore the manufacturer or the representative of the product assures the product’s compliance with concerning legislation. Contrary to common belief, the attachment of CE marking is not executed by an authority or third party. 

CE marking is only allowed for products that require a CE marking. If CE marking is required, it will be clearly stated in the directives and regulations concerning the product in question. Wrongful use of CE marking can lead to authoritative actions, resulting in the removal of the product from the market.

Successful CE marking allows the product to be traded in the EEA without restrictions. It is important to note that a CE marking does not directly indicate product quality, safety, or user-friendliness. 

How is the CE marking obtained?

The CE marking process includes four major steps. Firstly, the manufacturer must perform a Conformity Assessment on the product, following the applicable CE marking directive (or directives). Some directives allow for self-certification, meaning the required testing will be done in an independent lab to verify compliance. Some products require certification from a designated laboratory connected to a European Notified Body. These products are usually classified as high-risk.

Then, a technical file must be created, including a risk assessment report, a document with key product details, and the test results. The technical file proves that the product meets CE marking requirements. The technical file has to be available for 10 years after the product has been put out to market.

After completing the first two steps, the manufacturer can affix a CE marking label to the product. The label must be placed near the manufacturer’s nameplate. The last step is to draw up an EU Declaration of Conformity. There are certain exceptions to this, for example, some CE-marked construction products require a Declaration of Performance (DoP) instead. More information about the Declaration of Conformity can be found here.

Measurlabs offers a wide variety of standardized tests for products that require CE marking. Regarding questions related to documentation for the certification process, we recommend contacting for example Sertfiointi.com.