CE Marking

Manufacturers play a crucial role in ensuring that products placed on the extended Single Market of the EEA are safe. They are responsible for checking that their products meet EU safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to carry out the conformity assessment, set up the technical file, issue the EU declaration of conformity, and affix the CE marking to a product. Only then can this product be traded on the EEA market.

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GS Mark

What is the GS mark?

The GS mark is a seal of approval for "Geprüfte Sicherheit" (Tested Safety) and it is regulated by German law (German Product Safety Act). This test mark is recognized worldwide. For you as manufacturer, the GS mark demonstrates to your customers that you subjected your product to a voluntary product and safety test conducted by an officially recognized test center.

 

What does the GS mark mean to my customers?

Your customers can assume that their safety and health are not at risk during the intended and foreseeable use and during the foreseeable misuse of your product. Therefore, the GS test mark offers the consumer an important decision aid and increases the trust and confidence in your products.

 

Is the GS mark mandatory?

No, you are not required to have your products GS certified. As a manufacturer, you may decide whether you voluntarily will have your products tested for safety.

 

How can I use the GS mark for advertising?

Affixing the GS mark offers additional opportunities for advertising and promoting your products. TÜV Rheinland links each awarded GS mark to an individual ID number and – if desired – a QR-code. By entering the ID number, the certificate number, the product name or the name of the manufacturer on the Internet pagewww.certipedia.com, the search function will provide information about the valid GS certificate. Each successfully tested product will receive the GS mark with an individual, ten-digit ID number and an Internet entry with specific product information.

 

What happens to the GS mark if I introduce changes to my product?

Any intended changes to the product must be communicated in advance to the GS test center in charge. Otherwise, the mark will become invalid. The test center then assesses whether the product must be retested and whether this will result in changes in the test report and the award of the GS mark.

 

Who can be the owner of a GS mark?

Manufacturers may be awarded a GS mark. The manufacturer of the tested product is the owner of the GS mark even if he is located outside the European Economic Area.

 

How long is the GS certification valid?

The GS mark is valid for a maximum of 5 years upon receipt if the requirements are met (in accordance with § 21 II S. 2 ProdSG). One of the legal requirements is periodic inspection of the manufacturing or production facility. This generally happens on an annual basis.

 

Which product categories can use GS marks?

We can test and certify a number of products and issue a GS mark or GS certificate for products in the following categories:

• Household appliances

• Lighting

• Personal protective equipment

• Products for small children

• Toys

• Sport and leisure equipment

• Consumer electronics

• Tools

• Car accessories

• Furniture

• Office equipment

• Garden tools and equipment

 

Which products may not be issued GS certificates?

• Antiques

• Used products that need to be repaired or reconditioned prior to being used

• Products that by design and/or type of construction are exclusively intended for military purposes

• Food, animal feed, living plants and animals, products of human origin and plant and animal products that are directly related to their reproduction

• Medical devices as specified in § 3 of the Medical Devices Law unless otherwise specified in the same law

• Enclosures (such as portable pressure devices, packaging and tanks) for the transport of hazardous materials insofar as they are subject to transport regulations

• Pesticides as specified in § 2 No. 9 of the German Plant Protection Act

 

Do I have to get a new GS certificate even if there already is an identical product on the market?

Unless you are the manufacturer or the quasi-manufacturer of the certified product, you must have your products GS certified and tested. The reference to an identical product by another manufacturer, which already carries the GS mark, is not sufficient.

 

The German Product Safety Act (ProdSG)

The German Product Safety Act (ProdSG) replaced the German Equipment and Product Safety Act (GPSG) in 2011. It regulates the safety requirements for products, which are made available, exhibited or used for the first time in the context of a commercial activity on the German or European market. It incorporates important rules for the protection of consumers that govern transparency, information and market surveillance. This includes the provision that comprehensive information must be made available to consumers and that the manufacturer and/or the importer must be clearly identified.

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The award of the GS mark is also regulated in the Product Safety Act. According to § 20 et seq. ProdSG, the GS mark shall ensure that the technical requirements with regard to the safety of a ready-to-use product are met and that they are monitored by an independent testing institution.

 

The origin of the GS mark

Introduced in 1977, the GS mark was created to meet the demands of labor organizations, insurers and consumer protection organizations in Germany. The GS audit verifies that consumer products (including technical work equipment) comply with all statutory safety and health requirements of the German Product Safety Act (ProdSG). Although the GS mark originated in Germany, it is recognized in many Western European countries. In the past decade, a large number of electronic products and machinery sold elsewhere in the world were awarded the GS mark.