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.​

​

If you are a manufacturer, you have to follow these six steps to affix a CE marking to your product:

1. Identify the applicable directive(s) and harmonised standards

2. Verify product specific requirements

3. Identify whether an independent conformity assessment (by a notified body) is necessary

4. Test the product and check its conformity

5. Draw up and keep available the required technical documentation

6. Affix the CE marking and draw up the EU Declaration of Conformity (27 KB).

 

These six steps may differ by product as the conformity assessment procedure varies. Manufacturers must not affix CE marking to products that don’t fall under the scope of one of the directives providing for its affixing.

​

For products that present higher safety risks such as gas boilers or chainsaws, safety cannot be checked by the manufacturer alone. In these cases, an independent organisation, specifically a notified body appointed by national authorities, has to perform the safety check. The manufacturer may affix the CE marking to the product only once this has been done.

​

Product groups

Active implantable medical devices

Appliances burning gaseous fuels

Cableway installations designed to carry persons

Construction products

Eco-design of energy related products

Electromagnetic compatibility

Equipment and protective systems intended for use potentially explosive atmospheres

Explosives for civil uses

Hot-water boilers

In vitro diagnostic medical devices

Lifts

Low voltage

Machinery

Measuring Instruments

Medical devices

Noise emission in the environment

Non-automatic weighing instruments

Personal protective equipment

Pressure equipment

Pyrotechnics

Radio equipment

Recreational craft

Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Safety of toys

Simple pressure vessels

​

The 28 member countries of the EU

Brexit: For the time being, the United Kingdom remains a full member of the EU and rights and obligations continue to fully apply in and to the UK.

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom