CE Marking

The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in European Directives. The letters CE are an abbreviation of Confirmit Europenne, the French word for European conformity. The CE mark must be affixed to a product if it falls under the scope of  New Approach Directives of the European Union.

Without the CE marking, and thus without complying with the provisions of the Directives, the product may not be placed in the market or put into service in the fifteen member states of the European Union and Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. However, if the product meets the provisions of the applicable European Directives, and the CE mark is affixed to a product, these countries may not prohibit, restrict or impede the placing in the market or putting into service of the product.

The CE Mark is compulsory within the context of the application of EC New Approach Directives. Thus, CE marking can be regarded as the products trade passport for Europe. 

KEY DIRECTIVES

• Machinery Safety - 98/37/EEC: All Machines in the European Economic Area (EEA) from January 1st, 1995 must comply with the Machinery Directive and be safe.  Also, all components are supplied separately to fulfill a safety function when in use, and the failure or malfunctioning of which endangers the safety or health of exposed persons.
• EMC - 2004/108/EC: The EMC Directive applies to apparatus liable to cause electromagnetic disturbance or the performance of which is liable to be affected by such disturbance.
• Low Voltage Equipment - 2006/95/EC: The Low Voltage Directive applies to all electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating between 50 and 1,000v for alternating current and between 75V and 1,500V for direct current. These voltage criteria define the scope of the directive rather than the limit at which you start applying the regulations (e.g. hazards in 12Vdc circuits of a 240Vac supplied computer are covered under the LVD).
• Pressure Equipment - 97/23/EC: This directive covers equipment that affects equipment operating at a pressure greater than 0.5 bars, entered into force, and is mandatory from May 2002.
• Medical devises General - 93/42/EEC All medical products marketed in European Union must carry the CE Marking under the Medical Device directive. There are essential requirements in the MDD (such as safety, efficacy, and EMC), and products must meet all applicable requirements.
• Construction Products Directive - 89/106/EEC Construction Product means any products, which are produced for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works, including both building and civil engineering, works.
• Personal Protective Equipment Directive - 89/686/EEC: All devices or appliances and integrated units of several devices or appliances designed to be worn or held by an individual for protection against one or more health and safety hazards or the execution of the specific activity.
• Toys Safety - 88/378/EEC: This Directive shall apply to toys. A toy shall mean any product or material designed or clearly intended for use in play by children less than 14 years of age.
• Simple Pressure Vessel - 87/404/EEC: Simple pressure vessel means any welded vessel subjected to an internal gauge pressure greater than 0,5 bar which is intended to contain air or nitrogen and which is not intended to be fired with a maximum working pressure of the vessel shall not exceed 30 bar and the product of that pressure and the capacity of the vessel (PS/V) shall not exceed 10 000 bar/liter and minimum working temperature must be not lower than minus 50C and the maximum working temperature shall not be higher than 300C for steel and 100C for aluminum or aluminum alloy vessels.

OTHER DIRECTIVES

• Gas Appliances Directive - 90/396/EEC
• Lifts Directive - 95/16/EC
• Drag Lifts Directive - 2000/9/EC
• The efficiency of Hot Water Boiler Directive - 92/42/EEC
• Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive - 99/36/EC
• Radio & Telecommunication Terminal Equipment- 99/5/EC
• Packaging & Packaging Waste. - 94/62/EC