European CE certification

Introduction to Certification

CE， It is abbreviated from the French word "Communate Europene" and means the European Community, abbreviated as the European Union. The CE marking is a legally mandatory marking in the EU market. Whether it is products produced by enterprises within the European Union or products produced by other countries, in order to circulate freely in the EU market, it is necessary to affix the CE mark to indicate that the products comply with the basic requirements of the EU's "The New Approach to Technical Harmonization and Standardization" directive.

CE certification

Products without the CE mark shall not be put on the market for sale. Products that have already been marked with the CE mark and enter the market shall be ordered to be taken back from the market if they do not meet safety requirements. If they continue to violate the relevant CE mark provisions of the directive, they will be restricted or prohibited from entering the EU market or forced to withdraw from the market.

Basic information of CE certification

Mandatory or not: mandatory+self declaration

Certificate validity period: No validity period

Factory inspection requirements: No requirements

Certificate holder requirement: No requirement

Technical information: Voltage frequency AC 230V, 50Hz/60Hz, plug European specifications CEE 7/7&7/16 or national specifications

CE mandatory certification and CE self declaration explanation

The vast majority of products can be labeled with the CE mark by manufacturers who adopt a self declaration of conformity; Some products with relatively higher risks require compliance assessment by a third-party organization authorized by the European Union, namely the notified body, before they can be affixed with the CE mark.

zone of application

CE certification can be carried out in 33 special economic zones in Europe, including 27 in the EU, 4 countries in the European Free Trade Area, and the United Kingdom and Türkiye. Products with the CE mark can freely circulate in the European Economic Area (EEA).

The specific list of 27 EU countries includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden.

Note 1: EFTA includes Switzerland, which has four member countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein), but the CE mark is not mandatory within Switzerland;

Note 2: Due to the colonial era, CE certification is widely used with high global recognition. Some countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia may also accept CE certification.

Note 3: As of November 2019, Brexit in the UK is ongoing, and the follow-up results are yet to be determined.

Applicable product scope

To understand the product range of CE, it is necessary to understand the NLF regulations for CE certification. NLF stipulates that products within its scope need to undergo CE certification. The EU's new legislative framework NLF currently has 22 directives, which are as follows:

1. Toy Safety~Directive 2009/48/EU

2. Mobile pressure equipment~Directive 2010/35/EU

3. Restricting Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment~Directive 2011/65/EU

4. Building products~Regulation (EU) No 305/2011

5. Fireworks products~Directive 2013/29/EU

6. Entertainment boats and personal water boats~Directive 2013/53/EU

7. Civilian explosives~Directive 2014/28/EU

8. Simple pressure vessels~Directive 2014/29/EU

9. Electromagnetic compatibility~Directive 2014/30/EU

10. Non automatic weighing instruments~Directive 2014/31/EU

11. Measurement instruments~Directive 2014/32/EU

12. Elevators~Directive 2014/33/EU

13. Equipment and protective systems for potentially explosive environments~Directive 2014/34/EU

14. Radio equipment~Directive 2014/53/EU

15. Low voltage~Directive 2014/35/EU

16. Pressure equipment~Directive 2014/68/EU

17. Marine equipment~Directive 2014/90/EU

18. Cableway installation~Regulation (EU) 2016/424

19. Personal protective equipment~Regulation No. 2016/425

20. Gas appliances~Regulation (EU) 2016/426

21. Medical Devices~Regulation No. 2017/745

22. In vitro diagnostic medical equipment, specification (EU) 2017/746

Note: NLF refers to the new legislative framework of the European Union, also known as the "New Legislative Framework". It is a regulation of the EU to strengthen the market supervision framework and recognition system for products. In 2008, the "New Legislative Framework" was passed to unify the relevant concepts in the original new method directive system. In addition, specific provisions were made for national accreditation bodies and recognition systems, the European Community market supervision framework, product market access control, general rules for the use of logos, and European Community funding.

After familiarizing oneself with the regulatory framework, classify the corresponding products. The scope of CE certification is very broad. Simply put, most products exported to the European Union require CE certification. For electronic products and toys exported to Europe, CE certification is mandatory, such as:

Power supply category: communication power supply, charger, display power supply, LCD power supply, UPS, etc;

Lighting fixtures: chandeliers, track lights, courtyard lights, portable lights, tube lights, lamp strings, table lights, grille lights, aquarium lights, street lights, energy-saving lights, T8 tubes, etc;

Household appliances: fans, electric kettles, speakers, televisions, mice, vacuum cleaners, etc;

Electronics: earplugs, routers, mobile phone batteries, laser pens, vibration sticks, etc;

Communication products: telephone sets, wired and wireless main and auxiliary machines, fax machines, answering machines, data machines, data interface cards, and other communication products.

Wireless product category: 

Bluetooth BT products, wireless keyboards, wireless mice, wireless readers and writers, wireless transceivers, wireless microphones, remote controls, wireless network devices, wireless image transmission systems, and other low-power wireless products;

Wireless communication category: 2G mobile phones, 3G mobile phones, 3.5G mobile phones, DECT mobile phones (1.8G, 1.9G frequency band), etc;

Mechanical categories: gasoline engines, welding machines, CNC drilling machines, tool grinders, lawn mowers, washing equipment, bulldozers, elevators, drilling machines, dishwashers, water treatment equipment, gasoline welding machines, printing machinery, woodworking machinery, rotary drilling machines, lawn mowers, snow plows, excavators, printing machines, printers, cutting machines, road rollers, trowels, irrigation machines, straighteners, food machinery, lawn machines, etc;

Medical equipment and toys, etc.

Common electronic and electrical products include:

Low voltage instructions: household appliances, IT/AV products, lighting products, etc

Electromagnetic compatibility directive: household appliances, IT/AV products, lighting products, etc

Mechanical Directive: All related products

Wireless RF and Communication Terminal Equipment Directive: Wireless or Communication Terminal Products

The significance of CE certification

1. The necessity of applying for CE certification is necessary for exporting products to Europe.

CE certification is a passport for products to enter the markets of the European Union and European Free Trade Area countries.

CE certification indicates that the product has met the safety requirements specified in EU directives;

CE certification is a commitment made by enterprises to consumers, which increases their trust in the product; Products with the CE mark will reduce the risk of sales in the European market.

2. The benefits of applying for CE certification

The laws, regulations, and coordinated standards of the European Union are not only numerous, but also very complex in content. Therefore, obtaining assistance from designated EU agencies is a wise move that saves time, effort, and reduces risks;

Obtaining CE certification from EU designated institutions can maximize the trust of consumers and market supervision agencies;

Effectively prevent the occurrence of irresponsible accusations; It will become legally binding technical evidence.