The CE marking originates from the French term “European Conformity”, which translated into Spanish means “in accordance with European regulations”.Products bearing the CE marking have a high standard of quality, as they are assessed in terms of health, safety, and environmental protection.
Why is CE marking so important?
Much of what we consume or use daily carries the CE marking. From the chairs we sit on to the computer we use for work, not to mention the industrial machinery used in companies in the sector.
All articles, machinery and products in general that are regulated under the new approach directive and must bear the CE marking. This way, manufacturers, importers and distributors can assure their clients that what they are taking home or the equipment and machinery used for work has the necessary quality to be marketed within the European Union.
What is NOT CE marking?
Contrary to what many of us might think, The CE mark is not the same as a certificate of origin. That is to say, the fact that a manufacturer owns it does not necessarily mean it was manufactured in Europe.
Since, if a product has been manufactured in China, Indonesia or Bangladesh, for example, but meets all the conditions, it is fit to bear the CE marking.
Manufacturers
Manufacturers bear the greatest burden of responsibility regarding CE marking. This is because it is in their hands to develop products that comply with all the standards required to carry this certification.
For a manufacturer to be able to print the CE marking, they must first shall carry out a rigorous evaluation that the manufacturing process has complied with the Social protection, health and safety requirements proposed by the European Union.
Although the provisions for obtaining CE marking may vary depending on the product to be evaluated, generally, the process to follow begins by recognising which directives and standards apply to what is about to be manufactured.
Furthermore, the corresponding tests must be carried out to certify that it is a safe item for sale. Likewise, all the technical documentation that the competent authorities may request must be readily available.
From Grupo TICE and within the industrial machinery sector, we specialise in various services to obtain CE marking for machinery:
- How do I get CE marking on my machine?
- Compliance with Royal Decree 1215/97 for Industrial Machinery
- Industrial Machinery Risk Assessment according to ISO 12100
Importers and distributors
In the case of importers and distributors, when marketing any product, they inherit the manufacturer's responsibility regarding CE marking.
If a importer When bringing goods into the UK from a country outside the EU, the first thing to do is verify that the manufacturing process complies with the requirements imposed by the European Union for obtaining CE marking.
Likewise, you must ensure you have all the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity to hand before placing the articles you have imported on the market.
Just like importers, the distributors they must ensure that what they intend to sell complies with the necessary measures to obtain CE marking. These can also become a great channel of help for national authorities in their efforts to collect the documentation inherent to CE marking.
From our company, we have the professionals, tools, knowledge, and experience in obtaining CE marking for industrial machinery. Contact us whether you are a manufacturer, distributor, or importer of industrial machinery so we can advise, guide, and accompany you in the process of obtaining CE marking for machinery.
