Things To Know About CE

What is CE Marking 

A "CE mark" is a mark that must be affixed to specific categories of products or on the packaging of products sold in the 27 member states of the EU and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway (in other words, the European Economic Area, or "EEA"). You will see the CE mark on many products you purchase from baby bottles and Children's toys to mask, visors and other PPE.

Does my product need it? 

It may seem not very clear, and the European Legislator does not give an extensive list of products that would need to obtain CE. It will all depend on the scope of the product and may be easier to determine once you understand your target audience or country you wish to sell the product. Is it going to be sold within the EEA?  

The European Economic Area (EEA) are formed by the twenty-eight Member States of the European Union (EU)  

A few examples of categories that will need to be CE are: 

• Toys 
• Machinery 
• Electrical equipment 
• Electronic equipment 
• Personal protective equipment 
• Pressure equipment 

How do I start the process of getting my product CE marked? 

If you have some knowledge in this field, you may be able to speak directly independent companies such as BSI Group or Inspec international that will be able to give solid advice on whether or not you may require CE certification.  

Bear in mind that these organisations must be impartial to the situation, meaning. However, they will be able to tell you that if you need to be CE, they will not be able to advise on how to get it with tips and tricks, this research will need to be done by yourself or a specialist to make sure you can pass the testing.

Can I get advice or support from anywhere? 

Most definitely, some right places for advice would be Gov.uk or BSI Group or Inspect International themselves for the rules and regulations.  

If you need a more hands-on approach to help you through the process, we would consider choosing a design company that has proven skills not just in creating amazing products but can take it all the way.  

The last thing you want is to spend months of your time and money working on a product only for it to fail CE, and then it's back to the drawing board! By using a well-established design company, they will be able to deconstruct your idea before the prototype stage to make sure every possible outcome were taken into consideration. 

What happens if I don't CE mark my product? 

As well as hefty fines and prosecution, the outcome of selling a product without CE that needs it would not be wise. The chances are if your product needs to be CE certified, you are probably unlikely to even sell to clients as they just simply would not buy from you in the first place.  

Obtaining the CE mark for your product is a great achievement and will show the credibility of your company as well detailing the great length you go to maintain consistency.