What is CE marking?

In the European Economic Area, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to check whether his product falls under the scope of EU legislation. If it falls within the scope of a New Approach Directive, CE Marking is obligatory. CE Marking is addressed to national authorities and declares that the product complies with the safety requirements of the respective EU legislation. For most consumer products, the manufacturer can self-declare that the product is in conformity. Hence, in the view of ANEC, CE Marking represents no more than a claim by the manufacturer that the product is in compliance.

Two thirds of European consumers are convinced that the CE Marking affixed on a product automatically implies that it has been subject to specific tests involving independent test laboratories. Thus, CE Marking misleads consumers. Tests by consumer organisations have shown that a significant number of products, though bearing CE Marking, do not meet the legal requirements. Indeed, the Impact Assessment prepared by the European Commission ahead of the adoption of the New Legislative Framework showed that 99% of luminaires (electric light bulbs and similar) imported into the European Union from other countries do not meet the legal requirements even though all had CE Marking. Despite this, certain Commission officials want to promote to consumers that CE Marking means ‘safety’.

ANEC was therefore disappointed that the New Legislative Framework does not seek to change the meaning of CE Marking or relegate it to the technical file of the product (instead of having it visible on the product or its packaging).