Page 6 - CE Marking

PART 1 CE-Marking
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standards he uses in order to comply with the requirements: he can use
national, international or harmonised standards – or even stick to his
own specifications. Generally speaking, though, harmonised standards
are preferred, as they are the most likely to meet the requirements set
forth in the directives.
Next, a product has to be taken through the right conformity assessment
procedure, which, again, depends on the directive requirements. In
some cases, the manufacturer may do the assessment himself (first
party assessment). But in other cases, depending on the type of
product and the hazards involved, a third party (notified body) has to
do the testing. Sometimes product testing is not enough; a third party
may be required to visit the manufacturing company. This could make
CE-marking a very costly business.
After the standards have been chosen and the product’s conformity
has been assessed, the manufacturer has to draw up a technical file
and user manual. After that, an EC declaration of conformity has to
be composed. The content of this document, again, depends on the
assessment procedure.
When a product finally receives the CE-mark, the manufacturer
guarantees that the product conforms to all applicable EU provisions
and that the appropriate conformity assessment procedures have
been completed.
CBI has taken the initiative to analyse the most important bottlenecks
of CE-marking and to help manufacturers navigate their way across
this difficult terrain. The information will be made available in the CBI’s
AccessGuide database. Some basic, introductory information is already
accessible. It includes explanations of all the elements mentioned in
the directives and an outline of all the specific directives. Also, useful
links are given, such as direct links to standardisation institutes (where
Assistance