CE marking (CE-Kennzeichnung)

In practice

Manufacturers placing a product on the EU market must first identify the applicable EU legislation and assess the risks. On that basis, they must draw up the technical documentation and a declaration of conformity. Both generally have to be kept for ten years. Only then may the mark go on the product. A supplier’s assurance that the product is ‘CE certified’ is not enough. The documentation must actually be to hand. Anyone who sells under their own name, substantially modifies a bought-in product or combines devices into a new product can count as the manufacturer and bears the obligations. That can also trigger product liability. And a consumer product that does not require CE marking is not free of obligations. Since December 2024, the General Product Safety Regulation has applied, with its own safety, labelling and documentation obligations for consumer products. It can also apply, as a supplement, to products that are subject to specific regulation.