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Created: 16-3-01
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Update: 25-5-02
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Low Voltage
Directive: CE Certification Procedure |
THE
CE-CERTIFICATION PROCEDURE
Before the CE Marking may be
affixed, the compliance of the product with the applicable
requirements must be certified.
The CE-certification
procedure of the Low Voltage Directive consists of certain steps
that will be presented here.
Please be informed that
CEMarking.net can provide advice and assistance in all stages of the
certification process.
STEP 1: DETERMINE WHICH CE DIRECTIVES
APPLY TO THE PRODUCT
The first step in the certification
process is to determine which (other) European CE Directives apply
to the product. It is possible that one product falls under the
scope of more than one CE Directive.
STEP 2: READ THE TEXTS
OF THE APPLICABLE DIRECTIVE(S)
Read the text of the Low
Voltage Directive and possible other applicable CE Directives. The
essential requirements for the product can be found in the
text.
STEP 3: APPLYING THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS OR
HARMONIZED STANDARDS
The essential requirements that apply to
the product are set out in the Directive. They define the results to
be attained, or the risks to be dealt with, but do not specify the
manufacturing specifications or technical solutions for reaching
that result.
The manufacturer is free to choose a technical
solution as long as the final product meets the result as defined in
the essential requirement.
Technical solutions for meeting
the essential requirements can be found in European harmonized
standards (EN-standards). However, please note that the application
of EN-standards is not mandatory.
The great advantage of
using publicized EN-standards is that it leads to a 'presumption of
conformity' with the essential requirements of the applicable
European Directives.
The European harmonized standards are
adopted by European standards organizations (CEN, CENELEC or ETSI)
upon a mandate issued by the European Commission.
STEP 4:
CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
The fourth steps in the CE
certification procedure relate to the actual assessment of the
conformity of the product with the essential requirements. In order
to prove the conformity of the product with the essential
requirements of the Directive and harmonized standards, examinations
and compliance tests are necessary. The results of the tests must be
documented.
STEP 5: COMPILING OF A TECHNICAL FILE
The
Low Voltage Directive makes obligatory the compilation of a
Technical File containing information to demonstrate the conformity
of the product to the applicable requirements. The Technical File
must be kept available for the national market surveillance
authorities for at least ten years from the last date of manufacture
of the product. The content of the Technical File depends upon the
nature of the product.
STEP 6: INSTRUCTION
The goal of
the European CE Directives is to minimize the health and safety
risks of the product for the user. For this reason the Low Voltage
Directive obliges to provide an instruction about the safe
installation, use, maintenance and reparation of the
product.
Because it is essential that the user is able to
understand the (safety) instructions, it is obligatory to provide a
translation of the manual in the official language(s) of the country
where the product is being placed on the market.
STEP 7: EC
DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
The Low Voltage Directive imposes
an obligation for the manufacturer, his authorized representative
established within the Community or the importer, to draw up an 'EC
Declaration of Conformity' when the product is placed on the market.
This is more or less a legal statement ensuring that the product
satisfies the essential requirements of the applicable directives.
The EC Declaration of Conformity must be kept for at least
ten years from the last date of manufacture of the product, and must
be made available to the surveillance authority immediately upon
request.
STEP 8: THE AFFIXING OF THE CE MARKING
The CE
certification process is concluded with the affixing of the CE
Marking to the product.
The CE Marking indicates that the
product conforms with the relevant essential requirements, and other
applicable provisions, and that the product has been subject to the
appropriate conformity assessment procedure(s). Hence, Member States
are not allowed to restrict the placing on the market and putting
into service of CE marked products, unless such measures can be
justified on the basis of evidence of the non-compliance of the
product.
The CE Marking consists of the initials
'CE'.
If the CE Marking is reduced or enlarged the
proportions must be respected.
The logo must have a height
of at least 5-mm.
The CE Marking must be affixed visibly,
legibly and indelibly.
The CE Marking must be affixed to the
product or to its data plate. However, where this is not possible or
not warranted on account of the nature of the product, it must be
affixed to the packaging, if any, and to the accompanying documents,
where the directive concerned provides for such documents.
The affixing of markings on the product which are likely to
deceive third parties as to the meaning and form of the CE Marking
is not allowed. Any other marking may only be affixed to the
product, the packaging or a label provided that the visibility and
legibility of the CE Marking is not thereby reduced.
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of Interest:
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