Knowledgebase Details

Created:
16-3-01

Last
Update:
25-5-02

EMC 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
EMC 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
DIRECTIVE(S) 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 EMC
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 any technical solution as long as the final
product meets the result as defined in the essential
requirements.

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.

For the EMC Directive conformity assessment means
that the product is tested on compliance with the
applicable limits for the emission of and immunity for
electromagnetic disturbances.

STEP 5:
INSTRUCTION

The goal of the European CE
Directives is to minimize the health and safety risks of
the product for the user. From this perspective it is necessary to
provide an instruction about the safe installation, use,
maintenance and reparation of the product. The
importance of information of the user is also recognized
in the European Directive on General Product Safety
(92/59/EEC).

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 6: EC DECLARATION OF
CONFORMITY

The EMC 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 basically 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 7: 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 must consist 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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Related Documents:

,

,

Related Publications:

Other Articles of Interest:

EMC
Directive 89/336/EEC

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