CE marking
How a product complies with EU safety, health and environmental requirements, and how to place a CE marking on your product.
The government has laid legislation to continue recognition of current EU requirements for a range of product regulations, including the CE marking (Conformité Européene, or European Conformity marking) for a range of product regulations. This means businesses will have the flexibility to use either the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) or CE marking to sell products in Great Britain (GB). Draft legislation can be found in The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Continued recognition of current EU requirements, including the CE and reversed epsilon markings, will apply to 21 product regulations. This includes the 18 product regulations owned by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), previously announced on 1 August 2023. Following feedback from industry, we are also continuing recognition for a further 3 regulations, covering ecodesign, civil explosives and, in most circumstances, restriction of hazardous substances (in electrical equipment).
This announcement does not apply to regulations for medical devices, construction products, marine equipment, rail products, cableways, transportable pressure equipment, and unmanned aircraft systems regulations. There are specific arrangements in place for these sectors.
The DBT regulations in scope of this announcement are:
- Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016/1107
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016/1091
- Lifts Regulations 2016/1093
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016/1101
- Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016/1105
- Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015/1553
- Recreational Craft Regulations 2017/737
- Radio Equipment Regulations 2017/1206
- Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations 2016/1092
- Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011/1881
- Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009/2824
- Gas Appliances (EU Regulation) 2016/426
- Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008/1597
- Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001/1701
- Personal Protective Equipment (EU Regulation) 2016/425
- Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016/1153
- Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016/1152
- Measuring Container Bottles (European Economic Community (EEC) Requirements) Regulations 1977
For the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra):
- Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (‘the RoHS Regulations’)
For the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ):
- Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010
For the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (Health and Safety Executive (HSE)):
- Explosives Regulations 2014
We are in the process of updating this webpage to reflect these changes.
Check if you need to use a different conformity marking
See the guidance on:
- placing manufactured goods on the EU market
- placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain
- placing manufactured goods on the market in Northern Ireland from Great Britain
- placing manufactured goods on the market in Northern Ireland from the EU
Overview
The letters ‘CE’ appear on many products that are traded on the single market in the European Economic Area (EEA).
The CE marking is required for many products because it:
- shows that the manufacturer has checked these products meet EU safety, health or environmental requirements
- is an indicator of a product’s compliance with EU legislation
- allows the free movement of products within the European market
By placing the CE marking on a product, a manufacturer is declaring, on their sole responsibility, conformity with all of the legal requirements to achieve CE marking. The manufacturer is therefore ensuring validity for that product to be sold throughout the EEA. This also applies to products made in third countries which are sold in the EEA and Turkey.
Not all products must bear the CE marking. Only those product categories subject to specific legislation are required to be CE marked. If there is no such requirement, the CE marking must not be affixed.
CE marking does not mean that a product was made in the EEA, but shows that the product meets all the relevant EU requirements and has been assessed as such before being placed on the market. It means the product satisfies the legislative requirements to be sold there. It also means that the manufacturer has checked that the product complies with all relevant essential requirements, for example health and safety requirements.
If you are a manufacturer, it is your responsibility to:
- carry out or have carried out the applicable conformity assessment procedure
- draw up the technical documentation
- draw up the European Commission (EC) Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
- place CE marking on a product, where required
If you are a distributor, you must check the presence of both the CE marking and the necessary supporting documentation.
If you are importing a product that is from a third country, you must check that the manufacturer outside the EU has undertaken the necessary steps. You must check that the documentation is available.
Products that need CE marking
CE marking is mandatory, but only for those products which are covered by the scope of one or more of the New Approach Directives.
You can view the EC New Approach Directives guidance on the European Commission website.
Even if your product is manufactured outside the EEA, you must ensure the product bears CE marking if your product comes under the scope of a directive requiring CE marking. The full list of these product categories includes:
- active implantable medical devices
- appliances burning gaseous fuels
- cableway installations designed to carry persons
- ecodesign of energy-related products
- electromagnetic compatibility
- equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
- explosives for civil uses
- hot water boilers
- household refrigerators and freezers
- in vitro diagnostic medical devices
- lifts
- low voltage
- machinery
- measuring instruments
- medical devices
- noise emission in the environment
- non-automatic weighing instruments
- personal protective equipment
- pressure equipment
- pyrotechnics
- radio and telecommunications terminal equipment
- recreational craft
- safety of toys
- simple pressure vessels
The CE marking is not required for items, for example:
- chemicals
- pharmaceuticals
- cosmetics and foodstuffs
If you have an enquiry about the Construction Products Regulations, you can email correspondence@levellingup.gov.uk.
How to place a CE marking on a product
Before you place a CE marking on a product, you need to establish which EU New Approach Directives or regulations apply to your product. You must not attach a CE marking to a product outside this EU legislation.
The process you follow depends on the EU legislation that applies to your product.
1. Identify the legislation and harmonised standards applicable to the product
There are more than 20 pieces of EU legislation setting out the product categories requiring CE marking. The essential requirements that products have to fulfil (for example, to ensure safety) are created at EU level and are set out in general terms in the relevant EU legislation. Harmonised European standards are issued with reference to the relevant EU legislation and set out in technical terms how the essential requirements may be met.
2. Check the product-specific requirements
It is up to you to ensure that your product complies with the essential requirements of the relevant EU legislation. The use of harmonised standards remains voluntary in most cases. You may decide to choose other ways to fulfil these essential requirements. If you do not follow the safety requirements of a standard as it is written, you will need to show that your product is as safe by presenting the relevant documentation.
3. Identify whether an independent conformity assessment is required from a Notified Body
Each piece of EU legislation covering your product specifies whether or not an authorised third party (Notified Body) must be involved in the conformity assessment procedure necessary for CE marking. This is not obligatory for all products, so it is important to check whether the involvement of a Notified Body is required. These bodies are authorised by national authorities and officially ‘notified’ to the European Commission and listed on the NANDO (New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations) database.
UK conformity assessment bodies can no longer carry out mandatory conformity assessment for products being placed on the EU market.
4. Test the product and check its conformity
If you manufacture a product, it is your responsibility to test the product and check its conformity to the EU legislation (conformity assessment procedure). Generally, this includes a risk assessment. By applying the relevant harmonised European standards, you will be able to fulfil the essential legislative requirements of the directives.
5. Draw up and keep available the required technical documentation
If you manufacture a product, you need to establish the technical documentation required by the relevant EU legislation for the assessment of the product’s conformity to the relevant requirements, and for the risk assessment. You must be able to present the technical documentation and EC DoC to the relevant national authorities, if requested.
6. Placing the CE marking on your product and EU Declaration of Conformity
The CE marking must be placed on the product by the manufacturer, or by their authorised representative within the EEA or Turkey, where permitted. It must be placed according to its legal format to the product or its data plate, or, where permitted, on packaging or labels affixed to the product. It must be visible, legible and impossible to remove.
If a Notified Body was involved in the production control phase, its identification number must also be displayed. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to draw up and sign an ‘EC DoC’ proving that the product meets the requirements.
Once these steps are complete, your CE-marked product is ready for the market.
Using the CE marking
Once you have satisfied the conformity assessment requirements for CE marking, you must attach the CE marking to your product or its packaging (where permitted). There are specific rules for using the CE marking for your product, as well as rules for the reproduction of the CE marking logo.
In general you should attach the CE marking to the product itself, but it may also be placed on the packaging, in manuals, and on other supporting literature. Rules covering the use of the CE markings vary depending on the specific EU legislation that applies to the product and it is advisable to study the applicable guidance.
The following general rules all apply:
- CE markings must only be placed by you, as the manufacturer, or your authorised representative
- the CE marking cannot be placed on products that are not covered by the relevant European legislation
- when attaching the CE marking, you take full responsibility for your product’s conformity with the requirements of the relevant EU legislation
- you must only use the CE marking to show the product’s conformity with the relevant EU law
- you must not place any marking or sign that may misconstrue the meaning or form of the CE marking to third parties
- other markings placed on the product must not cover up the CE marking
Member states will ensure they implement the regime governing the CE marking. They will take appropriate action in the event of improper use of the marking and provide for penalties for infringements, which may include criminal sanctions for serious infringements. Those penalties will be proportionate to the seriousness of the offence and constitute an effective deterrent against improper use.
The general principles of the CE marking are contained within Regulation (EC) No 765/2008, which sets the requirements for accreditation relating to the marketing of products. You can read the CE marking regulations on the European Commission website.
CE marking image rules
Depending on the specifics of the legislation that covers your product, you must make sure that:
- the initials ‘CE’ are in the standard, recognisable form
- if you reduce or enlarge the size of your marking, the letters CE must be in proportion to the standard version
- the CE marking is at least 5 millimetres, unless a larger minimum dimension is specified in the relevant legislation
- the CE marking is placed onto the product or to its data plate; if this is not possible or not necessary because of the nature of the product, it must be placed onto the packaging and accompanying documents
- the CE marking is easily visible, readable and permanent
Find example CE marking logos on the European Commission website.
Keep documentation for CE marking
Please refer to the specific legislation and also our guidance documents.
You must keep certain documentation once you have placed the CE marking onto your product. This information can be requested at any time by the Market Surveillance Authorities to check that a CE marking has been legitimately placed on a product.
The information you must keep will vary depending on the specific legislation relevant to your product. You must keep general records of:
- how the product is manufactured
- how the product conforms to the relevant national standards
- addresses of manufacture and storage places
- design and manufacture of the product
- which New Approach legislation applies to the product and how they have been met
- European Union type-examination certificates, if applicable
You should keep the information in the form of a technical file, which can be supplied if requested by an enforcement authority.
The manufacturer’s EU Declaration of Conformity
The EC DoC is a document which may be required to accompany a product. In the document, the manufacturer or the authorised representative within the EEA should:
- indicate that the product meets all the necessary requirements of the legislation applicable to the specific product
- make sure it has the name and address of the manufacturer together with information about the product, for example brand and serial number
The EU DoC must be signed by an individual working for the manufacturer or the authorised representative, and indicate the employee’s function.
CE marking enforcement
There are many bodies that enforce CE marking legislation to prevent misuse of the CE marking and to ensure that product safety is maintained to a high standard.
Enforcement, or market surveillance, is undertaken by nominated public authorities (Market Surveillance Authorities) in each member state, and each state has separate ways of enforcing the legislation once it has been implemented into national law.
Market Surveillance Authorities and processes will vary depending on which legislation is applicable to your product. The following bodies, among others, are responsible for CE marking enforcement in the UK:
- Trading Standards Services
- the Health and Safety Executive
- the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
- the National Measurement Office
If an enforcement body finds your product does not meet CE marking requirements, they will often provide you with an opportunity to ensure it is correctly CE marked. If you fail to comply with this, you will be obliged to take your product off the market. You may also be liable for a fine and imprisonment.
Further information
View the EC New Approach Directives guidance.
View the CE marking guidance on the European Commission website.
View CE marking guidance for specific products from the European Commission website.
View guidance on Product safety for businesses.
View CE marking logo examples on the European Commission website.
Last updated 17 May 2024 + show all updates
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CE recognition end date of 31 December 2024 removed. References to new legislation included which the government has laid to continue recognition of current EU requirements for a range of product regulations, including the CE marking, meaning businesses will have the flexibility to use either the UKCA or CE marking to sell a range of products in Great Britain. Relevant products and affected sectors have been included, as well as general updates to the guidance.
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Updated the 'call to action' banner before the main body of text, to list the sectors the CE marking will continue to apply to. This is because the UK government intends to continue to recognise the CE marking across England, Wales and Scotland, indefinitely, beyond December 2024.
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The deadline for when businesses need to use the UKCA mark has been extended. You can continue to use the CE marking and reversed epsilon marking on the GB market until 31 December 2024.
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Added a section on choosing which conformity marking to use.
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First published.