Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
A number of products must be CE marked before they can be put on sale in the EU. This proves that the manufacturer has assessed the product and that the product therefore meets the safety, health and environmental requirements of the EU. CE marking is required for products that are placed on the EU market, regardless of where they were manufactured in the world.
By assessing the conformity of products, we understand the activities during which the conformity of the product with the requirements of Czech technical regulations is determined. These activities for individual sectors (groups of so-called specified products) are regulated by Act No. 22/1997 Coll., on technical requirements for products and on the amendment and addition of certain laws, as amended, and government regulations relevant to the sector.
"Accreditation means official recognition (represented by the issuance of a Certificate of Accreditation) that a certification body is competent to carry out product certification"
Accreditation of certification bodies certifying products is governed by the requirements of the standard ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17065:2013 (Assessment of conformity – Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services)
*Product is a term including process and service in the sense of the ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17065:2013 standard, Article 3.4.
It is only mandatory for products that are covered by EU specifications and that are required to be CE marked. Some products are subject to several EU requirements at the same time. You can affix the CE mark to your product only after you have ensured that it meets all relevant requirements. CE marking is prohibited on products for which EU specifications do not exist or for which CE marking is not required.
The CE marking must be visible, legible and indelible.
The CE marking consists of the initials "CE", where both letters must be the same height and their height must be at least 5 mm (unless otherwise specified in the requirements for the given product category).
To make these letters bigger or smaller, you need to keep their proportions. The CE marking can have different graphic variations (ie it can be a different color, it can be filled or not), but only if it remains sufficiently visible.
If it is not possible to place the CE mark on the product itself, you can place it on the packaging or in the accompanying documentation. If your product is subject to several EU directives or regulations that require the affixing of the CE marking, the accompanying documentation must state that the product complies with all applicable EU directives/regulations.
If you, as a manufacturer, carry out the conformity assessment yourself, you do not have to pay any fee. However, if you choose to use the services of a notified body, or if the EU specifications applicable to your product require an independent assessment by a notified body, then you must pay that body for the services it has provided to you. The costs depend on the type of certification procedure that applies to your product, the complexity of the product, etc.