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Top 5 CE Marking Myths19th March 2010 Throughout the previous year, the CE Marking Association has come across a wide range of myths associated with CE Marking and decided that with the start of a new year it was time to clarify some of the most common myths that we came across. Myth 1: A statement of conformity from a component supplier’s website is similar to a Declaration of Conformity that can be used to support evidence of conformity? Reality: Unfortunately a statement of conformity does not relate to the product conforming to the relevant product Directives. The statement of conformity typically only relates to the handling of the product conforming to their quality management systems and not product safety. Therefore you should look to obtain a Declaration of Conformity for the product/components for supporting evidence of conformity. Myth 2: You must apply standards to conform to the applicable Directive(s)? Reality: For the majority of CE Marking Directives, applying standards would only be one of multiple routes to conform to the Directive; therefore in most situations it is not mandatory to apply standards, although it is often viewed as the best way to demonstrate conformity with the Directive. Do not forget, the law requires you to comply with the essential requirements of the Directive, not the standards. Myth 3: The product has a CE Mark on the label, so therefore I do not need to obtain further evidence that the product complies with the relevant Directives? Reality: Even though the product has a CE Mark on the label or packaging, it does not necessarily mean that the product complies with all of the latest legislation. The product might have been assessed against superseded Directives, or Directives might have been missed, or the product might not have been assessed at all! It is recommended that you should obtain a valid Declaration of Conformity as part of your product compliance due diligence. Myth 4: I do not need to worry about hazards that are not covered by my standards? Reality: This is not the case. Harmonised standards only offer a presumption of conformity, as they are not always able to take into account every aspect of a new product. If a certain aspect of your product is not covered by the applicable standard, then you would still need to assess it against the essential requirements of the Directive. Where the Directive does not sufficiently cover it, then the General Product Safety Directive must be applied to ensure that the product is safe. Myth 5: If I design a product for a third party to manufacture, then I do not need to worry about CE Marking the product that I have designed? Reality: This is not necessarily the case, because product compliance is something that should be designed into the product and not bolted on at the end. You may find yourself designing a product that does not conform to the applicable Directive(s), making it difficult for the end manufacturer to bring it into conformity.
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