The European Union has taken a number of measures to facilitate the free movement of goods throughout the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA). Some of these measures are known as the New Approach Guidelines. The New Approach Guidelines provide control over product design and, above all, aim at harmonizing across Europe with regard to product safety.
The directives cover a wide range of products, including toys, medical devices and pressure equipment. The primary objective is to ensure that the products are well designed and safe for the user.
Throughout Europe, where a New Approach Directive applies, manufacturers are required to affix CE marking to their products. CE marking requirements may vary from Directive to Directive, even within the same Directive.
The European Union has gone into a classification of products by risk groups and has issued regulations to ensure that these products comply with safety, environmental, health and consumer protection standards. These regulations relate collectively to the 23 product line and are generally referred to as New Approach Directives. Based on the subject matter of these directives, it becomes clear which manufacturers can obtain the CE Certificate.
The companies that can put CE mark on their products can be listed as follows:
Building materials manufacturers
Personal protection equipment manufacturers
Companies manufacturing radio and telecommunications terminal equipment
Companies manufacturing cable-moving vehicles for passenger transport
Firms producing explosives for civil use
Non-automatic weighing instruments
Firms producing equipment used in explosive environments
Elevator manufacturing companies
Freezers
Companies producing pressure vessels
Companies manufacturing implantable active medical devices
Medical equipment manufacturers
Low voltage equipment manufacturers
Companies producing simple pressure vessels
Companies producing gas burning tools
Companies producing hot water boilers
Companies producing electromagnetic goods
Machinery manufacturing companies
Companies manufacturing in vitro medical diagnostic equipment
Toy manufacturers
Recreational boats
Product groups can be listed as follows
Implantable medical devices
Gas-burning devices
Ski lifts
Electromagnetic devices
Products used in explosive atmospheres
Explosives for civil use
Hot water boilers
In Vitro diagnostic medical equipment
lifts
Low Voltage Devices
machinery
Measurement tools
Medical devices
Non-automatic weighing instruments
Personal protective equipment
Pressure Equipment
Radio and telecommunication equipment
Toys
Simple pressure vessels
Depending on the risk levels of the products, these manufacturers either put the CE mark on the products themselves or after being inspected by a certification body, they put the CE mark on the products according to the results of this inspection. The European Union has classified products according to risk groups from A to H in CE marking application.
