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Product
Safety
Eighty percent of all products
sold or traded on the European market can be certified by the
manufacturer or exporter. This process is called
self-certification, meaning that if the product is in compliance
with the required directives it can be affixed with a CE mark.
At present, only 10
percent of all products which must comply with European
regulations require testing by a European Notified Body. Ninety
percent of all products, however, can be self-certified by the
manufacturer and exporter.
CE Mark
The CE Mark on a product
indicates that the product complies with the fundamental safety
and environmental requirements imposed by European legislation.
The producer or the importer is liable to ensure that the
product is correctly CE marked. The producer may only supply
products that can be used safely by the end consumer.
If a damage or injury is
sustained from a particular product, the consumer may hold the
manufacturer, authorised representative, agent or importer,
responsible. In case the product is not safe, it is the producer
who is liable. In this connection, however, the concept producer
is not limited to the manufacturer. Also seen as liable or
responsible parties are: the manufacturer of a part of the
product, his authorised representative, the importer who imports
the product into the EU or the dealer who places the product on
the market in the producer's name.
When is the producer liable
for the product
If the consumer suffers bodily
harm, dies as the result of the use of unsafe equipment, or
there is damage to property or a third party, this can lead to a
liability claim. In such case, the damage can be caused by a
fault in the product. One speaks of a fault if the product does
not provide the degree of safety as required by law.
External
Certification Resources:
Consultants Europe
European Committee for
Standardization (CEN)
European Committee for
Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
European Organisation for
Conformity Assessment (EOTC)
European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI)
European Commission
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