How to identify directives for a product

How to know the applicable directives for your product is the most important step in the entire CE marking process. All the subsequent steps build on the EU directives that have been identified to apply to the product.

A product will often come under more than one directive. However, a manufacturer may not CE mark the product against two security directives simultaneously. For example, a waste disposer that could be marked against either the LVD or the Machinery Directive must be CE marked for the directive that is most suitable for the product. CE Check web service is helping you with this.

In addition to directives regarding the CE marking, there are several other directives a manufacturer may need to consider. These often concern environmental and sustainability issues; for example WEEE, REACH, the Batteries Directive, and the Packaging Directive.

To determine which directives apply to your product, start by considering the following questions:

1. Who will use the product?
2. Under what conditions will the product be installed/used?
3. Is the product intended for home or industrial/agricultural use?
4. For which EU countries is the product intended? (Some countries still have certain national stipulations)

If unsure which directive applies to your product, we recommend you to use our service and we will automatically find the applicable directives for your product. You can also contact a notified body, supervisory authority or national accreditation body.