Many brands and products place a CE mark on their products, claiming that the products are safe for the end-user and market them within the EU zone. However that's not always the case! Do you know that some CE marks you can see on a product can be imitated? We've created this article on "how to distinguish the real CE mark from the imitated CE mark" to help you when choosing your preferred manufacturer or products.
There is an assumption that a product bearing the CE mark is safe because the CE marking demonstrates the product’s compliance with the relevant and strict EU directives and standards. The marking benefits everyone in the supply chain but most notably - the consumer.
You might have seen a mark that looked exactly like one of the both pictured above before. One of the symbols often appears alongside the familiar UL (Underwriters Laboratory), FCC (Federal Communications Commission), or CSA (Canadian Standards Association) marks. The latter mentioned marks appear on many products in the North America. You can usually see it if you check the safety and specification notes on the product.
The CE mark is a symbol m products to indicate their conformity with the essential requirements of the relevant EU directives regarding health and safety or environmental protection. The letters "CE" are an abbreviation and come from the French phrase "Conformité Européene" which literal meaning is "European Conformity". The CE Mark is mandatory for specific products that are sold in the European Economic Area (EEA).
1. Official CE Marking
The CE mark is a symbol marked on products to indicate their conformity with the essential requirements of the relevant EU directives regarding health and safety or environmental protection compliances. The letters "CE" is an abbreviation of the French phrase "Conformité Européene" meaning "European Conformity" in English. The CE Mark and certification is mandatory for all products that are intended to be sold in the European Economic Area (EEA).
On some CE mark, a code which represents the ID number of the respective Notified Body can be seen at the bottom.
2. Imitated "CE" Marking
The imitated CE mark can be seen on some, not all, products produced in and exported from all over the world. The mark bears a similar design, and it may look identical to the original symbol, which may easily mislead users to think that the product is CE certified and safe to use. The imitated CE mark is not an official European mark and is considered invalid. Many factories around the world apply that mark on their products and export them. Such products have not undertook any risk assessment, safety evaluation, or testing. They have not been certified based the relevant CE standards, therefore these products are not legal to be sold in the EU. Products bearing the imitated CE mark vary in quality and design from acceptable to completely unsafe for consumption. A good example of products on which you can very often see the imitated mark is on some electrical appliances and most recently PPE product packagings.
3. Difference Between Both CE Marks
To understand the difference between both marks, we should always compare them side-by-side, as show in the picture below. It became clear that unlike the official European CE Mark, the imitated CE mark design does not comply with the dimensions or proportions of the original mark. The letters on the original mark are formed from two identical overlapping circles, giving it's natural spacing. On the contrary, imitated CE marks often has the "C" and "E" marked closely together. From the difference in spacing we can easily determine the authentic from the imitated marks. An authentic CE mark has the "E" overlapping the circular profile extrapolated from the "C" character.
4. Legal Implications
The European Commission and the national authorities have the responsibility to ensure that all products sold within the EU bear the official CE mark. Various measures, procedures, and sanctions have been created to enforce it, which varies according to the respective national administrative and penal legislation. In some cases, the economic operators may be liable to a fine however in others, imprisonment. In the end, the legal implications depend on the seriousness of the crime. When audited the manufacturer may have the opportunity to verify the product's compliance with the applicable legislation before being forced to be removed from the EU market.
Additionally, should any users suspect that the CE mark of a particular product is not authentic or have concerns regarding the product’s safety, they are advised to contact the respective national market surveillance authorities immediately, for appropriate actions to be taken.
In short, an authentic CE mark on products symbolises it's quality and conformity with EU regulatory standards for manufacturing and product safety. Therefore, it’s essential to be able to spot the difference between both symbols and stay away from any suspicious products.
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