CE Certification

Certification that a product fulfils all EU Directives requirements and standards, and it is safe for use, is the ‘passport’ for free circulation in the global market (including the Greek market), since for a lot of product categories certification is obligatory (for instance, construction materials, electronic equipment, domestic appliances, and many more). Moreover, certification creates a culture of healthy competition and transparency in commercial transactions.

In case a product is imported by a non-EU country, certification is one of the obligations of the manufacturer and the importer-representative.

The CE Marking is the manufacturer’s declaration that the product meets the requirement of the applicable EC Directives. The manufacturers are required to keep a Technical File (technical documentation), which should contain the information required to show that their product properly complies with the EU requirements. The Technical File should include the manufacturer’s details, the product’s details, the product’s marking and labels, list of applied standards, testing results, copy of instructions (user, maintenance, installation), certificates of materials etc. They are also required to complete a Declaration of Conformity, which accompanies the Technical File.

There are three (3) main categories :

• 1st Level: Self-certification, when only the Technical File is required, no initial testing or assessment from an Authorized Body

• 2nd Level: Initial testing is required, no assessment from an Authorized Body

• 3rd Level: The Technical File and the product must be assessed by an Authorized Body

In any case a Technical File is submitted only when required by the Relevant Authorities, which hold the power to enforce the EU Directives and regulate the market. For this purpose the Technical File is kept by the manufacturer for a period of ten years after the product’s last circulation.

Therefore, the significance of certification especially during the economic crisis is most important as it adds value to the product and creates new sales opportunities in demanding markets, while it also protects the manufacturer in case of an adverse event (accident while using the product or complaint by a customer or the competition).

Our company’s, Samaras & Associates Ltd., successful presence in this field is ‘validated’ by the hundreds of our satisfied customers, who entrusted us with the preparation and completion of technical files for the certification of their products.