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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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