Affix the CE marking to the product
- Applies to
- Manufacturer
- Source citations
- Art. 13(12)Art. 30
- Product classes
- default, important-class-i, important-class-ii, critical
Plain language
You must put the CE mark on your product (or its packaging if the product is too small) before selling it in the EU. The CE mark is your declaration that the product meets EU rules. You cannot add the CE mark until after you have completed the conformity assessment and drawn up the EU Declaration of Conformity.
Legal text
Article 13(12) of Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 and Article 30 require that manufacturers affix the CE marking to the product before placing it on the market.
Article 30 specifies that the CE marking:
- Must be affixed visibly, legibly, and indelibly to the product or its data plate
- Where that is not possible due to the nature of the product, to the packaging and to the documentation accompanying the product
- Must not be affixed before the EU Declaration of Conformity (Article 28) is drawn up
- For digital products distributed solely in software form, the CE marking and EU DoC shall be made accessible in the user interface or accompanying documentation
Key requirements
- CE mark affixed before placing on the market — no sales without the mark
- EU DoC exists first — CE marking is a consequence of completing conformity assessment, not a precondition
- Visibility and legibility — minimum height 5 mm; proportionately scaled for small products
- Correct placement — product, data plate, or packaging (in that priority order)
- Notified body number — if the conformity assessment involved a notified body, its identification number must be placed alongside the CE marking
- No misleading marks — no markings, signs, or inscriptions that could mislead users about the meaning of the CE marking
CE marking placement for software products
For products placed on the market solely in digital/software form, the CE marking and EU DoC reference shall be made accessible in the software itself (e.g. in the "About" screen or settings), in the installation package, or in the product's online documentation.
Evidence you may need
- Photographs or screenshots showing CE marking on product / packaging / UI
- Documentation showing CE marking was affixed after EU DoC was drawn up
- Conformity assessment completion records predating CE marking