CE Certification for Indian Exporters
CE marking is the manufacturer’s declaration that a product meets the EU laws that apply to it, so it can be sold anywhere in the European Economic Area. If you export machinery, electrical goods, toys or other covered products to Europe, your buyer will ask for it. We organise the process from India: the right directives, the test lab or notified body, the technical file and the EU Declaration of Conformity.
What it is
CE marking is the two-letter mark on chargers, machines and toys sold in Europe. It means the manufacturer has checked the product against every EU law that applies to it. The product can then be sold throughout the European Economic Area (EEA): the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
People call it “CE certification”, but the European Commission is clear: the CE mark is not an approval by the EU or any authority, and it says nothing about where a product was made. It is the manufacturer’s own declaration, backed by a technical file. For higher-risk products, an independent notified body must also assess the product before the manufacturer can affix the mark.
CE marking is compulsory only for products covered by specific EU directives and regulations, such as the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU and the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. Putting the mark on any other product is not allowed.
Who it applies to
Manufacturers exporting to Europe
Indian makers of electrical goods, machinery, toys, construction products or radio equipment sold in the EEA. The manufacturer carries the legal responsibility, even when the buyer handles the import.
Brand owners using contract manufacturing
If the product goes to Europe under your name or trademark, you are treated as the manufacturer. The file and the declaration sit in your name, even if a job-worker makes it.
Exporters selling online to EU customers
Since 16 July 2021, products under most CE laws need an economic operator established in the EU, such as an importer or authorised representative, named on the product, packaging or accompanying document.
Why it matters
Open the door to the EEA
Without valid CE marking, a covered product cannot legally be placed on the European market.
Sell in 30 countries on one file
The same technical file and declaration work in every EEA country. No separate national approvals for Germany, France or Italy under the harmonised rules.
Answer buyer due diligence early
European distributors often ask for the Declaration of Conformity and test reports at the enquiry stage. A clean file shortens that conversation. In practice, a Faridabad pump maker quoting to a German distributor is often asked for the declaration before price.
Documents required
About your business
- Company or firm registration documents
- Importer-Exporter Code and GST registration
- Name and address of your EU importer or authorised representative
About the product
- Product description, models and variants
- Drawings, circuit diagrams and bill of materials
- User manual and labels, with safety warnings
- Risk assessment
Proof of conformity
- Test reports against harmonised standards from an accredited lab
- Notified body certificate, where the law requires one
- Signed EU Declaration of Conformity
How it works
Identify the EU laws that apply
We map your product to each applicable directive or regulation and its harmonised standards. Here is the catch: a motorised machine with a wireless remote may need the machinery, EMC and radio rules together.
Pick the assessment route
Lower-risk products can be self-assessed; higher-risk ones need a notified body. We confirm the route, or “module”, and shortlist bodies notified for that law.
Send samples to an accredited lab
Samples go to a testing laboratory or notified body you choose. We handle the paperwork and queries; the lab or notified body does the testing and issues the reports.
Compile the technical file
We compile the technical documentation from your design details, risk assessment, test reports and manuals. It must be ready before the product is placed on the market.
Sign the Declaration of Conformity and affix the mark
We draft the EU Declaration of Conformity for your review and signature, check the CE marking artwork (at least 5 mm high) and label, and help you appoint an EU authorised representative where needed.
Self-declaration or notified body?
Each directive or regulation sets the exact module.
| Point | Self-declaration (internal production control) | Notified body involved |
|---|---|---|
| Who checks | The manufacturer, using test reports | An EU-notified body, plus the manufacturer |
| Typical products | Most low-voltage electrical goods (Module A under Directive 2014/35/EU) | Higher-risk products named in the relevant law |
| Certificate | None from a third party; the manufacturer signs the declaration | Certificate issued by the notified body, within the scope it is notified for |
Timelines
Finish before the first shipment
The technical file and signed declaration must be ready before the product is placed on the EU market. Not after the container lands at Hamburg.
Keep the file for 10 years
Under the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, the manufacturer keeps the technical documentation and the Declaration of Conformity for 10 years after the equipment is placed on the market. Check each law that applies.
Plan machinery for 20 January 2027
The Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027. Machinery placed on the EU market before that date must comply with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
What happens if you ship without it
Your buyer cannot sell the goods
EU importers must check that the product meets EU requirements and that the declaration and technical file are available on request. Without them, the goods stay off the shelf.
Authorities can order corrective action
Market surveillance authorities can ask the responsible economic operator for the declaration and conformity documents, and require corrective action where a product does not comply or presents a risk.
A wrongly used mark is itself a breach
Affixing the CE mark to a product no EU law covers, or without the required assessment, is not allowed. Picture a small Delhi-NCR exporter who copies a supplier’s CE label onto a new model. The first document request from the buyer exposes the gap.
Frequently asked questions
Is CE certification issued by the EU?
No, the EU does not issue CE certificates. The manufacturer affixes the CE mark after completing the conformity assessment and signing the EU Declaration of Conformity. For higher-risk products, a notified body issues a certificate for its part of the assessment, but the declaration is still the manufacturer’s. Once your file is complete, you can sign it with confidence.
Does every product exported to Europe need CE marking?
No, only products covered by EU laws that require it, such as low-voltage electrical equipment, machinery, toys, radio equipment and construction products. Products outside those laws must not carry the mark. We check your product against the applicable legislation first, so you only do the work that is actually required.
Can an Indian manufacturer sign the Declaration of Conformity?
Yes, the manufacturer signs the EU Declaration of Conformity wherever it is located, including in India. The declaration names the product, the manufacturer or authorised representative, the EU laws met and the standards applied, and is issued under the manufacturer’s sole responsibility. We draft it for your review before you sign.
Do we need an EU authorised representative?
Often, yes. Since 16 July 2021, Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 requires an economic operator established in the EU for products under most CE laws. That can be the EU importer, an authorised representative under a written mandate, or a fulfilment service provider. Their name and contact details must appear on the product, its packaging or an accompanying document. If your buyer is the importer, this is usually simple.
What is a notified body and when do we need one?
A notified body is a conformity assessment body that an EU country has designated to assess products under a specific EU law. You need one only when that law requires third-party assessment, usually for higher-risk products. Only notified bodies may issue certificates for harmonised products, and only in the area they are notified for. We help you check the body’s scope before you pay any fee.
Can testing be done in India?
Yes, for many products testing can be done at accredited laboratories in India. What matters is that the reports cover the correct harmonised standards and, where a notified body is needed, that the body is notified for that law. We confirm both before samples go, so tests are not repeated.
How long must we keep the CE technical file?
For products under the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, you keep the technical documentation and Declaration of Conformity for 10 years after the equipment is placed on the market. Check the period in any other law that applies. Authorities can ask for it at any time, so update it when the design or standards change. We hand over the file in a structure that is easy to maintain.
How big must the CE mark be?
The CE mark must be at least 5 mm high, unless the specific law allows otherwise, and both letters must have the same vertical size. It goes visibly on the product or, where that is not possible, on the packaging. Where a notified body is involved, its identification number usually follows the mark. We check your label artwork before printing, so you only print once.
Our machines ship in 2027. Which machinery law applies?
Machinery placed on the EU market from 20 January 2027 must meet the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. Before that date, the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC applies. The new regulation covers AI-powered safety functions and cyber-safety of control software. If your order straddles the date, plan for the regulation now and you will be ready for both.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
There is no EU government fee for CE marking itself. On the Indian side, exports usually move without IGST under a Letter of Undertaking filed on the GST portal. The third-party costs are lab testing, notified body fees where required, and the EU authorised representative’s charges, quoted by those parties.
Ready to begin?
Send us your product details and target market, and we will map the EU laws, testing route and paperwork for your first CE-marked shipment.