CE Marking, the EU Declaration of Conformity and NANDO: What Each Means

What the CE mark communicates

CE marking applies only where the relevant EU product legislation requires it. The manufacturer affixes it after completing the applicable conformity assessment and meeting the requirements. There is no single central EU office issuing a universal permission called a “CE certificate”.

Start with the product’s intended use, configuration and applicable legislation. Several rules can apply together. A mark on a label does not, by itself, show which requirements were assessed or which version of the product the evidence covers.

What the manufacturer declares

The EU declaration of conformity is a signed legal statement for the identified product. It connects the responsible manufacturer, model or type, relevant legislation and the conformity basis. The applicable legislation determines its required contents, language and any notified-body references. Check the declaration form required by the sector; this guide concerns the EU declaration of conformity, not every sector-specific declaration.

The declaration follows the assessment and is supported by technical documentation; it is not a test report. Compare the product identity, manufacturer, references, signatory and date with the actual file. Renaming a supplier’s declaration does not establish conformity of your finished product.

When a notified body has a role

The applicable assessment procedure determines whether a notified body must participate. Where internal assessment is allowed, the manufacturer still needs adequate evidence. Where third-party assessment is required, the body performs the tasks within its notified scope.

Read any certificate for its product, assessment procedure, conditions and issuer. A voluntary attestation does not replace a legally required assessment. The manufacturer remains responsible for the product and its declaration even when a notified body participates.

What a NANDO search can establish

NANDO provides the Commission’s information about notified bodies, their identification numbers and notified tasks under specific legislation. Check the relevant legislation, product scope and procedure rather than relying only on the body’s name or logo.

Finding a body in NANDO does not mean a particular manufacturer or model has been approved. Match any certificate to that body’s scope and verify the document with its issuer where necessary. NANDO is not a database of manufacturers’ declarations or all individual product certificates.

Example: a power-supply report and a finished device

Suppose a device uses a purchased power supply carrying its own CE mark and report. Those records may contribute to the evidence file, but they do not automatically cover the final enclosure, wiring, operating conditions or other components of the device sold under your brand.

Identify which requirements the supplier’s evidence actually addresses and compare the tested configuration with the finished model. Record uncovered requirements and the assessment needed to resolve them. Do not rename the component report as a complete-device report or sign a declaration while those gaps remain unresolved.

What preparation support can deliver

For the product-preparation service described here, Kayra can help map requirements, organise existing records and identify model or scope mismatches within agreed work and verified competence. The manufacturer supplies accurate design and production information and retains its legal responsibilities.

Preparation support does not confer notified-body status, issue an EU authority’s permission or guarantee acceptance. Any required body makes its own assessment decision; market-surveillance authorities retain their enforcement powers. Product or rule changes require a review of the affected evidence and declaration.

Official sources

• European Union — CE marking
• European Union — signing a declaration of conformity
• European Union — technical documentation
• European Commission — notified bodies and NANDO