To create a single European market without obstacles to trade, EU directives were and are created to become legally binding through implementation into national law or upon expiration of implementation periods in the individual EU member states.
CE symbol for luminaires
Products intended to be marketed on the European market must comply with any and all relevant EU directives. This compliance is documented through the CE symbol. The abbreviation "CE" stands for "Communautés Européennes" (European Community).
The CE symbol is not addressed to consumers but to supervisory authorities which recognise products bearing CE labels as marketable on the single market without further verification. Conformity with relevant provisions is only verified where objections arise.
CE labelling is regulated by EC directive 93/68/EEC (CE labelling directive) which has been in effect since 1 January 1995.
Since 1 January 1997, CE symbols have been mandatory for all products affected by the CE labelling directive to express the manufacturer’s confirmation that the product complies with any and all relevant EU directives. For luminaires, the CE label refers to the following in particular:
Directive 2014/35/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits (low-voltage directive), and
Directive 2014/30/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility (recast).
CE labelling is not a testing symbol for standard compliance like the ENEC symbol or the EMC symbol. The CE labelling is not based on verification by a neutral testing centre. It is affixed by manufacturers at their own discretion.
Luminaires and their components bearing the ENEC or EMC symbol have been tested – regarding compliance with relevant EU directives and the provisions relating thereto – by independent institutions.