The government has said that manufacturers are responsible for ensuring product compliance and for affixing the CE marking on their products. Importers and distributors also play an important role in making sure that only products which comply with the legislation and bearing the CE marking are placed on the market. Not only does this help to reinforce the EU’s health, safety and environmental protection requirements, it also supports fair competition with all players being held accountable to the same rules.

Parliamentary Secretary for Consumers and Fair Competition, Chris Said, said this during the official launch of the CE Marking campaign in Malta. the Chairman of the Malta Standards Authority, Eng. Francis E. Farrugia, was also present.

The CE marking applies to more than 20 different product categories, such as toys, electrical products, machinery, personal protective equipment, lifts etc. It does not indicate that a product was made in the European Union, but states that the product was assessed before it was placed on the market and therefore satisfies the legislative requirements.

The government said that there exist a lot of misconceptions of what the CE marking is and what it identifies. Manufacturers, especially small and micro enterprises, might feel confused as to whether their products require the CE marking and what procedures they should follow. In order to answer these questions and more, the European Commission is carrying out an information campaign under the slogan “CE marking makes Europe’s market yours!”

Chris Said explained the importance and the relevance of the CE marking for the Maltese manufacturer who is planning to market his products on the European market. The CE marking signals that a product is in compliance with all relevant EU legislation, making it eligible to be marketed and sold throughout the European Union.

“When goods are produced in third countries and the manufacturer is not represented in the European Union, importers must make sure that the products they place on the market comply with the applicable requirements and do not present a risk to the European public. The importer has to verify that the manufacturer outside the EU has taken the necessary steps and that the documentation is available upon request.”

MSA Chairman Francis E. Farrugia explained that by affixing the CE mark on a product a manufacturer is declaring, on his sole responsibility, conformity with all relevant legal requirements in particular those which ensure health, safety, and environmental protection. He argued that legal and economic repercussions of non-conformity abuses are so great that it will deter the vast majority of legitimate businesses from not respecting these laws.

At a European level the campaign was launched by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Commissioner Vice President Antonio Tajani. The campaign aims to promote a better understanding of the value of using the marking. During the launching of the campaign, Commissioner Tajani said, “We need to boost the visibility of and public trust in the CE marking. Our campaign aims to promote a better understanding of the meaning behind the marking and the purpose of its use. However, this confidence is also dependent on the reliability of the system on which the CE marking is based. Thus it will boost consumer’s confidence and benefit producers and distributors.”

The campaign involves 30 separate educational events or seminars which will be held throughout Europe. In Malta a seminar on CE marking will be held in early 2011.

As a first step the Commission has published an information leaflet in all community languages addressing the 6 steps required to CE marking of products. This leaflet which is available in Maltese and English can be downloaded from the Authority’s website www.msa.org.mt.

In Malta the campaign will go beyond the Commission’s campaign as with the coming into force of the new Malta Competitive and Consumer Affairs Authority, of which the Malta Standards Authority will be forming part, a similar leaflet addressed to consumers will be produced.

For further information on CE Marking, one can contact MSA or send an e-mail at helpdesk.msa@msa.org.mt

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