CE Marking for Electronic Products: Requirements, Design and Certification
The CE marking indicates that a product complies with the applicable European Union harmonised legislation and can be legally marketed within the European Economic Area (EEA). For electronic products, CE marking typically involves compliance with directives related to electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and other sector-specific regulations.
CE marking is not a final administrative step, but a technical process that should be integrated into the electronic design from the earliest stages. Addressing compliance too late often leads to redesigns, delays and increased development costs.
Which directives apply to CE marking for electronic products?
The most common directives affecting electronic products include:
- Low Voltage Directive (LVD) – electrical safety for equipment operating between 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC.
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC) – limits on emissions and immunity to electromagnetic disturbances.
- RoHS Directive – restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
Depending on the application, additional regulations may apply, such as machinery, radio equipment or sector-specific standards for aerospace and defence.
What CE marking means for electronic design
CE compliance has a direct impact on product design. From the outset, designers must consider:
- Electrical safety and insulation
- Creepage and clearance distances on PCB
- Grounding, shielding and PCB layout strategies
- EMC filtering and transient protection
- Mechanical enclosure design and earthing
These requirements influence the schematic design, PCB layout and mechanical integration. Addressing them early reduces the risk of test failures and speeds up certification.
Conformity assessment and technical documentation
The manufacturer is responsible for performing the conformity assessment. This includes:
- Identifying applicable directives and harmonised standards
- Technical testing and verification
- Preparing the technical documentation
- Issuing and signing the EC Declaration of Conformity
For complex or regulated electronic products, notified bodies may need to be involved. Design traceability and change control are essential to maintain compliance over the product lifetime.
Key aspects of CE marking in electronics
Electrical safety and insulation
The design must protect users against electric shock, overheating and foreseeable faults. This requires proper component selection, insulation design and validation under normal and fault conditions.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
EMC is one of the main challenges in electronic products. Proper PCB layout, filtering, shielding and system architecture are critical to meet emission and immunity requirements.
Technical documentation and CE declaration
The technical file must demonstrate compliance to authorities and include schematics, layouts, BOMs, risk analysis, test results and user documentation. The EC Declaration of Conformity legally formalises compliance.
CE marking support at REIDITE Electronics
At REIDITE Electronics, we support our clients in the technical preparation for CE marking and other applicable certifications, integrating regulatory requirements from the earliest stages of electronic design.
Our approach combines custom electronic design, EMC and safety-by-design practices, and rigorous technical documentation to streamline conformity assessment and reduce certification risks.
View our electronic engineering services or contact us to discuss your project.