Regulation (EC) No 765/2008; Decision No 768/2008/EC
For manufacturers selling into the EU working out when products need CE marking and what the declaration and instructions say. This page covers what you need to know and ways to avoid running into issues.
What we've seen reported
CE marking, set out in Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 and Decision No 768/2008/EC, is the manufacturer's sign that a product conforms with the EU harmonization legislation providing for it, according to their texts.1,2
Last updated October 2026 · General information only, not legal advice. Sources.
What the rules cover
These are the kinds of product information CE marking involves, according to Regulation (EC) No 765/2008, Decision No 768/2008/EC and the Commission's Blue Guide, and where each requirement applies.1,2,4
| Requirement | Where it applies |
|---|---|
| Products that carry CE marking | Only products whose EU harmonization legislation provides for it, such as toys, machinery and electrical equipment. |
| Who affixes it | Manufacturers or their authorized representative; affixing it means the manufacturer takes responsibility for conformity. |
| How it looks | The CE logo in its set proportions, at least 5 mm high, affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly. |
| Where it goes | On the product or its data plate; on packaging and accompanying documents where that is not possible. |
| Notified body number | Followed by the identification number of the notified body, where one is involved in production control. |
| EU declaration of conformity | Manufacturers: an EU declaration of conformity, drawn up to the model in the Decision and kept up to date. |
| Manufacturer and importer details | The name and postal address of the manufacturer and, for imports, the importer, on the product or where allowed its packaging. |
| Instructions and safety information | In a language easily understood by consumers and end users, as set by the member state. |
Where it goes wrong
One approved set of product information ends up in many channels, markets and languages. Along the way it gets shortened, translated and reworded, and some versions end up without the warnings or details these rules require.
Heldan electric kettle: CE marking, manufacturer and importer addresses, instructions in each market language
How Arbitr helps
Read every version by hand? Or use AI to check what you publish against what you've already approved.
FAQ
Mostly after the product leaves the factory. Decision No 768/2008/EC describes the marking, contact details and instructions traveling with the product,2 and we usually find gaps in:
Treat the declaration, the label set and the manual as one approved package with a version number. When a standard, address or importer changes, each piece changes together, and old versions tend to survive in printed stock and retailer copies. Our packaging and labels page shows how teams track this.
One record per product saves a lot of searching: the approved marking and declaration, the legislation and standards it lists, any notified body number, the manufacturer and importer details, each language version of the instructions, and every pack, listing and manual where they appear.
How it applies to a specific label is a question for your legal adviser. Where that label appears across your markets and languages is a question Arbitr answers.
More than product compliance. Engineering, packaging, documentation, e-commerce and import teams all publish what goes with the marking, and distributors repeat it. Food has its own label rules, such as Natasha's Law in England, and related rules are on our product labeling hub.
They're used in different markets. CE marking covers products under EU harmonization legislation, according to Regulation (EC) No 765/2008.1 UKCA marking is the conformity marking for Great Britain, with its own page.
Not according to the Commission. Its 2022 Blue Guide on EU product rules describes the CE marking as showing conformity with the applicable EU requirements, and not as a mark that a product was manufactured in the EU.4
No. Arbitr checks content against rules your team has approved, including your legal team's reading of a regulation. What a regulation means for your business stays a question for your legal adviser.
