Product Liability Directive in the European Union: An Essential Guide

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Product Liability Directive

The Product Liability Directive applies to virtually all products – including physical products and digital products such as software – that are sold in the EU regardless of where they originate from. Under the directive, providers of unsafe products that are sold and that cause harm to EU consumers can be taken to court and be required to compensate the consumer for their losses.

This guide addresses some common questions relating to the application of this directive and explain how it impacts manufacturers and other businesses.
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Part 1263 – Safety Standard for Button Cell Batteries: A Complete Guide

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Part 1263 - Safety Standard for Button Cell Batteries

Part 1263 sets safety requirements concerning button cell batteries and coin batteries. The standard applies both to consumer products that contain such batteries and battery packaging. Ensuring compliance requires that the product battery compartment is designed according to certain mechanical safety requirements and that warning labeling is affixed to the product and packaging.
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Part 1262 – Safety Standard for Magnets: A Complete Guide

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Safety Standard for Magnets

Part 1262 sets magnet safety requirements for consumer products that belong to certain categories, and that contain magnets with certain size and strength characteristics. In this guide, we explain what manufacturers and importers must know about covered products, exemptions, magnet requirements, certification, and testing requirements under Part 1262.

Note that Part 1262 is not applicable to toys. Instead, sets magnet safety requirements for other consumer products – including those that are not intended for children.
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Plumbing Fixture Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Plumbing Fixture Regulations in the United States

Plumbing fixtures sold in the United States are subject to various regulations, such as 40 CFR Part 143 Subpart B, and standards. These regulations and standards, in turn, set requirements regarding substance restrictions, labeling, testing, and more.

It is essential that you ensure your plumbing fixtures do not pose risks to consumers, as unsafe plumbing fixtures may, for instance, expose them to lead and other harmful substances.

This guide explains how different regulations and standards apply to plumbing products such as faucets and urinals sold in the United States.

Product examples

  • Kitchen faucets
  • Showerheads
  • Urinals
  • Water closets

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What is the difference between UKCA and CE marking?

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What is the difference between UKCA and CE marking?

UKCA marking and CE marking both indicate compliance with a set of safety, documentation and labelling requirements. In short, the UKCA marking was originally intended to replace the CE mark post-Brexit, but that is not ultimately the case. Instead, the UK decided to accept CE marking for certain products, while it also remains mandatory for many products in Northern Ireland.

This can be confusing, to put it mildly. This guide will hopefully help you understand the practical differences between the UKCA mark and the CE mark, in terms of their requirements, when to use which marking, and their respective geographical extents.
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What is the UKNI marking?

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The UKNI marking indicates that a product has undergone a mandatory third-party conformity assessment performed by a UK approved body. UKNI marking is often affixed together with CE marking to indicate that the assessment has been made by a UK approved body, instead of an EU notified body.

This guide explains what you need to know about the UKNI marking, including when it is necessary, which products you should use it for, and where you should place the marking.
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What are ASTM standards?

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ASTM standards set technical specifications for consumer products and materials. Some ASTM standards are mandatory due to being incorporated by reference in US regulations. In this guide, we explain how you can determine if compliance with ASTM standards is necessary and answer other common questions related to ASTM standards.
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What information must be in a Digital Product Passport?

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What information must be in a Digital Product Passport?
A digital product passport must contain information about the manufacturer, product, applicable EU regulations and directives, harmonised standards, and other details. This guide explains what information you may need to include based on Annex VI of the Toy Safety Regulation.

While the exact format and information may differ for other products, it gives you a relatively clear picture of what you must include in a digital product passport.
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EU Toy Safety Regulation: An Essential Guide

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EU Toy Safety Regulation

The new EU Toy Safety Regulation will replace the Toy Safety Directive, resulting in significant changes to documentation and labelling requirements for toys. In this guide, we take a closer look at the harmonised standards, digital product passport requirements, labelling, technical documentation, and other aspects of the Toy Safety Regulation.

Note that this article is based on the draft published in February 2025.
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Which Products Require an EU Digital Product Passport?

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Which Products Require an EU Digital Product Passport?

Digital Product Passports are expected to be gradually introduced for a range of product categories in the European Union. In this guide, we explain which products are covered by Digital Product Passport requirements under the Toy Safety Regulation and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
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