Notified Bodies in the European Union: An Overview

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Notified bodies are organisations designated by EU member countries that perform conformity assessments on products before they are sold.

The role of a notified body is to assess whether a product is technically safe and compliant. In a way, the notified body acts as a gatekeeper to the EU market for more ‘high-risk’ and ‘sensitive’ products that cannot be ‘self-assessed’.

That said, notified bodies are not government organisations. Instead, companies like Intertek and TÜV Rheinland are appointed to act as notified bodies for certain product categories.

In this guide, we explain what manufacturers and importers must know about notified bodies and how they operate.
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How to Use Test Reports from Your Supplier: A Complete Guide

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How to Use Test Reports from Your Supplier

Using existing supplier test reports can help you reduce or even eliminate the need for third-party testing when buying ODM products, materials, and components. That said, such test reports can only be used under certain circumstances. Misused, relying on supplier test reports can result in fines and recalls.

This guide provides crucial insights from more than a decade of vetting test reports from hundreds of Asian and European suppliers. We have also implemented strategies for customers that are based on partial reliance on material and component test reports.
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European Union Authorised Representatives: A Complete Guide

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Request a free EU Authorised Representative Quotation Here

Article 4 of the Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 states that products can only be sold in the European Union if there is an economic operator established there. This can, for example, be an EU manufacturer or importer.

However, non-EU companies cannot function as economic operators, and therefore need an authorised representative (EU AR) that is established in the EU.

In this guide, we explain how this works in practice and what the consequences can be if you don’t have an authorised representative.

Related Articles

1. Authorised Representatives under the General Product Safety Regulation

2. List of European Authorised Representative Companies 2025

3. Responsible Persons under the General Product Safety Regulation

Note 1: This guide does not cover authorised representative requirements concerning medical devices. We have a separate article on this topic here.

Note 2: This article was updated to reflect the fact that the GPSR now extends the EU Authorised Representative requirements to other consumer products. When this guide was initially published, this was only the case for products that required CE marking.

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Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR): An Overview

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Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 establishes requirements for packaging and packaging waste sold in the European Union.

This guide explains what manufacturers and importers need to know about the scope and the requirements of the regulation. This includes, substance restrictions, EPR, labelling, documentation, and more. You will also find a comparison with the requirements of the old Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.
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Food Contact Materials Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

Posted on by Ivan Malloci — 21 Comments

Food contact materials and articles imported or manufactured in the European Union are subject to various regulations. These regulations, wihch are often collectively referred to as Food Contact Materials (FCM) regulations, cover substance restrictions, documntation, labelling, testing and other requirements.

In this guide, we list many of the key EU FCM regulations and explain when these are relevant, and break down many of their respective requirements.
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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the United Kingdom

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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the United Kingdom

Electronic products manufactured or imported for sale in the United Kingdom are subject to various labelling requirements. This includes the UKCA mark, and other compliance marks which are inherented from the time the UK was a member of the European Union.

This guide provides an overview of various labelling requirements applicable to electronic and electrical products in the UK.

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US Customs or CPSC Rejected Your Shipment? Emergency Action Plan for Importers

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US shipment rejected

Shipments can be subject to inspections or detention by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Failing to manage these situations correctly can result in major delays or even destroyed shipments.

This guide explains why inbound shipments are rejected or detained, and the actions you can take to come to a resolution.

Note: In this guide, we mainly focus on actions taken by the CPSC or the CBP. However, other US government agencies could also be involved in shipment rejections or detentions.
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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the European Union

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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the European Union

Electronic products sold in the European Union are subject to various product regulations and directives, which in turn set labelling requirements. In this guide, we list several key EU electronics labelling requirements concerning compliance marks, traceability information, warnings, and more.
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Fishing Gear Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Fishing Gear Regulations in the United States

Fishing gear imported to and manufactured in the United States is subject to various regulations and other compliance requirements. Examples include California Proposition 65 and the CPSIA.

The applicable compliance requirements depend on the intended age group, materials, where you sell the products, and other factors explained in this article.

Related products

  • Fishing rods
  • Fishing nets
  • Fishing bobbers
  • Fishing lures

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How to CE Mark a Machine in 6 Steps

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 3 Comments

How to CE Mark a Machine in 5 Steps

This article covers many of the key steps that must be followed to CE mark machinery in accordance with the requirements laid out in the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. This guide is relevant for products that belong to the following categories:

  • Machinery
  • E-bikes
  • Electrical scooters
  • Power tools
  • Household appliances

This guide is based on the requirements applicable to machinery, not partly completed machinery.
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