Originally published by ProductIP, this article aims to provide a summary of the points to note when trading with EU region suppliers.
Importance of EU DoC
Manufacturers have to make sure that their products comply with all applicable legislation.
Once they have done this, they create and sign a document called an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) to underwrite that their product satisfies all applicable EU legislation.
By signing the EU DoC, the manufacturer takes full responsibility for the compliance of the product.
This obligation for manufacturers applies to all products that require a CE marking.
DoC Date Matters
The date on the DoC is important because it shows that all the steps have been carried out in the right order: product conformity was demonstrated before the product was first placed on the (EU) market.
Manufacturers shall draw up an EU DoC after the compliance of a product with the applicable requirements has been demonstrated. The earliest possible date is when all the tests were successfully completed.
The latest possible date on the DoC is the same or earlier as the market release date. This is because the product has to be designed and produced according to all requirements before it can be placed on the market.
The market release date is the reference date in your ProductIP file because it determines the applicable requirements.
The date on the DoC should logically fit into the period of production, testing and sales.
EU DoC Template
The generic template of the (EU) Declaration of Conformity is given in Annex III of Decision 768/2008/EC.
Additional information to be mentioned on the DoC may be required by product specific legislation, this can be found in the related directive or regulation.
In short, the EU DoC is not a marketing document! Rather, it is for compliance to legal regulations.
Caspar ter Horst – Managing Director, ProductIP
Casper has 25+ years of experience in product compliance. In 2008, he co-founded ProductIP together with Maarten van der Dussen. Caspar and his team are dedicated to support companies within the supply chain to efficiently demonstrate to customers, authorities, and users that their products meet applicable legislation and buying requirements. As a result, helping companies reduce costs, streamline operations, manage suppliers, and at the same time put compliant, safer, more sustainable products to the market.
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