Trade Directives

Trade directives are concerned with removal of technical barriers to trade within European Union. They outline essential technical and safety requirements with which products have to comply. Newly designed products must comply with the directive within a given date, with a transition or extended period granted to allow manufacturers to bring the existing designs into line with the requirements.

In order to prove that a product does comply with a directive, routes are provided through which a manufacturer (or agent) may have their products verified for compliance. Equipment that complies with all relevant directives (at the time of manufacture) may have the CE marking applied.