Category: European Union

EU Declaration of Compliance (DoC) for Food Contact Materials Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 1 Comment

Issuing a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) is mandatory when importing and manufacturing certain food contact materials in the European Union. Notice that this also includes consumer products such as drinking bottles, cutlery, and individual components.

In this guide, we explain how you can determine if your specific food contact material or product requires a Declaration of Compliance, and what you must know before creating one.

Covered Regulations

  • Plastic Materials Regulation ((EU) 10/2011)
  • Use of Bisphenol A in Varnishes and Coatings Regulation ((EU) 2018/213)
  • Active and Intelligent Materials Regulation ((EC) No 450/2009)
  • Recycled Plastic FCM Regulation ((EC) No 282/2008)
  • Ceramics Directive (84/500/EEC)
  • Regenerated Cellulose Film Directive (2007/42/EC)
  • Epoxy Derivatives Restriction Regulation ((EC) 1895/2005)
  • FCM from China or Hong Kong Regulation ((EU) No 284/2011)

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Voluntary Product Safety Standards: An Essential Guide

Posted on by John Vinod Khiatani — Leave a comment

Are you thinking about having your product meet voluntary product safety standards? Some might consider it to be costly and time-consuming. However, there are compelling reasons to do so, not to mention that it may help you avoid civil liability in some jurisdictions.

In this article, we present common questions associated with voluntary product safety standards and present the business case for adopting such voluntary standards.
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Electronic Product Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

Posted on by Yvette Shen — 20 Comments

Electronic and electrical products imported and manufactured in the European Union are subject to safety standards, labeling, documentation, and testing requirements. In this guide, we explain what you must know about the RoHS Directive, Low Voltage Directive, CE marking, technical documentation, and more.

This article also covers some of the compliance risks that EU importers and producers should be aware of when it comes to electronics.
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Children’s Clothing Regulations in the European Union: Summary

Posted on by Yvette Shen — Leave a comment

Children’s and baby clothing imported or manufactured in the European Union are subject to flammability standards, chemical restrictions, lab testing, and labeling requirements.

In this guide, we cover REACH, EN 14682, EN 14878, and other relevant compliance requirements. It also covers compliance risks that EU importers and manufacturers should be aware of.

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Sunglasses and Eyewear Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

Posted on by Ivan Malloci — 38 Comments

Are you importing sunglasses or eyewear into the European Union? Sunglasses and eyewear are considered to be personal protective equipment, and therefore are subject to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation.

Besides this, sunglasses and eyewear are subject to different regulations and standards to ensure the safety of the wearer, such as the REACH regulation.
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Prefab House Regulations & Safety Standards in the European Union

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Prefab House Regulations in the EU

Prefabricated houses, or prefab homes, refer to construction products that are constructed off-site and transported to the building site to be completely assembled. In this guide, we present what importers and manufacturers must know about regulations and safety standards relevant to the prefab housing market in the European Union.

Construction products that are commonly referred to as “prefabricated” include:

  • Kit homes
  • Modular shipping container homes
  • Prefabricated panels
  • Mobile homes

This guide does not cover electrical appliances (like fridges, or air conditioners). However, we include information about electrical installations (such as electrical wiring).

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Wood and Bamboo Product Regulations in the EU: An Overview

Posted on by Vincent Cheng — 10 Comments

Wooden Products Regulations in the EU

Wood and bamboo products imported and manufactured in the EU are subject to traceability requirements, chemicals and substance restrictions, safety standards, and labeling requirements.

Examples include European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), the General Product Safety Directive, REACH, and various EN standards. This guide

Are you planning to sell wood or bamboo products in the European Union? In this guide, we cover what importers and Amazon sellers must know about the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), the General Product Safety Directive, REACH, and more.

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Extended Producer Responsibility: An Essential Guide by The Green Dot

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Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requires that businesses – including brands, importers, and manufacturers – share the cost of packaging waste disposal. In practice, this can mean that you must pay a fee to a national EPR organisation that manages this for you.

To better understand what EPR means in practice, we reached out to the Green Dot in Germany – one of the pioneers in setting up EPR for packaging in 1990. Continue reading Extended Producer Responsibility: An Essential Guide by The Green Dot

Bicycle Safety Standards and Regulations in the EU: An Overview

Posted on by Yvette Shen — 4 Comments

Bicycle Regulations European Union

Bicycles might pose substantial risks to the consumers, in the case they contain components that are defective or are designed without taking into account the necessary safety requirements. Like most consumer products placed in the European Union, bicycles require compliance with the relevant safety standards and regulations.

In this guide, we cover the General Product Safety Directive, REACH, relevant safety standards, and more, for products such as:

  • Racing bicycles
  • Mountain bikes
  • City bicycles
  • Trekking bicycles
  • Children’s bicycles

Note that in this guide we don’t cover specific regulations for e-bikes and stationary gym bikes. Continue reading Bicycle Safety Standards and Regulations in the EU: An Overview

CE Marking and Product Lab Testing: A Practical Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 20 Comments

Product lab testing is in practice required when importing or manufacturing electronics, toys, sunglasses, and other products which require CE marking in the EU. In this guide, we cover everything from testing costs to identifying relevant standards for CE marked products.
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