List of Product Compliance Consultants and Law Firms in the European Union

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European Union Product Compliance Consultants and Law Firms

Compliance consultants can help with everything from researching safety standards to the actual creation of user manuals, label files, and compliance documents. They can act as a helping hand throughout the entire compliance process, or only take care of specific parts.

In this guide, we list some of the more well-known and established compliance consulting firms and law firms offering various types of product compliance-related services in the European Union.

Each company profile includes an introduction, service overview, and product scope. Continue reading List of Product Compliance Consultants and Law Firms in the European Union

European Union Product Recall Guide For Importers and Manufacturers

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Defective Phone

Unsafe and non-compliant products can be subject to recalls. This essentially means that you as a seller must arrange the return, replacement, and possible refund of the affected product. Product recalls are incredibly expensive and can spell disaster for smaller businesses.

Further, products can be subject to a recall for a variety of reasons, including chemical content, design safety flaws, incorrect labeling, and documentation.

In this guide, we help importers and manufacturers better understand how the recall process works in the EU. We also cover common safety hazards that can lead to a recall, the EU RAPEX system, and Amazon’s policy on product recalls. Continue reading European Union Product Recall Guide For Importers and Manufacturers

Laser Device Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Laser Device

Laser devices cover everything from basic laser pointers to hair removal lasers and laser welding machines. In this guide, we cover European Union compliance requirements for a wide range of laser applications in cosmetic dermatology, medical devices, machinery, and measurements. Continue reading Laser Device Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

Children’s School Supplies & Stationery Regulations in the European Union

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Children’s school supplies and stationary are subject to various safety standards, testing, and labeling requirements in the European Union. In this guide, we explain what importers and manufacturers must know about the Toy Safety Directive, CE marking, REACH, GPSD, EN standards – and other compliance requirements applicable to children’s school supplies and stationary. Continue reading Children’s School Supplies & Stationery Regulations in the European Union

Buying EN Standards Online: A Complete Guide

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EN standards cover everything from electrical safety and substances, to mechanical toy safety. It’s often necessary that importers and manufacturers carefully study the technical aspects of all relevant EN standards even at the early stages of product development. That said, EN standards are generally not available for free – but must be purchased online.

Further, EN standards can often be purchased both digitally (PDF file) or as a physical hardcopy.

In this guide, we list several online stores where you can buy EN standards covering electronics, toys, textiles, medical devices, machinery, and many other product categories. Continue reading Buying EN Standards Online: A Complete Guide

Product User Instructions Requirements in the European Union: An Overview

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Product User Instructions

User instructions are generally speaking documents explaining how to install, properly use, and dispose of products. User instructions can also include battery replacement instructions, warning texts, and more.

While consumers often take user instructions for granted, many importers and manufacturers overlook the fact that user instructions are mandatory for a wide range of products in the European Union. Hence, failing to create a sufficient user instruction document can result in fines or a product recall.

Keep reading, and learn the basics that importers, manufacturers, and Amazon sellers must know about creating user instructions for electronics, toys, and many other consumer products. Continue reading Product User Instructions Requirements in the European Union: An Overview

Battery Directive Guide for EU Importers: An Overview

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Batteries

Planning to import batteries to the EU? In this guide, we introduce what importers and manufacturers should know about the Battery Directive, including restricted substances, labeling requirements, registration process, collection and recycling scheme, and testing companies providing product compliance services. Continue reading Battery Directive Guide for EU Importers: An Overview

Supplement Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Supplements

Planning or import or manufacture supplements in the European Union? In this guide, we cover the basics of substance restrictions, labeling, notification, documentation, and lab testing requirements for a range of supplements products in the EU.

Supplements are considered as food products in the EU and are mainly regulated by Directive 2002/46/EC – which we cover in more detail in this guide. That said, other regulations may apply if the supplements contain colorants or sweeteners. Continue reading Supplement Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

Notified Bodies in the European Union: A Complete Guide

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The role of a Notified Body is to assess if a product is technically safe and compliant, correctly documented, and (in some cases) manufactured under the right conditions. In a way, the Notified Body act as a gatekeeper to the EU market – for more ‘high-risk’ and ‘sensitive’ products that cannot be ‘self-certified’.

That said, Notified Bodies are not government organizations. Instead, companies like Intertek and TUV are appointed to act as Notified Bodies for certain product categories.

In this guide, we explain what importers, exporters, and manufacturers must know about Notified Bodies and how they operate. Continue reading Notified Bodies in the European Union: A Complete Guide

Product Traceability Requirements in the European Union: An Overview

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Traceability information

Product traceability requirements exist to ensure that products can be traced to a certain importer or manufacturer, production facility, SKU, and even production run. The latter is particularly important as it enables market surveillance authorities (and sellers) to identify and trace unsafe and non-compliant products – and thereby limiting product recalls to faulty batches.

Product traceability labeling is mandatory for a wide range of products, such as electronics, kitchen products, toys, and much more. Still, product traceability is often overlooked by importers and manufacturers.

Keep reading, and learn what importers and manufacturers must learn about different types of product traceability requirements in the European Union. Continue reading Product Traceability Requirements in the European Union: An Overview