It is not a guarantee that the product is safe, but it is a declaration that the product conforms to standards laid down by the European Commission. The CE mark must be affixed on the packaging in a visible, easily legible and indelible form. Manufacturers may only place safe products on the market. They must inform consumers about potential risks. They must also monitor products and, in the event of problems, take the necessary measures.
Distributors also have obligations in relation to placing safe products in the market.
The Director of Consumer Affairs is given the authority to ensure that only safe products as specified in the Regulations are placed on the market. These measures include sampling, requests for information addressed to producers or importers and a ban on marketing a product or even withdrawal of a dangerous product. EU initiatives do not automatically mean the abolition of existing national safety standards. However, all products on sale in the European Union must satisfy a general safety requirement and national laws and standards can no longer be invoked to prohibit the marketing of products manufactured in other countries on the basis of equivalent safety levels. As already mentioned there are also specific regulations governing the safety of specific products including toys, foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.