Art. 30 Rules and conditions for affixing the CE marking | CRA regulation | CRA

This article sets out the practical rules for how manufacturers must affix the CE marking to products with digital elements, building directly on the conformity obligations established in Article 13 and the EU declaration of conformity covered in Article 28.

It covers where and how the marking must appear, with specific accommodations for software products and for products where physical marking is not feasible.

The article also addresses the involvement of notified bodies, the role of Member States in policing misuse of the marking, and a Commission power to introduce additional labels or pictograms related to product security.

Important points:

Affix the CE marking visibly, legibly, and indelibly to the product before placing it on the market — or, for software, on the EU declaration of conformity or an easily accessible section of the accompanying website.
Where a notified body is involved in the full quality assurance conformity assessment procedure, the CE marking must be followed by that body's identification number.
Member States are required to use existing mechanisms to ensure correct application of the CE marking regime and to take action in cases of improper use.

1. The CE marking shall be affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to the product with digital elements. Where that is not possible or not warranted on account of the nature of the product with digital elements, it shall be affixed to the packaging and to the EU declaration of conformity referred to in Article 28 accompanying the product with digital elements. For products with digital elements which are in the form of software, the CE marking shall be affixed either to the EU declaration of conformity referred to in Article 28 or on the website accompanying the software product. In the latter case, the relevant section of the website shall be easily and directly accessible to consumers.
1. On account of the nature of the product with digital elements, the height of the CE marking affixed to the product with digital elements may be lower than 5 mm, provided that it remains visible and legible.
1. The CE marking shall be affixed before the product with digital elements is placed on the market. It may be followed by a pictogram or any other mark indicating a special cybersecurity risk or use set out in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 6.
1. The CE marking shall be followed by the identification number of the notified body, where that body is involved in the conformity assessment procedure based on full quality assurance (based on module H) referred to in Article 32.
2. The identification number of the notified body shall be affixed by the body itself or, under its instructions, by the manufacturer or the manufacturer’s authorised representative.
1. Member States shall build upon existing mechanisms to ensure correct application of the regime governing the CE marking and shall take appropriate action in the event of improper use of that marking. Where the product with digital elements is subject to Union harmonisation legislation, other than this Regulation, which also provides for the affixing of the CE marking, the CE marking shall indicate that the product also fulfils the requirements set out in such other Union harmonisation legislation.
1. The Commission may, by means of implementing acts, lay down technical specifications for labels, pictograms or any other marks related to the security of the products with digital elements, their support periods and mechanisms to promote their use and to increase public awareness about the security of products with digital elements. When preparing the draft implementing acts, the Commission shall consult relevant stakeholders, and, if it has already been established pursuant to Article 52(15), ADCO. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 62(2).

Article 30 Rules and conditions for affixing the CE marking

Relevant recitals