 ENEC - The European Safety Mark
The
idea
At the instigation of European manufacturers' associations,
European testing and certification centres agreed to evaluate the safety
requirements to be met by electrical products throughout Europe in a uniform
manner. The result of this initiative was the ENEC Accord and the ENEC Mark (E N
E C = European Norms Electrical Certification). Presently, the accord regulates
the certification of lighting, office equipment and components.
The purpose
You obviously want to do
everything to ensure your products can be sold and distributed successfully. The
ENEC Accord and the single testing and certification process it foresees
provides you with access to markets within the EU and beyond - EFTA members and
many Eastern European countries also recognise the ENEC mark. No longer need you
go through the time-consuming and costly business of applying for individual
certification in each country. The ENEC certificate gives you the certainty that
your products offer "European-level" safety which has been officially verified
by an independent testing and certification body.
The procedure
The compliance of your
product with relevant European standards is a requirement for the awarding of an
ENEC certificate. Manufacturing companies need to have a QM system in place
(e.g. based on DIN EN ISO 9002). The testing centre performing certification
then checks at regular intervals that the requirements to be met according to
the given system are complied with.
The partner
Product verification and
certification in accordance with European standards, such as those on which the
ENEC testing procedure is based, have long featured amongst the range of
services TÜV Rheinland Product Safety GmbH offers. We are experts in our field!
Needless to say, the one-stop full-service concept we have put into practice
means your entire project is co-ordinated by a locally based TÜV consultant.
Ideally, you should contact us as soon as you start planning the development of
a new product, thus ensuring compliance with the relevant standards from the
very outset.
Europe is coming closer
together.
Manufacturers are increasingly having to look beyond the
boundaries of their own country for sales markets for their products and are
converging more and more on the overall European market. This results in a wider
spectrum of products and increased searching by manufacturers for convincing
arguments to sell their goods.
Hitherto important sales arguments in the European states have been the
national quality and test marks such as, for example, the GS test mark for the
German-speaking market. If a product has been awarded this test mark, the
consumer knows that the goods he or she has bought meet the highest standards.
As customers react with great dissatisfaction when they discover that the
goods they have bought are of poor quality, the result is always an immense loss
of confidence and thus a considerable loss of reputation on the consumer market.
Certification of a product means that particular attention is paid to
product-related measures to assure quality. These include regular inspection of
the production facility to ensure uniform product quality for both manufacturer
and consumer. Unequivocal test marks are thus an important part of every
manufacturer's consistent marketing and product strategy.
The concrete goal here was to meet the wish of consumers and manufacturers
for a quality mark which would be valid for Europe. The result was
ENEC - The European Safety Mark for Electrotechnical
Products
The acronym ENEC stands for:
EN = European Norms EC = Electrical Certification 24 = Identification No. of
the Certification Body
The ENEC mark is the mark of conformity jointly agreed on between the
certification bodies of the Member States on the European Community to cover a
large percentage of all electrotechnical products. The ENEC mark is proof of
product conformity with particular European safety standards.
An ENEC mark can only be awarded by a certification body participating in the
ENEC procedure, such as for example the TÜV Rheinland Product Safety GmbH in
Cologne.
This means that if TÜV Rheinland Product Safety GmbH has awarded an ENEC mark
to a product, this same product will be treated by the other European
certification bodies participating in the ENEC procedure as if they themselves
had checked, tested and certified it. A further test and certification by
another certification body in a different European country is no longer
necessary. There is automatic mutual recognition of the test results. The
manufacturer does not need to make any further applications. The ENEC test mark
clears the way for the free movement of goods between European states.
Within a short time after the ENEC Agreement came into force on the 5th
October 1993, more than 6,000 products had been awarded an ENEC test mark.
The Advantages of the ENEC Test Mark and of
Collaboration with TÜV Rheinland Product Safety at a Glance
I. What are the advantages of the ENEC test
mark?
Only one safety test per product is required for all countries in Europe,
instead of the complicated and above all time-consuming procedure of applying
for a test and certification in each country. You speed up your entry on the
European market.
It is of course possible to apply in addition for a GS test mark if desired.
- 2. You take advantage of the high level of market acceptance
The ENEC Agreement is already a fully functioning certification system
recognized throughout Europe. A product mark of safety and quality valid for all
of Europe, with the level of market acceptance it brings with it.
- 3. You ensure your entry to the European market
For you as manufacturer or dealer it is important that your product has a
good image on the European consumer market as regards quality, safety and
performance. The award of the ENEC mark guarantees you that your product
complies with the legal requirements and relevant EC Directives.
Having to go through only one certification body, such as TÜV Rheinland
Product Safety GmbH in Cologne, minimises the time and cost factor involved in
putting the certified product on the market. You invest only once in the testing
and certification required for ENEC, instead of incurring test and certification
costs in each European country.
II. Why is TÜV Rheinland Product Safety the Right
Business Partner for You?
- 1. Everything from a single source
You have one contact person for handling certification of your products for
all of Europe. We clarify points for you - we co-ordinate - we test - we certify
- everything from a single source. If you wish, we can be your contact right
from the product concept and remain your contact up to possible product
recycling .
We have been a quality and safety testing partner to businesses for the past
125 years. You have the support of authoritative experts with specialised
national and international knowledge in the sector.
TÜV Rheinland Product Safety GmbH has been an authorised testing body since
the start of the ENEC Agreement.
We are not far away from you. You will be looked after by the competent
branch office in Germany, e.g. Cologne, Berlin, Zwickau or Stuttgart.
To us, customer service means not only quality and speedy processing of your
orders, but also consistent flexibility and unbureaucratic collaboration as
regards procedure, without however forgoing any standards. The transparency of
information for our business partners is for us a matter of course. In our
company you will find the right contact person for any questions you may have.
Your requirements - our performance. What can we do
for you?
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