It is necessary first to establish which Directives apply to the product. It is impossible to draw up hard-and-fast rules, and it is important to seek independent and impartial advice if you are in any doubt. Guidance booklets on many of the EC Directives (or UK regulations implementing those Directives) that contain CE marking requirements are available. Printed versions are available free of charge to addresses within the UK only, and can be ordered from BIS's website. They can also be downloaded from our website in Acrobat format.
It is important also to understand that not all EC Directives relating to products, e.g. the General Product Safety Directive, require CE marking, nor that a particular Directive applies to all products that could be described by its title e.g. the Machinery Directive does not apply to every conceivable product that might be termed a machine. Most of the Directives set out 'scopes' i.e. the range of products to which they apply.
You should therefore study the UK regulations implementing the Directives. Copies of the regulations can be obtained from The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI).
