Glossary of Terms
Definitions of key terms used in product certification and compliance.
C
- Conformity Assessment
- The process of demonstrating that specified requirements relating to a product, process, system, person, or body have been fulfilled.
D
- Declaration of Conformity
- A document in which the manufacturer or authorized representative states that the product meets all applicable requirements. Required for CE marking.
H
- Harmonized Standard
- A European standard developed by a European Standards Organization (CEN, CENELEC, or ETSI) at the request of the European Commission to support EU legislation.
I
- Ingress Protection
- The degree of protection provided by an enclosure against solid objects and liquids, defined by IEC 60529 and expressed as an IP code.
M
- Market Surveillance
- Activities carried out by authorities to ensure products on the market comply with applicable requirements and do not endanger health, safety, or other public interests.
N
- Notified Body
- An organization designated by an EU member state to assess the conformity of certain products before being placed on the market. Required for higher-risk products.
S
- SVHC
- Substance of Very High Concern — chemicals listed under REACH that may have serious effects on human health or the environment. Manufacturers must communicate SVHC presence above 0.1% by weight.
- Self-Declaration
- A conformity assessment procedure where the manufacturer declares, without third-party involvement, that the product meets applicable requirements.
T
- Technical Documentation
- The set of documents that demonstrates how a product meets the applicable requirements. Must be maintained by the manufacturer for CE marking.
- Type Approval
- A form of conformity assessment where a representative sample (type) of a product is tested, and if it passes, all products of that type are considered to conform.