Pan-European ETLEU safety certification mark

09 November 2009

Intertek has unveiled the ETLEU Mark; a voluntary pan-European Union product safety certification mark that gives manufacturers visual evidence that products have undergone independent product safety testing and comply with relevant European product safety standards. This mark was created to provide customers, authorities and retailers a tangible way to validate the truth in product safety claims for products sold throughout Europe.

As manufacturing and supply chains extend globally, it's become more difficult for manufacturers to confidently self-declare the safety of their products with CE Marking. Unfortunately, products that do not comply with European safety standards are being sold with CE Marks on them - leaving authorities, retailers, and consumers struggling to determine which products are truly safe. The ETLEU Mark provides third-party assurance that products have been independently tested to, and comply with European product safety standards and will be required to undergo ongoing third-party surveillance.

The ETLEU Mark does not replace the existing CE Marking system of manufacturer self declaration of safety. ETLEU is designed to enhance the current CE Marking system of product safety compliance, making it easier for authorities and others to verify that products have been independently tested and comply with applicable European safety standards.

"It has been widely publicized that confidence is eroding in self-declared CE Marking," said Gregg Tiemann, chief executive, Intertek Commercial and Electrical. "The ETLEU Mark is the solution for eliminating doubt and building trust with consumers. Intertek has long been a leader in providing independent product safety certification, and being first with this new Pan-European mark is a significant advantage to our clients."

Bundling the ETLEU Mark with Intertek's ETL Mark, the fastest growing product safety certification mark for North America, or with the strong portfolio of local marks - ASTA and BEAB (UK), S (Scandinavia) and GS (Germany) gives manufacturers who sell products across North America and Europe easy and cost-effective access to an unprecedented family of certifications.