Obligations of manufacturers
1. When placing their appliances or fittings on the market or when using the appliances for their own purposes, manufacturers shall ensure that they have been designed and manufactured in accordance with the essential requirements set out in Annex I.
2. Manufacturers shall draw up the technical documentation referred to in Annex III (‘technical documentation’) and carry out the relevant conformity assessment procedure referred to in Article 14 or have it carried out.
Where compliance of an appliance or a fitting with the applicable requirements has been demonstrated by the procedure referred to in the first subparagraph, manufacturers shall draw up an EU declaration of conformity and affix the CE marking.
3. Manufacturers shall keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the appliance or the fitting has been placed on the market.
4. Manufacturers shall ensure that procedures are in place for series production to remain in conformity with this Regulation. Changes in appliance or fitting design or characteristics and changes in the harmonised standards or in other technical specifications by reference to which the conformity of the appliance or the fitting is declared shall be adequately taken into account.
When deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by an appliance, manufacturers shall, to protect the health and safety of consumers and other users, carry out sample testing of appliances made available on the market, investigate, and, if necessary, keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming appliances and fittings and recalls of such appliances and fittings, and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring.
5. Manufacturers shall ensure that their appliances and fittings bear a type, batch or serial number or other element allowing their identification, and the inscriptions provided for in Annex IV.
Where the size or nature of the appliance or the fitting does not allow it, manufacturers shall ensure that the required information is provided on the packaging or in a document accompanying the appliance or the fitting.
6. Manufacturers shall indicate on the appliance their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark, and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on the packaging or in a document accompanying the appliance. The address shall indicate a single point at which the manufacturer can be contacted. The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by consumers and other end-users and the market surveillance authorities.
Manufacturers shall indicate on the fitting their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark, and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on the packaging or in a document accompanying the fitting. The address shall indicate a single point at which the manufacturer can be contacted. The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by appliance manufacturers and the market surveillance authorities.
7. Manufacturers shall ensure that the appliance is accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with point 1.5 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, as determined by the Member State concerned. Such instructions and safety information, as well as any labelling, shall be clear, understandable and intelligible.
Manufacturers shall ensure that the fitting is accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity containing, inter alia, instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1.7 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers, as determined by the Member State concerned.
However, where a large number of fittings are delivered to a single user, the batch or consignment concerned may be accompanied by a single copy of the EU declaration of conformity.
8. Manufacturers who consider or have reason to believe that an appliance or a fitting which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with this Regulation shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring that appliance or fitting into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate. Furthermore, where the appliance or the fitting presents a risk, manufacturers shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the appliance or the fitting available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
9. Manufacturers shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the appliance or the fitting with this Regulation, in a language which can be easily understood by that authority. That information and documentation may be provided in paper or electronic form. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by appliances or fittings which they have placed on the market.
Authorised representatives
1. A manufacturer may, by a written mandate, appoint an authorised representative.
The obligations laid down in Article 7(1) and the obligation to draw up technical documentation shall not form part of the authorised representative's mandate.
2. An authorised representative shall perform the tasks specified in the mandate received from the manufacturer. The mandate shall allow the authorised representative to do at least the following:
(a)
keep the EU declaration of conformity and the technical documentation at the disposal of national market surveillance authorities for 10 years after the appliance or the fitting has been placed on the market;
(b)
further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide that authority with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the appliance or the fitting;
(c)
cooperate with the competent national authorities, at their request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by appliances or fittings covered by the authorised representative's mandate.
Obligations of importers
1. Importers shall place only compliant appliances or fittings on the market.
2. Before placing an appliance on the market, importers shall ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure referred to in Article 14 has been carried out by the manufacturer. They shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation, that the appliance bears the CE marking and is accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with point 1.5 of Annex I, and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in Article 7(5) and (6).
Before placing a fitting on the market, importers shall ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure referred to in Article 14 has been carried out by the manufacturer. They shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation, that the fitting bears the CE marking and is accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity containing, inter alia, instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1.7 of Annex I, and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in Article 7(5) and (6).
Where an importer considers or has reason to believe that an appliance or a fitting is not in conformity with the essential requirements set out in Annex I, he shall not place the appliance or the fitting on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the appliance or the fitting presents a risk, the importer shall inform the manufacturer and the market surveillance authorities to that effect.
3. Importers shall indicate on the appliance their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark, and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the appliance. The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by consumers and other end-users and the market surveillance authorities.
Importers shall indicate on the fitting their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark, and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the fitting. The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by appliance manufacturers and the market surveillance authorities.
4. Importers shall ensure that the appliance is accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with point 1.5 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, as determined by the Member State concerned.
Importers shall ensure that the fitting is accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity containing, inter alia, instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1.7 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers, as determined by the Member State concerned.
5. Importers shall ensure that, while an appliance or a fitting is under their responsibility, storage or transport conditions do not jeopardise its compliance with the essential requirements set out in Annex I.
6. When deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by an appliance, importers shall, to protect the health and safety of consumers and other users, carry out sample testing of appliances made available on the market, investigate, and, if necessary, keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming appliances and fittings and recalls of such appliances and fittings, and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring.
7. Importers who consider or have reason to believe that an appliance or a fitting which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with this Regulation shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring that appliance or fitting into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate. Furthermore, where the appliance or the fitting presents a risk, importers shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the appliance or the fitting available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
8. Importers shall, for 10 years after the appliance or the fitting has been placed on the market, keep a copy of the EU declaration of conformity at the disposal of the market surveillance authorities and ensure that the technical documentation can be made available to those authorities, upon request.
9. Importers shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of an appliance or a fitting in a language which can be easily understood by that authority. That information and documentation may be provided in paper or electronic form. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by appliances or fittings which they have placed on the market.
Obligations of distributors
1. When making an appliance or a fitting available on the market distributors shall act with due care in relation to the requirements of this Regulation.
2. Before making an appliance available on the market, distributors shall verify that the appliance bears the CE marking and that it is accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with point 1.5 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, as determined by the Member State in which the appliance is to be made available on the market, and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 7(5) and (6) and Article 9(3) respectively.
Before making a fitting available on the market, distributors shall verify that the fitting bears the CE marking and that it is accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity containing, inter alia, instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1.7 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers, as determined by the Member State concerned, and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 7(5) and (6) and Article 9(3) respectively.
Where a distributor considers or has reason to believe that an appliance or a fitting is not in conformity with the essential requirements set out in Annex I, he shall not make the appliance or the fitting available on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the appliance or the fitting presents a risk, the distributor shall inform the manufacturer or the importer to that effect as well as the market surveillance authorities.
3. Distributors shall ensure that, while an appliance or a fitting is under their responsibility, storage or transport conditions do not jeopardise its compliance with the essential requirements set out in Annex I.
4. Distributors who consider or have reason to believe that an appliance or a fitting which they have made available on the market is not in conformity with this Regulation shall make sure that the corrective measures necessary to bring that appliance or fitting into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate, are taken. Furthermore, where the appliance or the fitting presents a risk, distributors shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the appliance or the fitting available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
5. Distributors shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of an appliance or a fitting. That information and documentation may be provided in paper or electronic form. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by appliances or fittings which they have made available on the market.
Cases in which obligations of manufacturers apply to importers and distributors
An importer or distributor shall be considered a manufacturer for the purposes of this Regulation and he shall be subject to the obligations of the manufacturer under Article 7, where he places an appliance or a fitting on the market under his name or trademark or modifies an appliance or a fitting already placed on the market in such a way that compliance with the requirements of this Regulation may be affected.
Identification of economic operators
Economic operators shall, on request, identify the following to the market surveillance authorities:
(a)
any economic operator who has supplied them with an appliance or a fitting;
(b)
any economic operator to whom they have supplied an appliance or a fitting.
Economic operators shall be able to present the information referred to in the first paragraph for 10 years after they have been supplied with the appliance or the fitting and for 10 years after they have supplied the appliance or the fitting.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
