Guide
EU declaration of conformity: template and required contents
An EU declaration of conformity (DoC) is the manufacturer’s formal statement that a product meets the EU legislation that applies to it. Here is what it contains, a template based on the EU model structure, and how to avoid common mistakes.
If a product falls under EU harmonisation legislation that requires CE marking — such as rules for electrical equipment, radio equipment, machinery, or toys — the manufacturer must normally draw up an EU declaration of conformity before placing it on the market. By signing it, the manufacturer takes responsibility for the product’s compliance.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The exact content and the conformity assessment behind a declaration depend on the specific legislation that applies to your product, so always check the relevant act and seek qualified advice where needed.
Who draws up the declaration
The manufacturer draws up and signs the EU declaration of conformity, or an authorised representative where the applicable legislation allows it. Importers and distributors do not issue their own declarations, but importers must be able to provide a copy, and sellers commonly collect DoCs from suppliers as evidence for their catalog.
A declaration is only one part of compliance. It sits on top of a conformity assessment and technical documentation that the manufacturer must keep, and it does not replace either.
Required contents: the EU model structure
Annex III of Decision No 768/2008/EC sets out a model structure that most EU product legislation follows, with some act-specific variations. A declaration typically contains:
- A unique identification of the product (for example a declaration or product number).
- The name and address of the manufacturer and, where applicable, of its authorised representative.
- A statement that the declaration is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer.
- The object of the declaration: identification of the product allowing traceability, which may include an image where appropriate.
- A statement that the object of the declaration conforms to the relevant Union harmonisation legislation, listing those acts.
- References to the harmonised standards or other technical specifications in relation to which conformity is declared.
- Where applicable, the notified body that performed a conformity assessment procedure and the certificate it issued.
- Additional information, if any.
- Signed for and on behalf of the manufacturer: place and date of issue, name, function, and signature.
EU declaration of conformity template
The outline below follows the model structure. Replace the bracketed text, and adapt the wording to the specific legislation that applies to your product:
- 1. Product model / product: [model number, product name, unique identifier]
- 2. Name and address of the manufacturer or its authorised representative: [company name, full postal address]
- 3. This declaration of conformity is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer.
- 4. Object of the declaration: [description allowing traceability — type, batch or serial number; image where appropriate]
- 5. The object of the declaration described above is in conformity with the relevant Union harmonisation legislation: [list each applicable act by its number and title]
- 6. References to the relevant harmonised standards used, or references to the other technical specifications in relation to which conformity is declared: [standard references with year/version]
- 7. Where applicable, the notified body [name, number] performed [description of intervention] and issued the certificate: [certificate reference]
- 8. Additional information: [if any]
- Signed for and on behalf of: [manufacturer] — [place and date of issue] — [name, function] — [signature]
One declaration for several directives and regulations
When a product is covered by more than one act — a toy with electronics, for example — EU legislation generally requires a single declaration of conformity covering all the applicable acts. It lists each act and the standards used for each.
The declaration must be kept up to date and translated into the language or languages required by the Member State where the product is placed or made available. Many acts also require the manufacturer to keep the declaration and technical documentation for 10 years after the product is placed on the market.
Common mistakes in declarations of conformity
Declarations are frequently questioned or rejected because of:
- Listing repealed directives or outdated versions of standards.
- A product description too vague to identify the specific model or batch it covers.
- Missing the sole-responsibility statement or the manufacturer’s full address.
- Omitting a notified body where the conformity assessment procedure required one.
- No signature, date, or signatory name and function.
- Issuing a declaration for a product that is not covered by any act requiring one.
Declarations outside the EU
Other markets use different documents. In the United States, there is no general equivalent of the EU declaration; instead, specific rules apply, such as the General Certificate of Conformity or Children’s Product Certificate required for many consumer products regulated by the CPSC.
Drafting declarations from supplier documents
Product identifiers, manufacturer details, and standards references are usually already present in supplier data sheets, test reports, and existing declarations. Doc2Shelf extracts these from supplier PDFs and assembles review-ready EU and US declaration drafts for export. The drafts must be checked and signed by the responsible party; Doc2Shelf does not assess conformity or certify products.
Field-by-field: what to write in each element
The model structure in Annex III of Decision No 768/2008/EC is short, but each element has to be filled in precisely enough for an authority to match the declaration to a physical product and to the evidence behind it. The examples below are illustrative; adapt them to the acts and standards that actually apply to your product.
| Element | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Unique identification | A declaration or product number that does not repeat across products or revisions | DoC No. KT-200-2026-03 |
| 2. Manufacturer or authorised representative | Registered company name and full postal address | Example Appliances GmbH, street, postcode, city, country |
| 3. Sole responsibility statement | The fixed sentence that the declaration is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer | This declaration of conformity is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer. |
| 4. Object of the declaration | Product name, model or type, and batch or serial range; a photo where appropriate | Electric kettle, model KT-200, serial numbers from 2603-0001 |
| 5. Conformity statement and legislation | Each applicable act with its number and title | Directive 2014/35/EU; Directive 2014/30/EU; Directive 2011/65/EU |
| 6. Standards or specifications | Each harmonised standard or other specification, with its edition or date | Standard reference and year for each standard applied, noting any partial application |
| 7. Notified body | Name, four-digit number, what it did, and the certificate reference; or “not applicable” | Not applicable (internal production control) |
| 8. Additional information | Anything the act requires beyond the model, such as accessories or software version | Supplied with power base model PB-2 |
| Signature block | Signed for and on behalf of; place and date of issue; name, function, and signature | Signed for and on behalf of Example Appliances GmbH, city, date, name, managing director |
Structuring a single declaration for several acts
Decision No 768/2008/EC requires a single declaration where several harmonisation acts apply to a product, and that declaration must contain the information needed to identify each act and its publication reference. A Bluetooth speaker, for example, is typically assessed against the radio equipment, RoHS, and possibly other acts — one document covers them all.
A practical way to lay out element 5 and element 6 is to group the standards under the act they support, so a reviewer can see at a glance that every act has evidence behind it:
- List every act that applies, each with its number, short title, and publication reference.
- Under each act, list the harmonised standards or other specifications used to demonstrate conformity with it, with their editions.
- Mark standards that were applied only in part, and state which parts, consistent with the technical documentation.
- Add the notified body details under the act whose procedure involved one, with the certificate number.
- Check that no act is listed without supporting standards or specifications, and that no standard is listed that the technical file does not cover.
Language, signature, and form
Under the model provisions, the declaration must be translated into the language or languages required by the Member State in which the product is placed or made available. If you sell across several EU countries, plan for several language versions of the same declaration and keep them in step whenever the master changes.
The declaration is signed for and on behalf of the manufacturer by a named person with a stated function, with the place and date of issue. By drawing it up, the manufacturer assumes responsibility for the product’s compliance, so the signatory should be someone authorised to commit the company.
A provisional agreement between the Council and the European Parliament on 9 June 2026, part of the “Omnibus IV” simplification package, would move the declaration to digital form across 20 product acts. Check whether it has been formally adopted and from when it applies before changing how you supply declarations; until then, follow the current text of the act that applies.
Declaration vs certificate vs test report vs technical file
Buyers and marketplaces often ask for “the CE certificate” when they mean one of several different documents. Knowing which is which avoids accepting the wrong evidence:
| Document | Issued by | What it proves | Who normally sees it |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU declaration of conformity | Manufacturer or authorised representative | Manufacturer’s statement that the product meets the listed acts and standards | Authorities, importers, distributors, often business customers |
| Notified body certificate | A notified body, where the procedure requires one | Result of a specific conformity assessment task, such as EU-type examination | Manufacturer; referenced in the declaration |
| Test report | A test laboratory | Results of specific tests against specific standards on specific samples | Manufacturer; part of the technical file |
| Technical documentation | Manufacturer | The full evidence of conformity: description, risk assessment, drawings, standards, calculations, test reports | Authorities on request; not usually shared with buyers |
| US certificate (GCC or CPC) | Importer, or the US manufacturer or private labeler | Certification to applicable CPSC rules for the US market | US authorities, distributors, retailers |
Declaration review checklist: problems and fixes
Before you accept a supplier declaration or sign your own, run through these checks. Most problems can be fixed in minutes if they are caught before the product ships:
| Problem | Why it matters | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Repealed act listed | The declaration refers to legislation that no longer applies | Replace it with the act that applies on the date the product is placed on the market |
| Standard edition missing or outdated | Conformity is declared against an unknown or superseded version | Cite the edition actually applied and re-check it against the current harmonised list |
| Model not identifiable | The declaration cannot be matched to the product in hand | Add model or type and batch or serial range; add a photo where appropriate |
| Unsigned or undated | No one has taken responsibility | Add place, date, signatory name, function, and signature |
| Notified body omitted | The declaration hides a mandatory third-party step | Add the body’s name, number, task, and certificate reference |
| Separate declarations per act | The model requires one declaration covering all applicable acts | Merge them into a single declaration |
| Wrong language | The Member State of sale may require its own language | Provide the required translation |
When no declaration of conformity is required
Many consumer products are not covered by any act that provides for CE marking — non-electrical furniture, clothing, or cookware, for example. For these, the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 applies, and it requires neither an EU declaration of conformity nor a CE mark.
Instead, the GPSR requires the manufacturer to carry out an internal risk analysis and draw up technical documentation, kept for 10 years after the product is placed on the market. The product must carry a type, batch, or serial number or other identifier, the manufacturer’s name and postal and electronic address, and the instructions and safety information that apply to it. Where the manufacturer is not established in the EU, an EU-based responsible person is also needed.
A voluntary document summarizing the product’s safety basis is fine, but do not call it an EU declaration of conformity and do not add CE marking, which may be affixed only where legislation provides for it.
Keeping the declaration current
The model provisions require the declaration to be continuously updated. In practice, a declaration goes stale when something it cites changes. Review it at least on these triggers:
| Trigger | What to check or update |
|---|---|
| A harmonised standard is revised or withdrawn | Whether the product still meets the new edition; update the standard reference |
| The legislation is replaced | For example, the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027 |
| Toys from 1 August 2030 | The Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 replaces the toy declaration with a digital product passport |
| Design, component, or supplier change | Whether the change affects conformity; re-test where needed and update the technical file |
| Manufacturer name or address change | Element 2 and the product labelling |
| New or renewed notified body certificate | Element 7 certificate reference and dates |
Frequently asked questions
- Is the EU declaration of conformity the same as a CE certificate?
- No. The declaration is issued by the manufacturer itself. A “CE certificate” is not an official document type; certificates issued by notified bodies are a separate part of some conformity assessment procedures and are referenced in the declaration when applicable.
- Does every product need a declaration of conformity?
- No. A declaration is required for products covered by EU harmonisation legislation that calls for one, typically those that carry CE marking. Products covered only by GPSR do not need an EU declaration of conformity.
- Do I have to include the declaration with the product?
- Most acts require the declaration to be available to market surveillance authorities on request. Some, such as the rules for radio equipment and machinery, require a copy or a simplified declaration to accompany the product.
- Can a seller or importer sign the declaration?
- Normally only the manufacturer, or an authorised representative where the legislation permits, signs it. An importer or distributor that places a product on the market under its own name or modifies it may itself be treated as the manufacturer.
- What is the difference between an EC and an EU declaration of conformity?
- Mostly the name. The model in Annex III of Decision No 768/2008/EC is titled “EC declaration of conformity”; sector acts adopted later call it the “EU declaration of conformity” and may add items. “CE declaration of conformity” is an informal name for the same document.
- What language must the declaration be in?
- The language or languages required by the Member State where the product is placed or made available. Selling in several countries can mean keeping several translated versions in step.
- How long must I keep the declaration of conformity?
- Under the model provisions, 10 years after the product has been placed on the market, together with the technical documentation. Sector acts transpose this period, so confirm it in the act that applies.
- What does GPSR require instead of a declaration for non-CE products?
- An internal risk analysis and technical documentation kept for 10 years, a product identifier, manufacturer details, the instructions and safety information that apply to the product, and an EU responsible person where the manufacturer is not established in the EU.
Official sources
Primary legal texts and official guidance referenced in this guide.
- Decision No 768/2008/EC — common framework for marketing of products (EUR-Lex)
- The Blue Guide on the implementation of EU product rules 2022 (EUR-Lex)
- CPSC certificates of conformity — 16 CFR Part 1110 (eCFR)
- Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 — accreditation and CE marking principles (EUR-Lex)
- General Product Safety Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (EUR-Lex)
- Machinery Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (EUR-Lex)
- Toy Safety Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 (EUR-Lex)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements depend on the product and market; check the official texts and seek qualified advice for your situation.