Blog
Product compliance, explained plainly.
CE marking, UKCA, FCC, GPSR, the Cyber Resilience Act and more: what applies, what changed recently, and where to check the primary source for yourself.
- News12 Aug 2026 · 5 min
Is UKCA marking still required in 2026?
The UK now recognizes CE marking indefinitely for most product categories. What that means in practice, and the exceptions where UKCA still matters.
- News12 Aug 2026 · 6 min
EU CRA: when you can self-assess, when you can't
The Cyber Resilience Act splits products into default, important, and critical classes. Which ones allow self-assessment, and which require a notified body.
- Academy05 Aug 2026 · 9 min
REACH vs RoHS: what's the difference, and do you need both?
REACH and RoHS aren't the same rule — one bans substances, the other makes you disclose them. See the real difference, and which applies to you.
- Academy22 Jul 2026 · 8 min
The CE marking symbol: official size, shape and artwork rules
The CE mark has a fixed grid, a minimum height and strict placement rules. Get the proportions wrong and the mark itself becomes non-compliant.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
RoHS compliance checklist for electronics
RoHS restricts ten hazardous substances in EU electronics. The 0.1% threshold, 2026 lead-exemption changes, and how to build your compliance file.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542: what applies now
The EU Battery Regulation covers every battery placed on the EU market, from a coin cell to an EV pack. Labeling, carbon footprint rules, and what's next.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
WEEE registration: what online sellers must do
If your product has a plug or a battery, WEEE registration applies country by country. Who needs an authorized representative, and 2026 marketplace rules.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
REACH SVHC declarations: what hardware sellers owe
REACH's SVHC rules apply per component, not per finished product, above a 0.1% threshold. What Article 33 disclosure and ECHA notification actually require.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
UK packaging EPR: what online sellers owe in 2026
UK packaging EPR now ties fees to recyclability, not just volume. Who counts as an obligated producer, the reporting thresholds, and what changes in 2026.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
CE marking technical file: what goes in it
The technical file is the evidence behind your CE self-declaration. What documents it needs, how long to keep it, and the questions a customs check will ask.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 5 min
Do you need both CE and FCC certification?
CE and FCC are separate, non-overlapping requirements for two different markets. If you sell hardware in both the EU and the US, you need both, in full.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 6 min
Amazon EU: your responsible person requirements
Amazon now enforces EU Responsible Person and WEEE registration details at the listing level. What's required, and what happens if a field is left blank.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 5 min
What is a notified body, and do you need one?
Most CE-marked hardware is self-declared with no outside review. A notified body only enters the picture for specific, higher-risk product categories.
- Academy11 Jul 2026 · 5 min
RED vs EMC Directive: which applies to you?
One question decides it: does your product intentionally transmit radio signals? Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices fall under RED, not the EMC Directive alone.
- News05 Jul 2026 · 9 min
The CRA Reporting Deadline Is Two Months Away
From 11 September 2026, manufacturers must report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe incidents to ENISA within 24 hours. What the Cyber Resilience Act's reporting duty actually requires, and how to get ready.
- Reviews05 Jul 2026 · 8 min
Product Compliance Software Compared
Spreadsheets, enterprise GRC/PLM modules, dedicated point solutions and Conformery: how the four real ways to manage product compliance actually compare.
- Reviews05 Jul 2026 · 7 min
We Costed CE Marking Three Ways: Consultant, Lab, DIY
A worked case study pricing out three real routes to CE marking a simple electronics product: full-service consultant, test lab plus DIY paperwork, and fully self-certified.
- News04 Jul 2026 · 7 min
UK PSTI Compliance for Connected Product Makers
What PSTI compliance actually means for anyone selling internet-connectable products in the UK: the three security duties, who's covered, and how it lines up against the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
- Academy04 Jul 2026 · 9 min
CE Marking for Medical Devices: MDR and IVDR Explained
How CE marking works for medical devices under the MDR and IVDR, why most risk classes need a notified body, and what non-EU manufacturers must arrange before they can sell into the EU.
- Academy03 Jul 2026 · 10 min
California Prop 65 Compliance for Product Sellers
Proposition 65 catches out sellers who have never set foot in California. Here is who it applies to, what triggers a warning, and why citizen suits make it different from most product-safety law.
- Academy03 Jul 2026 · 8 min
EPEAT, CPSC and BIFMA Compliance Marks Explained
What EPEAT compliant, CPSC compliant and BIFMA compliant actually mean, who administers each one, and which of the three is a genuine certifiable mark.
- Academy02 Jul 2026 · 9 min
What Does CE Marking Actually Mean?
CE marking is a manufacturer's own declaration that a product meets EU law, not a quality mark or third-party approval. Here is what it really means, what the symbol has to look like, and why 'China Export' is a myth.
- Academy02 Jul 2026 · 7 min
CE Marking Self-Certification, Explained
What Module A self-certification actually covers, which products can legally use it, which ones need a notified body instead, and why guessing wrong is a compliance breach, not a shortcut.
- Academy01 Jul 2026 · 8 min
What Goes in a Technical File
Everything a CE marking technical file has to contain, how long you must keep it, who can demand to see it, and how to build one file without duplicating work across product variants.
- Academy01 Jul 2026 · 7 min
Declaration of Conformity Template: Free Generator
The exact fields a Declaration of Conformity must contain, EU versus UKCA differences, the mistakes that get one rejected on inspection, and a free generator that fills one in.
- Academy30 Jun 2026 · 8 min
FCC ID Lookup: How to Decode Any FCC ID
Every code next to "FCC ID" on a device is a public record. Here's how to find it, read it, and look it up in the FCC's own database in under two minutes.
- Academy29 Jun 2026 · 11 min
RoHS Compliance: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about RoHS compliance: the 10 restricted substances and thresholds, homogeneous material testing, RoHS 3 exemptions, CE marking overlap, and UK vs EU RoHS divergence.
- Academy29 Jun 2026 · 8 min
REACH Compliance Explained: SVHC and Your Duties
REACH covers almost every chemical in almost every product sold in the EU. Here is what the SVHC Candidate List means, when the 0.1% duty kicks in, and how it differs from RoHS.
- Academy09 Jun 2026 · 7 min
Importing electronics from China: what compliance actually falls on you
When you import electronics for EU, UK or US sale, several duties land on you personally, not the factory. Here is what changes once you are the importer.
- Academy02 Jun 2026 · 6 min
EU authorised representative, explained: who actually needs one
Why EU product law requires an economic operator established in the Union for many products, what an authorised representative does, and when an importer covers it instead.
- Academy26 May 2026 · 6 min
The EU Declaration of Conformity: what goes in it and who signs it
Every element the EU model Declaration of Conformity requires, in order, and who is actually allowed to sign it. Generate one free once you know the structure.
- Academy18 May 2026 · 6 min
FCC Certification vs SDoC: intentional vs unintentional radiators
Part 15 of the FCC rules splits devices into two very different paths: Certification through a TCB, or self-declared Supplier's Declaration of Conformity.
- Academy11 May 2026 · 6 min
UKCA vs CE marking: the current state in Great Britain
UKCA marking has been extended and amended repeatedly since Brexit. Here is the current position for CE recognition in Great Britain, and where to check for changes.
- Academy04 May 2026 · 6 min
GPSR for online sellers: what changed since December 2024
The General Product Safety Regulation has applied since 13 December 2024. What it means for responsible persons, marketplaces and online listings.
- Academy27 Apr 2026 · 7 min
The EU Cyber Resilience Act: what hardware startups need to know
The Cyber Resilience Act's real deadlines: reporting obligations from September 2026, full application from December 2027. What applies, and when.
- Academy20 Apr 2026 · 6 min
CE marking cost: what actually costs money
There is no fixed CE marking fee. Here is what genuinely drives the cost: testing, notified bodies, documentation, and how to get real quotes.
- Academy13 Apr 2026 · 7 min
Does my product need CE marking? A walkthrough by product type
CE marking depends on what your product does, not what it is called. A practical walkthrough for electronics, toys, wearables, tools and more.
- Academy06 Apr 2026 · 7 min
CE marking requirements explained: the 20-minute version
What CE marking actually certifies, which directives apply to your product, and the steps from technical file to Declaration of Conformity.
