There isn't really any absolute requirement as to where the logo should go. Section 4.5.1.4 of the European Commission’s ‘Blue Guide’ states “The CE marking must be affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to the product or to its data plate” and also “The requirement for visibility means that the CE marking must be easily accessible for all parties. It could, for instance, be affixed on the back or underside of a product.”

However, it can also be placed on the instructions and/or packaging if there is no space on the product (or if there are other sound reasons why it cannot be put on the product itself).

For machines specifically, the CE marking must be affixed in the immediate vicinity of the name of the manufacturer or his authorised representative, using the same technique, eg. if the manufacturer’s name is stamped on a metal ratings plate, the CE mark should be on the same plate (and not on a sticker next to it).

Last updated: 2025-02-22 15:27

Yes, the equipment will have to be CE/UKCA marked. According to the interpretation of the Machinery Directive which is applied by the HSE, you will have been deemed to supply the machinery to yourselves, and therefore the equipment falls within the scope of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and must be CE/UKCA marked. The only way round this would be if these actual machines had been used within the EU prior to 1996 when the Directive came into force.

You also have obligations as an employer under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations section 10, which require that equipment supplied by an employer for their employees' use must comply with the essential requirements of any applicable CE marking directives. While this is not quite the same as applying the full CE marking requirement, in practice there is very little difference.

Last updated: 2025-02-22 15:25

No, this is not how CE marking is applied. CE (or UKCA) certification cannot be applied to a company or a process (except in so far as it is necessary to control that process in order to manufacture a CE marked product). Rather, the products themselves are individually CE marked (if covered by a CE marking directive).

However, machines used by companies on production lines etc are required to be CE marked.

Last updated: 2025-02-22 15:24

I am afraid there isn't really a straightforward way to do this, since the enforcement of the Directives is generally performed by local government officials rather than by a centralised agency.

For the UK, this is normally enforced by bodies such as Trading Standards (https://www.tradingstandards.uk), who may be able to help with specific concerns. Other countries around Europe have equivalent bodies.

Last updated: 2025-02-22 15:22

From a standards agency, such as the British Standards Institute (https://knowledge.bsigroup.com).  Standards should be technically identical in all languages, so they can be purchased from any European national standards agency

Last updated: 2025-02-22 15:24