CE marking or China Export: is that CE logo on Alibaba genuine?
Lars HurkmansCo-founder5 July 2023Reading time 5 minutes
A CE logo shown by an Alibaba supplier is often not a genuine CE marking but the China Export logo: visually almost identical, legally completely different. CE means a product meets EU requirements; China Export only indicates origin. As the importer, you are responsible for making sure your product is actually compliant.
If you import products from China, it is essential to know the difference between the terms CE marking and China Export. At first glance they look alike, but they have completely different meanings and legal consequences. We walk through the two labels, the difference between them, and what that means for you as a seller.
What does the CE marking mean?
CE stands for Conformité Européenne, which means European conformity. A product with a CE marking indicates that it complies with the relevant EU directives and standards on health, safety and environmental protection. It is a kind of passport that gives a product access to the entire European Economic Area (EEA), which consists of all EU member states plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
A CE marking therefore means not only that the product may be sold in Europe, but also that it has been assessed against the requirements that apply. If you see a CE logo at a supplier, it is only worth something once it is backed by the accompanying documentation.
What is the China Export logo?
The China Export logo is often confused with the CE marking because of the visual similarity, but it has a completely different meaning. This logo simply indicates that the product was manufactured in China. It says nothing about the quality or safety of the product, and no legal requirements are attached to its use.
What is the difference between CE marking and China Export?
The main difference lies in the meaning and the consequences. A CE marking stands for conformity with EU requirements, while the China Export logo only indicates the origin of the product.
Visually the differences are subtle but important. On the European CE marking the letters C and E are spaced further apart; on the China Export logo the letters sit closer together. Do not rely on that blindly, however, because the difference is small and easy to miss. What sits behind the logo (the documentation and the test report) weighs more heavily than the logo itself.
Who is responsible when you import from China?
You, as the party placing the product on the EU market. The responsibility lies with you to make sure that the products you sell comply with the relevant EU directives and standards, regardless of what your supplier claims. That means you have to go through the conformity process yourself.
An example. Suppose you import toys from China to sell on bol. You find a supplier on Alibaba who says the products have a CE certificate. That can be a good starting point, but it does not automatically mean the products meet European standards. On arrival the logo turns out to look slightly different from what you are used to, and after some research you see that it is the China Export logo, not the CE marking. The products then do not necessarily comply with EU standards and may not be safe to sell. If you sell them anyway, you run a legal risk.
How you apply for a CE marking yourself and which steps that involves, you can read in applying for CE marking. The difference between a test report and a certificate is covered in CE certification on bol.
What do you do before you buy?
Treat a displayed CE logo as a starting point, not as proof. Ask the supplier for the underlying test report, check whether your product falls under an EU directive, and go through the conformity process yourself before buying a large batch. That is part of the broader process of sourcing from China, which we work out step by step in sourcing from China: step-by-step plan.
That way you not only avoid legal problems, but also offer your customers products that genuinely meet the requirements. The distinction between the CE marking and the China Export logo is small on paper, but big in its consequences.