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EU Regulatory Regime · High

CE marking — LVD, EMC, RED for electrical equipment — importer obligations + worked example

Status

Status: Active.

What you must do as the importer

CE under Low Voltage Directive (LVD 2014/35), Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC 2014/30), and Radio Equipment Directive (RED 2014/53) where applicable. Verify DoC and technical file. RED requires unique device identifier and reception parameters declaration since 2024.

What goods are covered

  • 85 — Electrical machinery and equipment

Worked example: a typical shipment that triggers

A €50,000 shipment of electronics (HS 850000) from CN into the EU triggers CE marking — LVD, EMC, RED for electrical equipment. The customs duty + VAT are calculated as normal — but on top of that, the importer must satisfy the obligations above before the goods can be placed on the EU market.

Non-compliance is not a duty event — it is a market-access event

A common misunderstanding: importers focus on duty + VAT and treat compliance as a tickbox. EU customs increasingly hold goods at the border for missing documentation (DDS for EUDR, CBAM declarant status for steel/aluminium, EU Responsible Person for cosmetics). Holds become storage charges; storage charges become forced re-export. Validate before booking the freight.

Related OrcaTrade resources

For deeper guidance: read our long-form CE marking — LVD, EMC, RED for electrical equipment guide. The Import Plan Builder surfaces this regime automatically when your HS code matches; the wizard CTA below tells you what shipping practice to follow.

See whether this regime applies to your specific shipment

Six questions, all four calculators (sourcing, routing, customs, warehouse), full landed cost — with this regime flagged on your specific HS code if applicable.

Build my plan with this regime checked →

Snapshot reviewed 2026-05-12. Regulations evolve quickly; verify current status before commercial commitments.