CE marking is not a quality mark or a certification by an authority — in most cases it is the manufacturer's own attestation, made under its responsibility, that the product conforms to all the EU legislation that applies to it (machinery, EMC, low voltage, toys, medical devices and so on). For higher-risk products a notified body must be involved, but the legal responsibility for the declaration stays with the economic operator.
For a Digital Product Passport, the CE mark and its underlying EU Declaration of Conformity are natural anchors: a passport for a CE-marked product can link directly to the Declaration of Conformity and the conformity evidence, so a market-surveillance authority scanning the QR reaches the compliance documentation rather than a marketing page. The CE mark itself is a data field many passports reference.
Frequently asked
Does the CE mark mean a product was certified by the EU?
No. For most products it is the manufacturer's own declaration of conformity, made under its responsibility. Only for higher-risk categories does an independent notified body assess conformity. CE is a self-declaration backed by a technical file and an EU Declaration of Conformity, not an EU certificate.
How does CE marking relate to a Digital Product Passport?
The DPP and the CE mark serve different purposes — CE attests conformity, the DPP carries structured product data — but they connect: a passport can link to the EU Declaration of Conformity so the conformity evidence is reachable from the same QR. ESPR DPP requirements sit alongside, not instead of, existing CE obligations.