Directives

EC Product Directives were created by the European Union (EU) to achieve the free movement of goods and services. The directives came about as a result of the Treaty of Rome, 1957. They are intended to remove any barriers to trade across Europe that could be caused by the multiple testing and certification of items and equipment to meet the regulations of individual EU member state markets.

Independent testing, inspection or certification of a product according to a directive must be done by a body that is approved by a government of the community and notified to the European Commission.