FAQ: Is CE Mark needed for lithium cells and batteries?

No. It is not needed.  If you examine cells, battery packs and batteries from renowned producers your will not find any CE Mark. 

The CE mark in Europe is needed only for following groups of complete products:

• Toys
• Machinery
• Electrical equipment
• Electronic equipment
• Personal protective equipment
• Pressure equipment
• Medical devices
• Active implantable medical devices
• In vitro diagnostic
• Radio and Telecommunications terminal equipment
• Simple pressure vessels
• Gas appliances
• Lifts
• Recreational craft
• Equipment and protective systems for use in explosive atmospheres
• Non-automatic weighing instruments
• Cableways
• Construction products
• Explosives for civil use
• New hot water boilers
• Measuring Equipment

Products that are not covered by the European CE marking directives may fall within the scope of other European or national legislation (for example special standards for mining industry, for automotive industry [E-Mark] and for air-craft related parts and products). If there is no specific legislation, the General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) may apply. This European Directives requires that products are safe, but is does not require any marking.

Lithium cells, batteries and packs do not need any CE marking. Complete products or systems with electronics - for example a battery solution consisting of lithium cells and battery management electronics may need to obtain CE tests, if marketed as „Electrical equipment“ or as a part of „Measuring Equipment“. 

The person or company, who is assembling such complete products from individual parts, is the subject responsible to make sure of CE Mark needs to be applied. It is not possible to ask the supplier of just one part (e.g. the supplier of the cells) to give the CE mark documents for a complete product. Those, who are putting components together and sell the product under their (brand) name, need to bear the responsibility for the CE compliance by themselves.

Concerning the CE certification of electrical/electronic devices related to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): These certifications and tests related to EMC are designed to ensure that electromagnetic radiation (physical radio waves) from components of the complete products do not interfere with other devices such as TV, radios, computers, medical equipment and mobile phones.

However passive components and products (like cells, batteries or battery packs) do not radiate any electromagnetic radiation, and that is why they are not required to undergo the tests.

Some Asian battery manufacturers have been persuaded by various testing organizations that they should be tested and this is why you will see the CE mark on many Chinese batteries.  Or such produces will provide the CE conformity document to you. However such CE marks are false in their placing and are misleading. It is like putting a CE Mark on a piece stone or a tree or onto your house-hold animal. 

If somebody is requesting the CE mark for the cells, batteries or battery packs, it shows his limited knowledge of the conformity procedures.