Buyer guide · from the factory

What Certifications Do Chargers Need for Europe?

CE is only the start. Here is the full list for a USB-C wall charger sold in the EU, what each item really involves, who is responsible for it, and the new rules that arrive in December 2028.

By Chen Jun Liang · 14 October 2026 · 14 min read

Ask ten suppliers what certifications do chargers need for Europe and most will answer "CE" and stop there. That answer isn't wrong, but it leaves out half the list, and it's the half that tends to cause trouble at customs or on Amazon.

We make USB-C chargers at Rongjun and sell a large share of them into Europe, so this list is the one we go through with every European buyer. I've also read the guides that currently rank for this question. Some are good, and a couple contain mistakes that could cost you, so I'll point those out near the end.

What certifications do chargers need for Europe? The short answer

For a mains USB charger sold in the EU you need:

CE marking under the Low Voltage Directive and the EMC Directive, backed by test reports.
RoHS compliance, and REACH information if a listed substance is present.
Ecodesign compliance for external power supplies (efficiency, no-load power, nameplate information).
A Declaration of Conformity and a technical file.
The importer's name and address on the product or packaging, and a responsible person in the EU under GPSR.
WEEE and packaging registration in each country where you sell.

CE: two directives behind one mark

For a charger, the CE mark covers two directives.

Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU covers electrical safety for equipment running between 50 and 1,000 V AC. A wall charger plugged into 230 V is squarely inside it.
EMC Directive 2014/30/EU makes sure the charger doesn't disturb other equipment and isn't disturbed itself.

CE for chargers is a self-declaration. Nobody in Brussels issues a "CE certificate" for a phone charger. The manufacturer tests the product, usually at an accredited lab, keeps a technical file, and signs a Declaration of Conformity. That's why the useful thing to ask a supplier for isn't a "CE certificate" but the test reports for the exact model. Ours carry our own name as applicant and manufacturer; you can see them on our certifications page.

CB 65W ultra-thin USB-C charger showing what certifications chargers need for Europe — Our CB 65W ultra-thin charger. Every model we sell into Europe carries CE and RoHS backed by test reports in our name.

What the tests actually check

Safety: EN IEC 62368-1

This standard replaced EN 60950-1 for IT and audio-visual equipment. It works by looking at energy sources (electrical, thermal, fire, mechanical) and checking there are safeguards against each. On a charger the lab looks at things like insulation between the mains side and the USB side, touch current, temperatures under full load, behaviour when the output is shorted or overloaded, and how the housing material behaves with heat and flame. KYT Chargers' guide lists typical pass criteria, such as touch current below 0.5 mA and automatic shutdown on a short circuit.

EMC: emissions and immunity

EN 55032 measures what the charger emits, both back down the mains cable and through the air, against the Class B limits for homes. EN 55035 checks immunity: static discharge, radio fields, fast transients, surges and voltage dips. Because a charger is mains-connected, the EMC test package normally also includes EN IEC 61000-3-2 (harmonic currents) and EN 61000-3-3 (flicker).

GaN chargers switch faster than older silicon designs, which makes EMC filtering more important. It's one reason two chargers that look identical on the outside can behave very differently in an EMC lab.

Solder paste printer on the SMT line where tested charger circuit boards are built — The SMT line. The board that passed the tests is the board we build; changing parts later can mean re-testing.

RoHS and REACH

RoHS (Directive 2011/65/EU, extended by 2015/863) limits ten substances in electrical equipment: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, two groups of brominated flame retardants and four phthalates. Your supplier should have a RoHS test report for the model.

REACH is broader. If any part of the product contains a substance on the candidate list (the "SVHC" list) above 0.1% by weight, you have to pass that information on to customers. For a well-made charger that usually isn't an issue, but it's a fair question to ask.

Ecodesign: the rule most guides miss

None of the top-ranking guides I read mention this, and it applies to every phone and laptop charger. Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 sets ecodesign requirements for external power supplies: a minimum average efficiency, a maximum power draw when nothing is plugged in, and specific information on the nameplate and in the technical documentation. It's part of what the CE mark on a charger declares.

Ask your supplier for the ecodesign data (average active efficiency and no-load power) for the model you're buying, and make sure the nameplate information is there. It's an easy item to forget until a market surveillance authority asks.

The documents and the labels

Test reports (safety, EMC, RoHS) for the exact model.
Technical file: drawings, parts list, test reports, risk assessment. The manufacturer keeps it; the importer must be able to provide it on request.
EU Declaration of Conformity listing the directives, regulations and standards, signed by the manufacturer. Importers keep a copy for 10 years.
On the charger: CE mark, model, rated input and output, manufacturer identification, and the WEEE crossed-out bin symbol.
On the charger or packaging: the importer's name, registered trade name and postal address.
Instructions and safety information in the language of the country where it's sold.

GPSR: a responsible person in the EU

The General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied since 13 December 2024. For consumer products it requires an economic operator established in the EU who is responsible for the product, with their name and contact details on the product, the packaging or an accompanying document.

A factory in China can't fill that role. If you import, it's usually you. If you sell from outside the EU, it can be an EU importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider. Give us the details and we print them on your box or label.

Country registrations: WEEE and packaging

CE gets the charger into the EU. Each country then has its own take-back schemes for electrical waste and packaging. These are registrations by the company that puts the product on that market, which is normally the importer or brand.

Country	Electrical waste (WEEE)	Packaging
Germany	stiftung EAR (ElektroG)	LUCID register (VerpackG) and a licensing scheme
France	Producer registration with an approved scheme	Triman logo and sorting info on pack, EPR registration
Other EU countries	National WEEE register	National packaging scheme

The EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation started to apply in August 2026, and its labelling rules are being phased in. If you're designing a retail box now, ask your compliance adviser which packaging marks to plan for. Whatever registration numbers and marks you need, send them to us with your artwork and we'll print them.

Selling in Great Britain

The UK government has extended recognition of CE marking for most product rules, including electrical safety and EMC. A correctly CE-marked charger can be sold in Great Britain without UKCA. Merryking's guide says UKCA is required in the UK; for chargers, that's no longer the case. You still need the importer's details on the product or packaging, and the UK has its own WEEE and packaging producer obligations.

What changes in December 2028

This is the part almost nobody is talking about yet. The European Commission adopted Regulation (EU) 2025/2052 in October 2025, with new ecodesign rules for external power supplies. It applies from 14 December 2028. According to the Commission's common charger page, the main points are:

chargers for radio equipment must be "common chargers", with at least one USB Type-C port;
common chargers and cables must meet the USB Type-C standards;
common chargers must work with detachable cables;
each port must be marked with the power it supports;
a new EU common charger logo must be applied.

If you're planning a range for 2028 and beyond, these points matter now. Chargers with a cable fixed to the body, or ports without power markings, will need a closer look before then. If you're planning a range that will still be on sale after December 2028, raise it with your supplier now rather than in 2028.

Don't confuse this with the common charger rules that started in December 2024. Those apply to devices (phones, tablets, laptops and so on), which must use USB-C and USB Power Delivery and can be sold without a charger in the box. Our EU common charger guide covers that side.

Checking a supplier's EU documents in ten minutes

Once you know what certifications do chargers need for Europe, checking a supplier is quick. Ask for these four things and look at them side by side:

The safety test report (EN IEC 62368-1). Look at the first pages: lab name, report number, applicant, manufacturer, model numbers covered, and the ratings. The model and ratings must match the charger you're buying.
The EMC test report. Same checks. The model list should match the safety report.
The RoHS report. It should name the same product, not just "plastic parts" in general.
The Declaration of Conformity. It should list the LVD, EMC, RoHS and ecodesign rules, the standards from the reports, the manufacturer's name and address, and a signature with a date.

If the names on the reports don't match the company you're paying, or the model on the report isn't your model, stop and ask why. If a report looks doubtful, email the lab with the report number; labs will confirm whether a report is genuine. And when you change something later, such as a different housing material or a new circuit board, ask whether the reports still cover it.

Three things other guides get wrong

"Plain chargers need the Radio Equipment Directive"

KYT's guide lists RED among the directives for phone chargers. A plain mains charger has no radio, so it falls under LVD and EMC. RED applies if the charger has a radio function, such as a wireless charging pad or Bluetooth. The common charger rules live in RED, but they're aimed at the devices being charged.

"The technical file goes to a notified body"

Merryking's guide describes submitting the file to a notified body. For chargers under LVD and EMC there's no notified body step. Accredited labs do the testing; the manufacturer declares conformity.

"Spot the fake 'China Export' mark"

You'll read that a "China Export" logo with the C and E closer together is a separate fake mark. Whatever the spacing, a CE mark without matching test reports and a Declaration of Conformity is worthless, and a correctly proportioned one without them is worthless too. Check the paperwork, not the font.

Who does what

Item	Factory	Importer / brand
Safety, EMC and RoHS testing	Yes (reports in our name)	Check they cover your model
CE mark and nameplate on the charger	Yes	Check before shipment
Declaration of Conformity	Signed by the manufacturer	Keep a copy for 10 years
Importer details on product or box	Prints them	Supplies them
GPSR responsible person	Prints the details	Is (or appoints) the person
WEEE and packaging registration	Prints marks and numbers	Registers in each country

If you'd like to see where the tested chargers are actually built, here's a short look at our factory.

Worker on the GaN charger assembly line, from our factory video

Where our CE-tested chargers are made, 29 seconds

FAQ: certifications chargers need for Europe

What certifications do chargers need for Europe?

A mains USB charger needs CE marking under the Low Voltage Directive (safety, tested to EN IEC 62368-1) and the EMC Directive (tested to EN 55032 and EN 55035, plus the mains harmonics and flicker standards). It must meet RoHS and the ecodesign rules for external power supplies. You also need a Declaration of Conformity, the importer's details on the product or packaging, a responsible person in the EU under GPSR, and WEEE and packaging registration in the countries where you sell.

Is CE marking a certificate?

Not in the way most people think. For a charger, CE is the manufacturer's declaration that the product meets the rules, backed by test reports and a technical file. There's no EU body that hands out a CE certificate for a charger. What you should ask a supplier for is the test reports for the exact model and the Declaration of Conformity.

Do USB chargers need the Radio Equipment Directive?

A plain mains charger with no radio function falls under the Low Voltage and EMC Directives, not the Radio Equipment Directive. A wireless charging pad or a charger with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is radio equipment and comes under RED instead. The EU common charger rules sit in RED, but they apply to the phones, laptops and other devices, not to the wall charger itself.

Does a charger need a notified body in the EU?

No. Chargers under the Low Voltage and EMC Directives follow self-declaration: the manufacturer tests the product (usually at an accredited lab), keeps a technical file and signs the Declaration of Conformity. Some guides say the file goes to a notified body; for a normal charger it doesn't.

What is the ecodesign regulation for chargers?

Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 sets minimum efficiency and maximum no-load power for external power supplies, including phone and laptop chargers, and requires certain information on the nameplate and in the technical documentation. From 14 December 2028, Regulation (EU) 2025/2052 adds interoperability rules: at least one USB-C port, detachable cables, the power marked at each port and a new EU common charger logo.

Do I need UKCA to sell chargers in the UK?

No, as long as the charger carries a valid CE marking. The UK government has extended recognition of CE marking for most product rules, including electrical safety and EMC. UKCA is allowed but not required for these products.

Who has to register for WEEE?

The company that places the charger on the market in each country, which is usually the importer or the brand owner, not the Chinese factory. In Germany that means stiftung EAR under the ElektroG; other countries have their own registers. The factory prints the crossed-out bin symbol and, if you give it, your registration number.

Can I use the factory's test reports?

Yes, if they cover the exact model you're buying and the factory's name is on them as applicant or manufacturer. Check the model number on the report against your order. If you change the product (a different circuit, a different housing material), the reports may no longer cover it.

What is GPSR and does it apply to chargers?

The General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied since 13 December 2024. For consumer products it requires a responsible economic operator established in the EU, whose name and contact details appear on the product, its packaging or an accompanying document. Chargers sold to consumers are covered.

Are there extra rules for Germany or France?

Both have their own registration duties on top of CE. Germany: producer registration with stiftung EAR for WEEE and packaging registration in the LUCID register under the VerpackG. France: the Triman logo and sorting information on packaging, plus extended producer responsibility registrations. These are the importer's registrations; the factory prints what you give it.

Need chargers that are ready for Europe?

Tell us the model and the countries you sell in. We'll send the test reports in our name and tell you which marks and details we need from you for the box.

Get a quote

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