Fostering a common understanding of European safety requirements for personal protective equipment

Dialogue matters

In these times of global pandemic, GPQI is supporting Indian manufactures of personal protective equipment (PPE) with understanding the requirements for PPE in the European system of product safety. This helps to prevent the export of non-conforming products and facilitates the trade of safe PPE.

New Guide to CE Marking of Personal Protective Equipment

The availability of safe and reliable personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential – especially during a pandemic. Local production of PPE in India has increased rapidly since the coronavirus outbreak in early 2020. After covering domestic demand, Indian manufacturers are now looking to sell their products abroad.

Europe is one of the key markets. To facilitate the trade of safe PPE across borders, it is crucial to establish a common understanding of the relevant legislative requirements as well as the roles and responsibilities of manufacturers – in line with the system of product safety in the European Union (EU).

The GPQI promotes the Indo-German knowledge exchange between policy makers, agencies and industry stakeholders. Requirements for PPE in the EU and the relevance of the CE marking – the mandatory marking for defined products placed on the EU single market – were discussed between Indian manufactures and German experts during an online workshop.

Key information has also been elaborated in a practical guideline. This not only supports Indian manufacturers with the export of their products, it also assists Indian procurement bodies in their assessment of products with the CE marking on the Indian market. Ultimately, a common understanding helps to ensure the supply of safe and effective PPE in both countries.