Selling in Europe consumer electronics and telecommunications products should be harder in the near future due to the upgrading of EMC LVD and RED (R&TTE) directives in accordance with the New Legislative Framework within the first six months of 2016.

The New Legislative Framework is a package of measures that aims to improve market surveillance and boost the quality of conformity assessments. It also clarifies the use of CE marking and creates a toolbox of measures to use in product legislation.

As a result of the experience gained after the application of TOY Directive, that in 2011 was firstly updated in line with the New Legislative Framework, we can assert that economic operators have clearly perceived the new measures especially determined by the high increase of surveillance activities and consequential penalties imposed due to a high percentage of non-conformity that was been found.

Retail chains, being explicitly involved with the directives, have implemented a set of supplier assessment procedure to select manufacturers and importers who are able to assure the correct application of European directives.

The International manufacturers have surely established technical offices in Europe to manage the directives requirements while some other manufacturers have not the economical convenience to do so since most of the importers/distributors are not familiar with the complicated CE Marking issues. It means that the involved Economic operators, need more competence to manage the directives efficiently.

A European Authorized Representative serves as technical/legal entity designated by a non European Union manufacturer and represents him in the EU and acts on his behalf in carrying out certain tasks required by the New Approach directives.

An Authorized Representative is not involved in the distribution nor sales of the products.

Designating SQM as EU Authorized Representative:

• offers the manufacturer a contact point in Europe;
• Saves the cost of opening a technical office in Europe;
• Makes the EU market entrance simple: only one European technical Authorized Representative like SQM is needed in the entire European countries to deal with exclusively the CE marking regulatory issues, whereas the manufacturer may have many importers, distributors and sales representatives in Europe;
• Reaches the new EU market. Importers, distributors and sales representatives will be easier to buy and sale. They do not need to deal with complex conformity issues and product certification which require professional in-depth expertise;
• SQM acts as the contact point for market surveillance authorities and end users when conformity issues are concerned;
• SQM stores and updates the technical files of the products sold in Europe and makes them available only to the appropriate authorities upon request;
• SQM monitors and reports on new developments in European product legislation relevant to clients;
• SQM assists with product recalls and the issuance of advisory notices.