Who is responsible
EU product rules assign duties to economic operators. The manufacturer designs and builds the product and draws up the technical documentation and declaration of conformity. When the manufacturer is outside the EU, the importer who places the product on the market must check that the manufacturer has done the work: that the conformity assessment was carried out, that the technical documentation exists, that the product carries the CE marking and the required identification, and that instructions and safety information are supplied in the language the member state requires. The importer must also put its own name and postal address on the product or its packaging, and keep the declaration of conformity and make the technical documentation available to authorities on request, for the period the rules specify. If a brand sells under its own name, it is typically treated as the manufacturer and takes on all the duties.
The desk coordinates the plant side, collecting the documents and checking them against the model, but the legal responsibility remains with the importer or brand. Vaculent holds no certificates; partner plant documents are verified per project.
Checklist by stage
| Stage | Item | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | Define the model, power type, voltage (230 V for most EU markets), plug type and radio content | Certifications checklist |
| Safety | IEC/EN 60335-2-2 with IEC/EN 60335-1 report for the exact model, under the LVD | IEC 60335-2-2 explained |
| EMC and radio | EMC report; CE RED documents if Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is present | CE RED and FCC |
| Ecodesign | For mains household models: evidence for Regulation 666/2013 limits | EU ecodesign 666/2013 |
| Materials | RoHS declaration and REACH SVHC statement | RoHS and REACH |
| Battery | IEC 62133-2 evaluation and UN 38.3 summary for cordless models | UN 38.3 and IEC 62133 |
| Documents | Declaration of conformity, technical file, manual in the required languages | This note |
| Shipping | Invoice, packing list, HS code, transport documents, dangerous goods documents | Logistics and shipping |
Marking, labels and manuals
The product must carry the CE marking, a type, batch or serial identifier that allows traceability, and the name and address of the manufacturer and the importer, on the product or, if not possible, on the packaging or an accompanying document. The rating label shows voltage, frequency and rated power, and these values must match the report. The manual must contain the safety instructions required by the standard and be available in the languages of the countries of sale. Waste-related marking such as the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol for electrical equipment, battery markings and packaging recycling marks apply by country, and the importer may have to register with national schemes for packaging, batteries and electrical waste. These registrations are the importer's responsibility and should be started before stock arrives.
Customs and transport
Customs entry needs the commercial invoice, the packing list, the transport document and, depending on the goods, additional papers. The commodity code is chosen with the broker, using headings such as 8508.11, 8508.19, 8508.60 or 8508.70 as orientation; see HS codes for vacuum cleaners and parts. The desk does not state duty rates or fees, since they depend on origin, trade measures and the value declared, and the broker confirms them. As a reference, full container loads by sea to Europe commonly take about 30-45 days, while courier samples take about 3-7 days. Cordless machines and spare packs carry lithium batteries, so UN 38.3 and the safety data sheet must be ready before the booking, and air freight follows IATA rules and the carrier's policy.
Spare parts, accessories and bundles
The checklist does not end with the machine. Filters, brush rolls, hoses and bags sold as spare parts need correct identification, packaging and material declarations, and battery packs sold separately are products in their own right with battery markings, transport documents and waste obligations. A bundle that combines a vacuum with accessories from different plants should be checked as a set: the manual should list every item, the carton should state the contents, and the importer should confirm that each accessory complies on its own. Plan the spare parts range at the start of the project, because adding it later means new documents, new artwork and often a second shipment. The components category shows the parts that can be sourced separately.
Market surveillance and the importer
Authorities in member states check products on the market, and they can ask the importer for the declaration of conformity, the technical documentation and test reports. For a vacuum, the tests they most often examine are electrical safety, labelling and instructions. A model that is non-compliant can be withdrawn, and the importer bears the cost. The practical protection is a complete file kept in an organised way: the declaration, the reports, the critical components list, the manual, the label artwork and photos of the production samples. Where the product is sold through online platforms, the platform may also ask for the documents at listing time, and platform requirements may be stricter than the legal minimum.
A short working sequence
- Confirm the target countries, voltage and plug, and whether the model is cordless, corded or robot.
- Request the report set from the plant and compare model numbers with the order.
- Draft the declaration of conformity and the manual, then check the label text against the reports.
- Register for packaging, battery and electrical waste obligations where required by the countries of sale.
- Agree the commercial invoice description and the HS code with the broker before shipping.
- Arrange the pre-shipment check through testing and inspection, including label and document comparison.
- Book freight with the correct dangerous goods paperwork where batteries are present.
Where the desk helps
The desk shortlists plants that can show a document set for a comparable model, tracks missing items on a single list and passes the data the broker needs. It can also carry out or arrange the inspection of units against the reports. Review compliance and certifications for the service scope. To begin, send the target countries, power type and quantity through the quote form, and compare timing against MOQ and lead time; reference ranges are confirmed in writing for each program.