The structural differences
- Regime: CE is self-declaration for many products (with notified bodies for some), backed by the EU market surveillance system. The CPC is issued under the CPSIA with mandatory third-party testing for children’s products.
- Documents: CE requires a Declaration of Conformity and a technical file. The US requires the CPC and test records, five years minimum.
- Marking: CE logo on the product; US children’s products need tracking labels, not a mark.
One product, two certifications: the workflow
Design once to the stricter overlapping requirements, then test and document per market: EN 71 testing and EU file for Europe, CPSC-rule testing and CPC for the US. Brands that plan both document sets at design time launch transatlantically without redesigns, and the testing often shares samples and labs.
Questions people ask
Does CE marking get my toy into the US?
No: US children’s products need the CPSC regime (testing plus CPC). The regimes do not recognize each other’s certificates.
Which is stricter, CE or CPC requirements?
Neither across the board: each regime has stricter elements. Compliant sellers certify to the market they sell in, not to whichever they prefer.
Can one Declaration of Conformity cover both markets?
No: the EU DoC is an EU document, and the CPC is a US document. Keep both, clearly named, in your product file.
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