Electronics Producers Brace for EMC Directive

All organizations that resell, develop or manufacture electronic devices used for the 450 million people in the European Union have to comply with the new directive from the European Commission, which is accompanied by an atmosphere of more stringent market monitoring and potential penalties for noncompliance. ACS, a leader in global compliance testing services, has prepared a guide to five steps every manufacturer should take to ensure conformity with the new EMC Directive. The five-page guide to EMC testing under the new rules can be downloaded from their Web site. Under the new rules, there is a renewed emphasis on the fact that the responsibility of a compliant product rests squarely on the shoulders of the manufacturer," says Scott Proffitt, President of ACS. "The new rules affect a product's ability to pass the CE Mark--often referred to as the 'Passport to Europe.' If your product falls under one of the new approach directives of Europe, then you must obtain the CE Mark to access any market in the European Union." Manufacturers, resellers, and distributors of electronic products for the EU market can get a leg up on the new requirements by reading the five-step guide to the New EMC Directive from ACS, which addresses steps to take for: a. Those that have been declared compliant to 89/336/EEC but will be obsolete by July 20, 2009. b. Those that have been declared compliant to 89/336/EEC but will not be obsolete by July 20, 2009. c. Products that are in development. "I urge manufacturers who are unsure about their compliance with the new EMC directive to contact us for a free consultation about what it means for your products," says Proffitt.