A supplier certificate is a starting point for reviewing a safety-critical component, not a release decision for the finished product. For electrical equipment assessed under the EU Low Voltage Directive, purchasing and engineering teams need to connect component evidence to the configuration actually being manufactured. This is a practical review of existing requirements, not an announcement of a new certification obligation.

Start with the finished-product application

Directive 2014/35/EU addresses safe assembly and connection of equipment and its component parts in Annex I, point 1(b). Annex III requires a technical file that supports conformity assessment, including risk analysis and relevant design information. Read together with the manufacturer’s duties in Article 6, these provisions explain why a component certificate cannot automatically establish compliance of the complete equipment.

Build an identity trail before accepting the paperwork

As a procurement control, match the internal part number to the supplier, full model designation, suffix and physical markings. Then check that the supplied certificate and supporting documents actually cover that variant. A family name alone may not resolve differences in ratings or construction.

Where evidence is incomplete, obtain clarification from the supplier and issuing organisation. Use the issuer’s available verification channel or written confirmation to check status, covered models and limitations, retaining the date of the check. Do not apply a blanket certificate lifetime: different certification arrangements have different conditions. An absent expiry date is not a reason to treat the document as unconditional, permanent approval.

Compare operating conditions, not just headline ratings

The following is a suggested project checklist, not a prescribed LVD form. Select relevant items for the product and applicable standards:

• Compare voltage, current and temperature ratings with the intended application.
• Review insulation, terminations, mounting, cooling and protective measures against the conditions in the supplier evidence.
• Identify any enclosure, protective device or installation conditions that must be provided by the finished equipment.
• Record whether production parts and alternatives match the tested configuration, and assign responsibility for reviewing differences.

For example, a replacement switch with the same current rating still warrants a review of temperature conditions, terminals and the actual load. Additional testing should follow the engineering assessment of the differences and risks. Neither automatic acceptance nor a universal demand to repeat every test is a sound default.

Make the review usable across the supply chain

A practical component register can link each approved part revision to its evidence, use conditions, review outcome and relevant test results. This helps purchasing, engineering and quality teams work from the same configuration record. It also gives reviewers a clear route from a purchased part to the finished-product evidence.

The LVD has applied since 20 April 2016; this review creates no new common deadline. Assess the equipment’s legal scope separately from that of its parts and consider other applicable legislation. Do not turn this checklist into a rule that every component needs its own CE marking.

Discuss the testing scope with Qianxin

Customers can provide a BOM, supplier evidence, assembly drawings and the sample configuration to discuss safety-testing needs with Qianxin. Applicable standards, sample requirements and deliverables must be confirmed in writing for the project. Documentation checks and testing support do not transfer the manufacturer’s responsibility or promise an exemption from finished-product tests.

Official Sources

• EUR-Lex: Directive 2014/35/EU, consolidated text of 30 May 2026, Article 6 and Annexes I and III.
• European Commission: Low Voltage Directive overview and conformity-assessment responsibilities.

Reviewed on 6 October 2026. General compliance information and preparation suggestions, not product-specific legal advice or a final conformity assessment. The cover is an original conceptual illustration.