Doing Business In (Insert Country Name Here) - BNA

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To promote market acceptance of the final product, there are a number of voluntary conformity assessment programs. CEN’s certification systems are the Keymark, the CENCER mark, and the European Standard Agreement Group. CENELEC has its own initiative. ETSI does not offer conformity assessment services. Product Certification Return to top To sell products on the EU market of 27 Member States as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland, U.S. exporters are required to apply CE marking whenever their product is covered by specific product legislation. CE marking product legislation offers manufacturers a number of choices and requires decisions to determine which safety/health concerns need to be addressed, which conformity assessment module is best suited to the manufacturing process, and whether or not to use EU-wide harmonized standards. There is no easy way for U.S. exporters to understand and go through the process of CE marking, but hopefully this section provides some background and clarification. Products manufactured to standards adopted by CEN, CENELEC and ETSI, and published in the Official Journal as harmonized standards, are presumed to conform to the requirements of EU Directives. The manufacturer then applies the CE marking and issues a declaration of conformity. With these, the product will be allowed to circulate freely within the EU. A manufacturer can choose not to use the harmonized EU standards, but then must demonstrate that the product meets the essential safety and performance requirements. Trade barriers occur when design, rather than performance, standards are developed by the relevant European standardization organization, and when U.S. companies do not have access to the standardization process through a European presence. The CE marking addresses itself primarily to the national control authorities of the Member States, and its use simplifies the task of essential market surveillance of regulated products. Although CE marking is intended primarily for inspection purposes by Member State inspectors, the consumer may well perceive it as a quality mark. The CE marking is not intended to include detailed technical information on the product, but there must be enough information to enable the inspector to trace the product back to the manufacturer or the authorized representative established in the EU. This detailed information should not appear next to the CE marking, but rather on the declaration of conformity, the certificate of conformity (which the manufacturer or authorized agent must be able to provide at any time, together with the product's technical file), or the documents accompanying the product. French Certification body “AFNOR CERTIFICATION”: NF network To expand its activities and thus improve recognition of its labels, AFNOR CERTIFICATION relies on the strength and expertise of a network of impartial and competent bodies whose scientific knowledge and technical know-how ensure the value and credibility of its certifications. 2/15/2008 Country Commercial Guide for France 88 INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, © 2007. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.
AFNOR Certification calls upon mandated bodies (to which all the certification operations are assigned), technical secretariats (to which part of the certification process is subcontracted), specialized laboratories and inspection and auditing bodies, a network of specialized auditors. All these bodies meet the requirements for impartiality, competence and integrity described in NF EN 45011 or NF EN ISO/IEC 17025 that define the respective obligations to be fulfilled by the product certifying bodies and laboratories. AFNOR CERTIFICATION controls the entire NF network and ensures its consistency. Mandated Bodies for Certification The "mandated" bodies occupy a special position in this NF network, as they are highly experienced in the certification business and experts in their respective fields. In addition, they undertake to develop new NF mark applications. AFNOR CERTIFICATION delegates all the certification operations to certified bodies (see full contacts information at the end of this section). Laboratories and inspection and auditing bodies for Certification: The network also includes several dozen laboratories and auditing and inspection bodies. These partners are recognized on a national, European or even international level and carry out the tests and audits specified by the NF mark. They are experts in specific applications and leading practitioners in test methods and industry developments in their sector. For all practical information on mandated bodies, contact [catherine.vincensini@afnor.fr] and on other subcontractors, contact [arnaud.desaxce@afnor.fr] Technical Secretariats mandated for Certification For certain certifications only, AFNOR CERTIFICATION subcontracts some of the certification operations to a body known as a "technical secretariat". AFNOR CERTIFICATION nevertheless remains in overall control of the certification process ATCG Association Technique de Certification des Granulats ATITA Association Technique des Industries Thermiques et Aérauliques Website: [http://www.atita.com] CEBTP Centre Expérimental de recherches et d'études du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics Website: [http://www.cebtp.fr/menu.html] CSTB Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment Website: [http://www.cstb.fr] CTTB Centre Technique des Tuiles et Briques Website: [http://www.cttb.fr] 2/15/2008 Country Commercial Guide for France 89 INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, © 2007. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.
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Doing Business in France: 2008 Coun
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The trade balance on all bilateral
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Key Link: [http://eurlex.europa.eu/
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Statutory representatives work acco
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that for the past thirty years dire
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Selling to the Government Return to
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French food retailers generally fal
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France employing 39,000 people. The
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Retail online sales estimates (B-to
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Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/healt
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Product Liability Under the 1985 Di
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Designs The EU adopted a Regulation
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* Must not be deceptive as to the n
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For documentary and educational wor
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Financial services [http://ec.europ
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Retail Distribution Magazine “L.S
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Return to table of contents Chapter
Page 37 and 38: Project Management Software The mar
Page 39 and 40: Aircraft & Parts (AIR) (CSF, CSV) R
Page 41 and 42: Travel & Tourism (TRA) Return to to
Page 43 and 44: Penetration of the security market
Page 45 and 46: Computers and Peripherals (CPT) Ret
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Page 49 and 50: Best Products/Services Return to to
Page 51 and 52: Small- and Medium-Sized Plants In o
Page 53 and 54: Medical Equipment (MED) Return to t
Page 55 and 56: Syndicat National de l'Industrie de
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Page 59 and 60: Plastics (PMR) Return to top Overvi
Page 61 and 62: Cosmetics (COS) Return to top Overv
Page 63 and 64: Education Services (EDS) Return to
Page 65 and 66: TEXTILES (TXT) Return to top Overvi
Page 67 and 68: Union française des Industries de
Page 69 and 70: Resources Return to top French Dire
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Page 73 and 74: EU Broadcast Directive and limit ma
Page 75 and 76: y restricting the sale of batteries
Page 77 and 78: And Defense Trade Controls Bureau o
Page 79 and 80: Designation: State what the product
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Page 91 and 92: CRITT Sports et loisirs Centre Rég
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Page 95 and 96: Concrete CERIB (Centre d'Etudes et
Page 97 and 98: Labeling and Marking Return to top
Page 99 and 100: U.S. Mission to the European Union
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Page 103 and 104: The decree also changes the trigger
Page 105 and 106: English summaries of labor and tax
Page 107 and 108: The GOF sponsors R&D and technology
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Page 111 and 112: Protection of Property Rights Retur
Page 113 and 114: interest rates, short- and long-ter
Page 115 and 116: The OECD Anti-Bribery convention is
Page 117 and 118: Talks between employers and unions
Page 119 and 120: Foreign direct investment inflows a
Page 121 and 122: Flows by country of origin (Market
Page 123 and 124: Web Resources Return to top French
Page 125 and 126: secured and non-secured overdrafts.
Page 127 and 128: The Bank of New York Mellon (repres
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MINISTER-COUNSELOR FOR COMMERCIAL A
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AMERICAN PRESENCE POST - TOULOUSE J
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OFFICE OF THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTA
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French National Testing Laboratory
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French Federation of Jewelry, Gifts
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Photographic and Video Equipment In
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CREDIT AGRICOLE [http://www.credit-
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Market Research Return to top To vi
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March 11-14 SITL Europe - Internati
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June 16-20 EUROSATORY U.S. PAVILION
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November 15-18 SALON DE LA PISCINE,
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