Importer or distributor of the machinery
The importer
The importer of the machinery means a party who imports machinery from outside the European Economic Area to the EU market with a view to, for example, sell.
The importer of the machinery must:
- ensure that the manufacturer has carried out the appropriate conformity assessment procedure for the machinery
- ensure that the manufacturer has prepared the technical file for the machinery
- ensure that the CE marking is affixed to the machinery
- ensure that the machinery is accompanied by the EC Declaration of Conformity and appropriate instructions, which in Finland must be in Finnish and Swedish as well
- where appropriate, co-operate with the national market surveillance authority.
The distributor
The distributor of the machinery means a party who, for example, sells machinery that is manufactured in the European Economic Area or previously imported to the Economic Area.
The distributor of the machinery must:
- ensure that the CE marking is affixed to the machinery
- ensure that the machinery is accompanied by the EC Declaration of Conformity and appropriate instructions, which in Finland must be in Finnish and Swedish
- where appropriate, co-operate with the national market surveillance authority.
Language of documents
Where no original instructions or the EC Declaration of Conformity exist in the official language(s) of the country where the machinery is to be used, a translation into that/those language(s) must be provided by the manufacturer or its authorised representative or by the person bringing the machinery into the language area in question. The translation must bear word “Translation”.
This means that the party importing the machinery to Finland must obtain the Finnish and Swedish translations of the instructions and the EC Declaration of Conformity from the manufacturer or its authorised representative, or failing that, translate the instructions himself or have them translated.
Manufacturer's or distributor's own trademark
The manufacturer or distributor is considered to be the manufacturer when
- the manufacturer or distributor places a product on the market under its own name or a trademark
- the manufacturer or distributor alters a product that has already been placed on the market in a manner that may affect the compliance of the product.
The obligations of the manufacturer are transferred to the manufacturer or distributor also if the manufacturer or distributor alters the machinery that has already been placed on the market in a manner that may affect the compliance of the machinery.
More information on the obligations of the manufacturer can be found on page Manufacturer of the machinery.
