Importers

Manufacturers, importers and retailers are responsible for the products they sell. How have you made sure as an importer that your product is safe and in conformity with relevant European requirements.

Why is CE mark not sufficient?

CE marking is mandatory for most products sold within the European Union. In electrical equipment CE marking is the manufacturer’s or the EU importer’s verification that the product fulfills the relevant European requirements. Nobody grants the CE marking for electrical equipment.

FI mark is reliable and increases your sale

Contrary to CE marking, FI marking requires always testing in a competent testing laboratory. FI mark is only granted to products that have passed thorough tests and inspections. FI mark complies always with safety requirements of the low-voltage directive. FI mark products are monitored on manufacturing sites and in shops.

FI mark is an excellent marketing asset – it helps you to show that your product has been verified to be safe and of good quality. In testing carried out by the Authority supervising safety of electrical devices, annually almost 400 products with major or significant safety defects are discovered resulting into recall of products or sales limitations. Of this reason FI marked products are a safe and reliable choice for the consumer.

FI mark is for the importer a good way to make sure that the products imported are safe and it can be used as a marketing tool. If the manufacturer has not obtained FI mark for the product, the importer can apply for it. If the importer is the holder of the FI certificate, other importers are not allowed to import the product in question without the permission of the FI certificate holder.

For which products can FI safety mark be granted?

The basis for FI mark is usually a Finnish SFS standard, European EN standard or global IEC or ISO standard. FI safety mark applies thus to major part of electrical equipment and components, machinery and gas appliances.

Conditions for granting FI mark

  1. Application in writing
  2. Type testing in a competent testing laboratory. If the manufacturer has e.g. an international CB certification for the product, the FI mark can usually be granted on the basis of the CB Test Report if European and Finnish special conditions have been taken into account
  3. Certification validation and decision is made by either SGS Fimko or Inspecta.

FI certification is valid under the conditions that:

  1. Annual factory inspections is carried out
  2. The manufactured product is similar to the type tested
  3. Annual product type specific FI maintenance fee. With the income of the maintenance fee we supervise the use of the FI mark, maintain product register and product register service
  4. In addition to quality control of the production, use of the FI mark is supervised with random checks from the market.

Application for FI certification

Electrical equipment, toys, gas appliances: SGS Fimko
Building material: Kiwa Inspecta

Do you import building material?

CE marking on building material guarantees that the product fulfills the informed characteristics and safety requirements. However it does not guarantee that all essential quality requirements for building have been fulfilled, e.g. exterior features of the surface.  Of this reason CE marking should be supplemented with a voluntary product certification, FI mark.

CE marking does not necessary guarantee the conformity with all quality requirements we are accustomed to in Finland. For example, frost resistance guaranteed by CE marking can correspond to Central European requirements and only an expert is able to assess whether the feature is sufficient for Finnish climate conditions. FI mark guarantees that the building material withstands Finnish climate conditions.

In concrete paving blocks FI mark guarantees, that the exterior features and measurements of the stones correspond with quality level normally used in Finland and that the climate resistance of the stones corresponds with frost endurance required by the Finnish winter.

More information how you can benefit FI mark in your advertising (only in Finnish and Swedish).