# CE mark **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 18, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229 "2001-10-18T15:42:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/1 "2001-10-18T15:42:28Z")
Hi Cecil, The CE in “CE mark” stands for Communeaute Europeenne, whis translated into English is European Community. Just to make sure the Dope is straight! Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/2 "2001-10-18T15:56:07Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990402c.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990402c.html) link. Communitee Européen is the correct spelling. Would you believe that I actually asked a frenchman how to spell it and he got it wrong!! ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/3 "2001-10-18T17:38:39Z")
**Communité Européenne** would have been even better. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/4 "2001-10-20T06:54:36Z")
All of which would be useful if _this particular_ usage of the initials “CE” stood for Communité Européenne. I know we’ve been through this before, and most people agreed: it doesn’t. It isn’t strictly an abbreviation, although it is vaguely based on a French phrase; the letters indicate that the product **C** onforms to the relevant **E** uropean standards. (Note that it hasn’t changed to UE now, nor was it ever written EC in for example Britain.) The question wasn’t about the use of CE on EC-era documents and so forth, remember, but specifically about the stylized CE mark used on certain products sold in the European Union. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/5 "2001-10-23T12:32:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \* > **The CE in “CE mark” stands for Communeaute Europeenne, whis translated into English is European Community.** To tell you the truth, and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I think you’re all wrong… including Cecil (That, or I’ve been led _way_ astray by my friends). As I understand it, CE stands for _Conformité_ Européenne… not Communité Européenne. When translated into english, Conformité Européenne changes around to European Conformity. About all it’s saying is that it meets European Conformity standards- it’s akin to our Underwriters Laboratory in both its mission and symbol dealy. It’s a product safety stamp. That is, for the product to bear the UL or CE marks, it must meet a number of requirements. It’s not referring to community at all, at least in its symbol, it’s referring to European Conformity standards as it pertains to the European Community. Lord help me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am. ---
**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2001, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/6 "2001-10-24T06:19:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\ ***Communité Européenne** would have been even better. \*\* And Communautés européennes would have been best of all… I can’t find a reference, but I am sure that CE = Conformité européenne is correct. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/7 "2001-10-29T00:15:37Z")
You’re right, **Tamealien** , and so was I. I did a bit of checking on what exactly that thing means. Everything I’ve read says that CE=Conformité Européene, or translated, means European Conformity. One site I found puts it all together quite succinctly… > [@](#): > > **The letters “CE” are the abbreviation of French phrase “Conformité Européene” which literaturely means “European Conformity”.** > > [What is CE Marking?](http://www.ce-marking.org/what-is-ce-marking.html) From, [www.CE-marking.org](http://www.ce-marking.org/index.html) It’s also interesting to note that Cecil got the terminology wrong too… > [@](#): > > **The term initially used was “EC Mark” and it was officially replaced by “CE Marking” in the Directive 93/68/EEC in 1993. “CE Marking” is now used in all EU official documents. “CE Mark” is also in use, but it is NOT the official term.** > > Taken from the same article linked to above. So, it appears that we’re right and the big-guy is wrong… on two counts. I wonder how often _that_ happens. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/8 "2001-10-29T23:35:25Z")
How did Cecil get the terminology wrong? I see the term “CE Marking” in the online article referred to by TwistofFate. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/9 "2001-10-29T23:40:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamealien \* > > And Communautés européennes would have been best of all… I personally see “Communeauté européenne” (singular) being used most often. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/10 "2001-10-30T00:56:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried \* > \*\*How did Cecil get the terminology wrong? I see the term “CE Marking” in the online article referred to by TwistofFate. \*\* You’re right. That makes us one for one on facts. ---
**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/11 "2001-10-30T07:30:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried \* > \*\* > > I personally see “Communeauté européenne” (singular) being used most often. \*\* Yes, the singular form is probably most common, but technically it should be plural (see [http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/copyright\_en.htm](http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/copyright_en.htm) or [http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/copyright\_fr.htm](http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/copyright_fr.htm) in french for example) This is because it refers to three Communities - the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. Of course since the Maastricht Treaty European Union is more commonly used anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/12 "2001-10-30T15:52:46Z")
Tamealien, I did not know that. On the other hand, the CE mark would probably only be relevant for the economic community, hence the singular would be acceptable in this thread, eh? (Never say die!) ---
**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/13 "2001-10-31T07:16:33Z")
I’m getting this picture of someone stamping the CE mark on each lump of coal… ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ce-mark/88229/14 "2001-10-31T15:22:42Z")
And adding a special “CE electron” to every atom…