Slovakia - Labeling/Marking Requirements Slovakia Labeling Requirements
There is a broad array of EU legislation pertaining to the marking, labeling, and packaging of products, with neither an “umbrella” law covering all goods nor any central directory containing information on marking, labeling, and packaging requirements. This overview is meant to provide the reader with a general introduction to the multitude of marking, labeling, and packaging requirements and marketing tools to be found in the EU.
The first step in investigating the marking, labeling, and packaging legislation that might apply to a product entering the EU is to draw a distinction between what is mandatory and what is voluntary. Decisions related to mandatory marking, labeling and/or packaging requirements may sometimes be left to individual Member States. Furthermore, voluntary marks and/or labels are used as marketing tools in some EU Member States. This report is focused primarily on the mandatory marks and labels seen most often on consumer products and packaging, which are typically related to public safety, health and/or environmental concerns. It also includes a brief overview of a few mandatory packaging requirements, as well as more common voluntary marks and/or labels used in EU markets.
It is also important to distinguish between marks and labels. A mark is a symbol and/or pictogram that appears on a product or its respective packaging. These range in scope from signs of danger to indications of methods of proper recycling and disposal. The intention of such marks is to provide market surveillance authorities, importers, distributors and end-users with information concerning safety, health, energy efficiency and/or environmental issues relating to a product. Labels, on the other hand, appear in the form of written text or numerical statements, which may be required but are not necessarily universally recognizable. Labels typically indicate more specific information about a product, such as measurements, or an indication of materials that may be found in the product (such as in textiles or batteries).
Products made in Slovakia or imported into Slovakia must be labeled with the CE mark (the letters "CE" are the abbreviation of French phrase "Conformité Européene" which literally means "European Conformity". The term initially used was "EC Mark" and was officially replaced by "CE Marking" in the Directive 93/68/EEC in 1993), an EU designation indicating compliance with health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area (EEA). All electrical equipment should have, in addition to the CE mark, an “Energy Efficiency” label. Under the 1995 State Language Law, companies are required to mark contents of domestically produced or imported goods, product manuals, product guarantees, and other consumer-related information in the Slovak language.
Manufacturers should be mindful that, in addition to the EU’s mandatory and voluntary schemes, national voluntary labeling systems might still apply. These systems may be highly appreciated by consumers, and thus, become unavoidable for marketing purposes.
Manufacturers are advised to take note that all labels require metric units, although dual labeling is also acceptable. The use of language on labels has been the subject of a Commission Communication, which encourages multilingual information, while preserving the right of member states to require the use of the language of the country of consumption.
Web Resources
EU Single Market and Standards
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