Selecting a conformity assessment body for a CE marking project is not simply a question of finding an organisation that offers testing or certification. Where EU legislation requires Notified Body involvement, the organisation must be officially notified for the legislation, product scope and conformity-assessment procedure relevant to the product.
This distinction is critical. A conformity assessment organisation may be internationally recognised, accredited and technically competent, yet still not possess the notified scope required to perform a specific mandatory EU conformity-assessment activity.
Manufacturers therefore need a reliable method for verifying third-party status before commissioning mandatory conformity assessment.
The European Commission’s NANDO information system provides the official framework for identifying bodies notified by EU and EEA authorities under relevant Union harmonisation legislation.
Verification should go beyond checking whether an organisation has a four-digit Notified Body identification number. The manufacturer should establish whether the body is notified under the correct Directive or Regulation, whether the relevant product or technical field falls within its scope and whether it is authorised for the required conformity-assessment procedure.
This GAR Insight explains how NANDO fits into the CE marking system, how Notified Body identification numbers should be interpreted, how notification differs from accreditation, what manufacturers should verify before placing an order and how to avoid certificates that do not provide the regulatory evidence expected for the product.
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Learn how to verify Notified Bodies, interpret NANDO scope information and qualify conformity assessment organisations before mandatory CE marking activities begin.
What Is NANDO?
NANDO is commonly used to refer to the European Commission’s information system covering notified and designated conformity assessment bodies operating under relevant European legislation.
For manufacturers, its practical importance is straightforward: it provides an official reference point for determining whether an organisation has been notified for conformity-assessment activities under a particular piece of EU legislation.
This becomes particularly important where the applicable Directive or Regulation requires mandatory third-party involvement.
Why NANDO Verification Matters
When a Notified Body is legally required, the validity of the conformity-assessment route depends on using an organisation authorised for the relevant activity.
Manufacturers should therefore verify notified status before signing contracts, submitting technical documentation or relying on a certificate as part of the CE marking evidence chain.
Legal Authority
Confirm that the organisation has been notified under the legislation relevant to the product.
Product Coverage
Determine whether the applicable product or technical field falls within the notified scope.
Procedure Coverage
Confirm that the organisation can perform the conformity-assessment activity required by the selected legal route.
Regulatory Evidence
Establish that the resulting conformity document can support the mandatory procedure for which it is intended.
What Does a Four-Digit Notified Body Number Mean?
Notified Bodies are identified within the European system by a four-digit identification number.
This number identifies the notified organisation. It does not, by itself, prove that every service offered by that organisation falls within its notified activities.
Organisation Identity
The four-digit number identifies a particular notified conformity assessment body within the European notification framework.
Unlimited Technical Scope
The number does not mean that the organisation is notified for every Directive, Regulation, product or conformity-assessment module.
Notification and Accreditation Are Not the Same
Accreditation and notification are closely connected in many conformity assessment systems, but they describe different forms of recognition.
Accreditation generally demonstrates the competence of a conformity assessment body to perform specified testing, inspection or certification activities against defined standards or requirements.
Notification concerns designation for conformity-assessment activities under particular Union harmonisation legislation.
Competence Recognition
Accreditation provides formal recognition of competence for defined conformity assessment activities within an accreditation scope.
Regulatory Designation
Notification authorises the body to perform specified third-party conformity-assessment tasks under identified EU legislation.
Step One — Verify the Correct EU Legislation
Before evaluating a Notified Body, the manufacturer must know which EU legislation requires the third-party conformity assessment.
The same organisation may be notified under several Directives and Regulations, but its scope can differ substantially between them.
| Regulatory Area | Typical Verification Question | What Must Be Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure Equipment | Is the body notified under the applicable pressure equipment legislation? | Directive, equipment scope and assessment procedure |
| ATEX | Does the notification cover the relevant equipment/protection field? | Legislation, product category and procedure |
| PPE | Can the body assess the relevant PPE category/product? | Product scope and applicable conformity procedure |
| Radio Equipment | Is the body notified for the relevant RED conformity activity? | Legislation and assessment scope |
| Machinery | Which current or applicable machinery framework governs the assessment? | Applicable legislation, product classification and procedure |
Step Two — Verify the Product Scope
Notification under the correct legislation is necessary, but it may still not be sufficient.
The manufacturer’s product must also fall within the product or technical scope for which the organisation has been notified.
Step Three — Verify the Conformity-Assessment Procedure
The body must also be authorised for the conformity-assessment procedure required by the legislation and selected for the product.
This is particularly important where legislation provides several modules or combinations of modules.
EU-Type Examination
Confirm that the body’s notified scope covers the required type examination procedure.
Production QA
Check whether the organisation can perform the applicable production quality assurance activity.
Product QA
Verify scope where product quality assurance forms part of the route.
Product Verification
Confirm notification for the required verification activity.
Unit Verification
Check scope where an individual product or installation is assessed.
Full Quality Assurance
Confirm the body is notified for the applicable quality-system route.
How to Read a Notified Body Scope Correctly
A scope should be treated as a regulatory boundary rather than as a general marketing description of capability.
Manufacturers should read all available scope information carefully and determine whether their specific assessment sits inside those boundaries.
Where scope wording is unclear, the manufacturer should obtain written clarification from the conformity assessment body before commissioning the work and ensure that the proposed certificate or assessment route corresponds with the mandatory procedure.
Testing, Certification and Notification Are Not Interchangeable
Manufacturers frequently receive test reports, voluntary certificates, inspection reports and other third-party documents during product development. These documents can provide valuable conformity evidence, but they do not all have the same regulatory status.
| Activity | Primary Purpose | Regulatory Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Testing | Determine technical characteristics against specified methods | A test report is not automatically a Notified Body certificate |
| Inspection | Examine product, process, installation or other defined subject | Regulatory value depends on the applicable conformity procedure |
| Voluntary Certification | Provide independent third-party assurance against specified criteria | Does not automatically satisfy mandatory EU notified assessment |
| Accredited Assessment | Assessment performed within a recognised accreditation scope | Accreditation alone does not establish EU notification |
| Notified Assessment | Perform conformity assessment under specified EU legislation | Must fall within the body’s official notified scope |
Verify the Body Before Placing the Order
Notified Body verification should take place before the conformity assessment contract is awarded.
Discovering a scope problem after testing or certification has been completed can create additional cost, duplicated assessment and significant market-access delay.
How to Review a Notified Body Certificate
Verification should continue after the conformity assessment has been completed. The issued certificate should be reviewed against the product and regulatory route before being incorporated into the technical file.
Issuer
Does the legal entity correspond with the verified Notified Body?
Identification Number
Is the correct Notified Body identification number shown where applicable?
Legislation
Does the document identify the correct Directive or Regulation?
Product
Does the model, type or product identification match the equipment?
Procedure
Does the certificate correspond with the required conformity-assessment route?
Conditions
Are limitations, annexes or conditions attached to the certificate?
Notification Status Can Change
Notification should not be treated as a permanent characteristic that never requires further review.
A body’s scope or status can change over time, and manufacturers should consider the implications of changes that affect ongoing certification, surveillance, production conformity or new assessment activities.
Scope Change
Particular products or conformity procedures may be added, modified or removed from a body’s scope.
Suspension
Notification activities may be restricted or suspended under applicable administrative processes.
Withdrawal
A body may cease to hold notification for particular activities.
Legislation Change
New or replacement EU legislation can require reassessment of notification status and scope.
Common Notified Body Verification Mistakes
Checking Only the Logo
A certification or accreditation logo is treated as proof of appropriate notified status.
Checking Only the NB Number
The four-digit identification number is found, but detailed scope is never reviewed.
Right Body — Wrong Directive
The organisation is notified, but not under the legislation governing the product.
Right Directive — Wrong Product
Notification exists under the legislation, but the relevant product field falls outside scope.
Wrong Module
The body lacks notification for the conformity-assessment procedure required by the manufacturer.
Assuming Accreditation Is Enough
An accreditation certificate is relied upon without checking EU notification.
Confusing Testing With Certification
A laboratory test report is treated as mandatory notified conformity assessment.
Failing to Recheck Status
Historical notified status is assumed to remain unchanged for a new conformity project.
A Practical Notified Body Verification Workflow
Notified Body selection should form part of the wider regulatory conformity strategy rather than being treated as a stand-alone purchasing exercise.
Define Product
Establish exact product type, intended use and configuration.
Map Legislation
Identify applicable EU Directives and Regulations.
Classify Product
Determine category, group or risk classification where applicable.
Select Procedure
Determine the legally permitted conformity-assessment route.
Confirm NB Need
Establish whether mandatory Notified Body involvement applies.
Identify Candidates
Identify bodies potentially covering the required activity.
Verify Identity
Confirm organisation and four-digit identification number.
Check Legislation
Verify notification under the applicable EU act.
Check Product
Confirm the product falls within notified scope.
Check Procedure
Confirm the required module or assessment activity.
Contract Assessment
Define scope, deliverables and regulatory basis before work begins.
Verify Deliverables
Review resulting certificates and integrate them into the technical file.
A Notified Body Must Be Qualified Against the Assessment — Not Just Recognised by Name
The European conformity assessment system contains thousands of technical activities covering different products, risks, technologies and legislative frameworks. For this reason, the simple fact that an organisation is a Notified Body does not mean it can perform every mandatory CE marking assessment.
Manufacturers should first establish whether Notified Body involvement is required at all. This determination should come from the applicable legislation, product classification and conformity-assessment procedure.
Where third-party involvement is mandatory, the next step is to verify the proposed body against its official notification information. The organisation, identification number, applicable legislation, product scope, conformity-assessment procedure and any relevant limitations should all be considered.
This approach also helps manufacturers distinguish between mandatory notified assessment and other valuable third-party services. Accredited testing, inspection, voluntary certification and engineering assessment can all contribute to product conformity, but they should not be represented as notified activities unless the regulatory requirements for notification are actually fulfilled.
The same discipline should be applied when the assessment is complete. Certificates should be checked against the product, legal framework, assessment procedure and verified Notified Body before they become part of the technical documentation.
Treating Notified Body selection as a regulatory qualification process rather than simply a procurement decision reduces the risk of duplicated assessment, invalid documentation, delayed market access and reliance on conformity evidence that does not satisfy the applicable legislation.
The Scope Question
Is the organisation officially notified for the exact EU legislation, product field and conformity-assessment procedure required for the product?
The Evidence Question
Does the certificate or assessment document issued by that organisation correspond with the regulatory procedure that the manufacturer must complete?