The “China Export” Mark Myth

The ‘China Export’ myth gained traction in the mid-2000s, primarily through email chains and online forums, and . The claim was that some Chinese manufacturers were using a 标识, where the C and E were very close together, to imply compliance with European 标准 while claiming it simply stood for ‘China Export’. This would theoretically provide a legal loophole if they were accused of fraudulent CE marking. The story was often accompanied by images comparing the two logos.

In response to a formal question in the European Parliament in 2008, the European Commission clarified its position. The Commission stated it was unaware of any ‘China Export’ mark and that the allegation was unfounded. It reiterated that under EU law, the only valid marking is the official ‘CE’ marking with its legally defined proportions. Any other mark that could be confused with it is illegal. The non-compliant marks seen on some products are simply incorrectly designed CE marks, whether due to ignorance or deliberate deception to create ambiguity. The Commission’s stance is that the motivation is irrelevant; a non-compliant mark is an infringement and subject to action by member state market surveillance authorities. This clarification was important to combat misinformation and reinforce that responsibility for correct marking lies with the manufacturer, and no such ‘loophole’ exists.