Lighting
EU Declaration of Conformity for Christmas Lights and Fairy Lights: requirements and checklist
By Ing. Jaroslav Křepelka, Owner, DoC solutions s.r.o. · Updated 29 October 2026
In short: A mains-powered lighting chain is declared under the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU where it has a controller or transformer, and the RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU, with EN 60598-2-20 as the safety standard. Battery-powered fairy lights stay below the LVD voltage range, so their safety falls under the General Product Safety Regulation, while RoHS and, with electronics, EMC still require a declaration and CE marking.
Christmas lights are among the products most often recalled in the EU before every holiday season, usually for electrical safety: thin wires, poor insulation, missing strain relief, or outdoor chains that are not protected against rain. Market surveillance authorities run seasonal campaigns on them every year.
This page covers decorative lighting chains, fairy lights, curtain and icicle lights, and light figures, for indoor and outdoor use, powered from the mains, through a plug-in transformer, by USB or by batteries.
Checklist: what your christmas lights / fairy lights declaration must contain
- Model exactly as on the label, listing the number of lamps, length, colour and indoor or outdoor version covered
- Name and postal address of the manufacturer (and of the authorised representative, if appointed)
- The statement that the declaration is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer
- Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU for mains chains and chains sold with a mains transformer or adapter
- EMC Directive 2014/30/EU where the chain has a controller, timer, dimmer or electronic transformer, or RED 2014/53/EU for app or remote-controlled chains
- RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU
- The harmonised standards applied, with year and amendments
- Place and date of issue, name and function of the signatory, and the signature
Which EU legislation applies
| Legislation | Applies? | In the DoC? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Voltage Directive2014/35/EU | Depends on model | In the DoC: Yes | Applies to chains connected directly to the mains and to sets sold with a mains transformer or adapter. A chain powered only by batteries or USB is below 75 V DC and outside the LVD. |
| EMC Directive2014/30/EU | Depends on model | In the DoC: Yes | Chains with electronics: flashing controllers, timers, dimmers, electronic transformers. Not cited separately where RED applies. |
| Radio Equipment Directive2014/53/EU | Depends on model | In the DoC: Yes | Chains with an app, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth control, or a radio remote. RED then covers safety and EMC too; app-connected chains must also meet Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 on cybersecurity since 1 August 2025. Infrared remotes are not radio equipment. |
| RoHS Directive2011/65/EU | Applies | In the DoC: Yes | Restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, including the cables and the PVC insulation. |
| General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)(EU) 2023/988 | Depends on model | In the DoC: No | Covers the safety of battery and USB chains below the LVD range, and of features such as small parts and button batteries that children can reach. No declaration of conformity under GPSR. |
| Ecodesign for light sourcesRegulation (EU) 2019/2020 | Depends on model | In the DoC: Yes | Applies only if the chain meets the definition of a light source: white light within the defined chromaticity range and a luminous flux between 60 and 82 000 lumen. Many coloured or low-output decorative chains fall outside it; white chains with a higher output can be inside, with energy label and EPREL obligations. Assess and document it. |
| Batteries Regulation(EU) 2023/1542 | Depends on model | In the DoC: No | For batteries supplied with the chain: marking and producer registration. |
| WEEE Directive2012/19/EU | Applies | In the DoC: No | Producer registration in every EU country where you sell and the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. |
Typical harmonised standards
A harmonised standard gives presumption of conformity only in the version cited in the Official Journal of the EU. Always check the current list for each directive before you issue or update a declaration (European Commission: harmonised standards); the versions below are the ones commonly used at the time of writing, and the right selection depends on your product.
Safety
For chains below 75 V DC these standards do not give presumption of conformity under the LVD, but they are the accepted evidence of safety under GPSR.
- EN IEC 60598-1:2021 + A11:2022Luminaires — general requirements and tests
- EN 60598-2-20:2015Luminaires — particular requirements — lighting chains
- EN IEC 61558-1:2019 and EN 61558-2-6:2009Safety isolating transformers and power supply units, for chains with a plug-in transformer
- EN 62493:2010Assessment of lighting equipment related to human exposure to electromagnetic fields
EMC
- EN IEC 55015:2019 + A11:2020Radio disturbance characteristics of electrical lighting and similar equipment
- EN 61547:2009Equipment for general lighting purposes — EMC immunity requirements
Hazardous substances (RoHS)
- EN IEC 63000:2018Technical documentation for the assessment of electrical and electronic products with respect to the restriction of hazardous substances
Already have a declaration for your christmas lights / fairy lights?
A certification expert checks it against everything on this page and tells you exactly what to fix. Written report in 48 hours, €99 per product (excl. VAT).
Among other things, we check for the mistakes we find most often:
- Indoor chains sold for outdoor use
- Wire cross-section and insulation too thin
- The transformer is not covered
Common mistakes in christmas lights / fairy lights declarations
Indoor chains sold for outdoor use
Outdoor chains need the appropriate IP rating, typically at least IP44, for the chain, the connectors and the transformer, and the marking that goes with it. Listings showing an indoor chain on a garden tree are a common finding.
Wire cross-section and insulation too thin
EN 60598-2-20 sets minimum requirements for the cable, insulation and strain relief. Chains with very thin wires are the most frequent reason for recalls.
The transformer is not covered
In a set with a plug-in transformer, the transformer is part of the product. It must be a safety isolating transformer meeting its own standard, and the declaration must identify the set.
No declaration for battery chains
Battery fairy lights are below the LVD range, but RoHS still requires a declaration and the CE marking, and their safety must be shown under GPSR.
Missing warnings
Lighting chains need specific warnings and instructions, for example not to connect the chain while it is in its packaging and not to replace lamps that cannot be replaced, in the language of the country of sale.
What you need besides the declaration
- Technical documentation
- Safety test reports against EN 60598-2-20, the transformer's certificate and test report, EMC reports for electronic controllers, and RoHS documentation. Keep it for 10 years.
- Marking and instructions
- CE marking, the crossed-out wheeled bin, ratings, the IP rating for outdoor chains, the manufacturer's name and contact address, and the warnings required by the standard in the local language.
- Economic operator in the EU
- An importer, authorised representative or responsible person established in the EU (Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020), named on the product, packaging or an accompanying document.
No EU presence yet? We can act as your EU authorised representative or responsible person.
Frequently asked questions
Do Christmas lights need CE marking?
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Yes. Mains chains need it under the Low Voltage Directive and RoHS (and EMC with electronics); battery-powered chains need it under RoHS and, with electronics, EMC, while their safety falls under the General Product Safety Regulation.
Which standard applies to lighting chains?
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EN 60598-2-20 for lighting chains, together with the general luminaire standard EN IEC 60598-1, and EN 61558-2-6 for a plug-in safety transformer.
Do fairy lights need an energy label?
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Only if they meet the definition of a light source in Regulation (EU) 2019/2020, which depends on the colour and luminous flux. Many coloured or low-output decorative chains do not; white chains with a higher output can.
What does MyCECheck check on a lighting chain declaration?
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Whether the legislation fits the power supply (mains, transformer, battery or USB), whether the luminaire and transformer standards are cited with their versions, whether the variants are identified and whether an EU economic operator is named. Written report within 48 hours.
Already have a declaration for your christmas lights / fairy lights?
A certification expert checks it against everything on this page and tells you exactly what to fix. Written report in 48 hours, €99 per product (excl. VAT).
Among other things, we check for the mistakes we find most often:
- Indoor chains sold for outdoor use
- Wire cross-section and insulation too thin
- The transformer is not covered