In the case of Protective Equipment European Union has introduced CE–Marking, which makes it mandatory for exporters and manufacturers of protective equipment to comply with the product safety standards laid out in the European Union’s directive on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). CE stands for ‘Conformité Européene’. Most PPE are only subject to Directive 686/EEC amended). Directive 89/686/EC (as amended by directives 92/686/EEC, 92/95/EEC and 96/58/EC) lays down essential requirements for human health and safety for the application of Personal Protective Equipment.This directive applies to Personal Protective Equipment and components including those used in sports e.g. abdominal guard, thigh/ shin guards, gloves, etc.In the light of the fact that EU alone consumes more than 50% of sports equipment exported from India, the PPE manufacturers at Jalandhar need to comply with the PPE directive at the earliest. Upon doing so they will be able to convert this challenge to an opportunity as CE Marking allows free movement of goods within EU. Until recently, manufacturer or exporters who are selling their products in the various member countries of European Union (EU) would practically have to comply with different sets of product requirements for each country. With the introduction of the CE-marking, this is history. If product carries a CE-marking, it has free access to the markets of the EU. The CE-marking is a direct result of a set of directives of the EU (the New Approach directives). The main purpose of these European directives is to provide a free movement of products within the EU, whilst setting common requirements for product safety, thus creating a single market in the EU. EU member states adopt the European directives into their national laws. The members are committed to allow CE marked products on their territory without further restrictions to trade. The manufacturer or exporter is obliged to comply with these laws and thus with the directives of the EU.

Footballs: FIFA has established new test criteria for its ‘FIFA Approved’ and FIFA ‘Inspected’ balls. Manufacturers & exporters have to comply to the new requirements by April1, 2005. There is a frowning fear with the introduction of moulded technologies, the hand stitched balls might be obsolete in near future. Hence, it is imperative for the football manufacturers to understand the new requirements of FIFA balls and accordingly adjust their models.