The Declaration of Conformity is usually issued and signed by the person placing the product on the EU single market. In most cases, this person is the product's manufacturer or importer.
When a product is imported into the EEA (European Economic Area) from a non-EU country, the importer must ensure that the product fulfils all requirements of the relevant CE directives and regulations. Moreover, the importer must also verify that the technical file is correctly assembled and can be made available to the market authorities upon request.
Distributors do not need to draw up the Declaration of Conformity but, on the other hand, must verify that the product's manufacturer or importer has taken all required measures. However, if a distributor decides to rebrand a product, they will automatically assume the manufacturer's responsibilities. Thus, they will need to draw up and sign a Declaration of Conformity.
Furthermore, a Declaration of Conformity can also be signed by the manufacturer's EU authorised representative. The authorised representative must be located within the EU and have a written mandate from the non-EU manufacturer.
Lastly, the Declaration of Conformity can never be issued by a Notified Body or a test house. The Notified body can only draw up and sign conformity assessment certificates such as the EU type-examination certificate. Test institutes that are not accredited Notified bodies can only issue test certificates such as a Certificate of Compliance.