You have CE documentation. The question is not whether it holds up — it is exactly where it falls short. A CE documentation audit reviews your existing Declaration of Conformity, user manual and technical file point by point against EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 and IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019. You receive a clear report with traffic light status per dimension. We produce no documents — the assessment is what you are paying for.
Who orders a CE documentation audit?
A CE documentation audit is relevant if you cannot answer an unambiguous "yes" to one or more of these questions:
- Is your Declaration of Conformity issued against Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — not the old Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC?
- Does your technical file include a cybersecurity risk assessment, if the machinery has digital components or network connections?
- Is your user manual structured according to IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019 — not the 2012 version?
- Does the user manual address operators, installers and service technicians as separate target groups?
- Are the standards listed in the Declaration of Conformity consistent with the risk assessment in the technical file?
The audit is also typically the first step before a CE compliance package — it maps precisely what is missing before we produce it.
January 2027 is not a distant date
EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 replaces Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC on 20 January 2027. This is not a recommendation — it is a legal deadline. All machinery manufacturers selling into the EU must have updated documentation in place before that date.
It requires more than a new Declaration of Conformity. The Regulation sets stricter requirements for the structure of the user manual, introduces mandatory cybersecurity documentation for machinery with digital components, and permits digital delivery of the user manual — under conditions that must be documented in the technical file.
This is a complete documentation package, not a single update. A CE documentation audit from Contenza gives you a precise picture of what is in order and what is missing — before the deadline forces you to act.
What the audit covers
We review all three document types systematically — as well as the consistency between them:
| Document | What we assess |
|---|---|
| Declaration of Conformity | Completeness against Annex V of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, directive currency, standards validity, authorised representative, cybersecurity reference |
| User manual | Compliance with IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019 — audience separation, information types, language clarity, navigation and format |
| Technical file | Completeness against the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — risk assessment, drawings, test results, cybersecurity documentation |
| Cross-document consistency | Standards references in the Declaration of Conformity are consistent with the technical file; residual risk warnings in the user manual are consistent with the risk assessment |
Assessment framework
EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230
| Category | What we assess |
|---|---|
| Declaration of Conformity | Structure, content, signatures and reference to the correct regulation |
| Technical file | Completeness, risk assessment, drawings and test results |
| Cybersecurity documentation | Presence and scope — new requirement under 2023/1230 |
| Digital documentation readiness | Suitability for digital delivery — permitted under the new Regulation |
| Product marking | CE marking, machine identification and warnings |
IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019
| Category | What we assess |
|---|---|
| Audience separation | Operators, installers and service technicians addressed separately |
| Information type structure | Instructional, conceptual and reference information structured distinctly |
| Searchability and navigation | Table of contents, index and search capability |
| Language and clarity | Controlled language and simplified technical communication |
| Media format | Format appropriate to the use context — production floor, field, digital |
RAG scoring
Each audit dimension is assigned a traffic light status in the final report:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟢 Compliant | No action required |
| 🟡 Partially compliant | Action recommended before January 2027 |
| 🔴 Non-compliant | Action required — with specific article and annex reference |
Fixed price. No hourly rate. The audit is delivered at a fixed price based on the scope of your documentation. No surprises along the way. Delivery within 3–5 working days of receiving all documents.
How it works
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01
Initial contact
You contact us with a brief description of the machine and the situation. We send a document intake checklist specifying exactly what we need.
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02
Document intake
You submit the Declaration of Conformity, the user manual, a summary of the technical file and a product description. We confirm receipt and scope.
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03
Systematic review
We review all documents point by point against the requirements of EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 and IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019. Not a general impression — a structured, dimension-based analysis.
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04
RAG gap report
You receive a structured PDF with traffic light status per audit dimension, specific article and annex references for each finding, and a prioritised action plan with recommended next steps.
What you receive
- Structured gap report with RAG status (🔴 🟡 🟢) per audit dimension
- Specific article and annex references for each finding
- Prioritised action plan with recommended next steps
- A clear basis for planning your documentation update before January 2027
Order a CE documentation audit
Tell us briefly about the machine and the situation — what documents you have and what is driving the need. We will get back to you with scope and price.
Contact us →No documentation yet, or does it need a complete rewrite? See the CE compliance package →