Standards Comparison

    CE Marking

    Mandatory
    1985

    EU marking for product conformity to harmonised legislation

    VS

    APRA CPS 234

    Mandatory
    2019

    Australian prudential standard for information security capability

    Quick Verdict

    CE Marking declares product conformity for EU market access across industries, while APRA CPS 234 mandates information security governance for Australian financial entities. Companies adopt CE for free trade; CPS 234 for regulatory resilience and cyber defense.

    Product Safety

    CE Marking

    CE marking (Conformité Européenne)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Manufacturer declares conformity to EU essential requirements
    • Enables free circulation across EEA single market
    • Mandatory only for harmonised EU product legislation
    • OJEU harmonised standards grant presumption of conformity
    • Risk-based modules A-H for conformity assessment
    Information Security

    APRA CPS 234

    APRA Prudential Standard CPS 234 Information Security

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Board ultimate responsibility for information security
    • 72-hour APRA notification for material incidents
    • Systematic independent testing of controls
    • Third-party capability assessment and oversight
    • Asset classification by criticality and sensitivity

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    CE Marking Details

    What It Is

    CE marking (Conformité Européenne) is the EU's compliance marking framework for products under harmonised legislation. It signals the manufacturer's declaration that products meet essential health, safety, and environmental requirements. Scope covers categories like electrical equipment, machinery, and medical devices. Approach is risk-based, using conformity assessment modules (A-H) and harmonised standards for presumption of conformity.

    Key Components

    • Essential requirements from directives/regulations (e.g., LVD 2014/35/EU).
    • Technical documentation, EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), CE affixing rules.
    • Modules for self-assessment or notified body involvement.
    • Post-market surveillance under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. Compliance via self-declaration or third-party verification.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandated for EEA market access; avoids fines, withdrawals. Enables free movement across 30+ countries. Reduces liability, builds trust. Provides strategic scale, procurement edge, and innovation via standards.

    Implementation Overview

    Map legislation, assess conformity, compile technical files (10-year retention). Test via labs/notified bodies; issue DoC, affix mark. Applies to manufacturers/importers in EEA-impacted industries. No central certification; authority audits enforce.

    APRA CPS 234 Details

    What It Is

    APRA Prudential Standard CPS 234 (Information Security) is a binding prudential regulation issued by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, effective 1 July 2019. It mandates APRA-regulated entities maintain information security capabilities commensurate with threats to protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets. The approach is risk-based, requiring proportionate controls, governance, and assurance.

    Key Components

    • Governance with Board ultimate accountability and defined roles.
    • Asset identification, classification by criticality/sensitivity.
    • Controls across asset lifecycle, third-party oversight.
    • Systematic testing, independent assurance, incident response.
    • 72-hour APRA notification for material incidents; 10 business days for unremediable weaknesses. No fixed control count; focuses on outcomes with internal audit validation.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandatory for APRA entities (banks, insurers, super funds). Reduces incident impact, ensures operational resilience, avoids penalties. Builds trust, enables partnerships, cuts remediation costs.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: gap analysis, policy framework, controls, testing, monitoring. Applies to all sizes in Australia; group-wide for heads. Requires evidence for APRA supervision; no external certification.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    CE Marking
    Product safety, conformity for harmonised EU rules
    APRA CPS 234
    Information security resilience for financial entities

    Industry

    CE Marking
    All manufacturing sectors, EU/EEA market access
    APRA CPS 234
    Australian financial services (banks, insurers, super)

    Nature

    CE Marking
    Mandatory self-declaration for covered products
    APRA CPS 234
    Mandatory prudential standard with Board accountability

    Testing

    CE Marking
    Conformity assessment modules, risk-based
    APRA CPS 234
    Systematic independent control testing annually

    Penalties

    CE Marking
    Market withdrawal, fines by Member States
    APRA CPS 234
    Supervisory actions, enforcement notices, sanctions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about CE Marking and APRA CPS 234

    CE Marking FAQ

    APRA CPS 234 FAQ

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