Defined term
Distributor (definition)
Defined at Article 3(17): making available without importing.
LAW Defined in Article 3 (Art. 3(17)). The verbatim definition is in the official text of Article 3; only the Official Journal is authentic.
sha256:27b7c6c64c773001… · CELEX 32024R2847Article 3(17) defines a distributor as a person in the supply chain, other than the manufacturer or importer, who makes a product with digital elements available on the Union market without affecting its properties. The operative duty set sits in Article 20: due care, verification of CE marking and declaration of conformity, and not making available products they have reason to consider non-compliant F-013.
The "without affecting its properties" clause is the quiet boundary — change the product's properties and the distributor label stops fitting; a substantial modification makes you its manufacturer F-014.
Verified facts this page relies on
- F-013 Distributors act with due care; verify CE marking, declaration of conformity and manufacturer/importer obligations; do not make non-compliant products available; report vulnerabilities to the manufacturer; cooperate with authorities. Art. 20
- F-014 Substantial modification: a change after placing on the market affecting compliance with essential requirements or resulting in a modification of the intended purpose; a person who substantially modifies a product becomes its manufacturer. Art. 3(30), Art. 22
Facts are maintained and human-verified in the CEMarque Facts Table (v2026.09.4, verified 2026-09-10).
Editorial review: Claude (AI reviewer, delegated by the editor), 2026-10-08. Methodology and correction process: how this site works.