What is product compliance?
Product compliance is the process of ensuring a product meets all regulatory requirements applicable to its category, intended use, and target markets. Unlike corporate compliance, product compliance is tied to specific products and the markets they enter.
For tech companies, the EU product regulatory landscape has expanded dramatically: the Cyber Resilience Act extends CE marking to software, the AI Act classifies AI systems by risk level, and sector-specific regulations like MDR or MiCA add additional layers.
The EU product compliance framework for tech
CE marking: mandatory for products with digital elements under the Cyber Resilience Act
EU AI Act: risk-based classification and conformity assessment for AI systems
GDPR: data protection by design and by default in every product
Cyber Resilience Act: cybersecurity requirements for connected products
Sector-specific: MDR, IVDR, MiCA, PSD2 depending on product type
Building compliance into the product lifecycle
The most effective approach is compliance by design, embedding regulatory requirements into the product development process from the start. Tools like Cleo automate the first step, regulatory mapping, by scanning your product profile against 3,700+ sources across 106 countries in minutes.
