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The TÜV Rheinland GS Mark has its roots in the German equipment safety law. The literal translation of "GS" stands for "safety-tested" in German. Typically, the electrical safety aspects of a product are evaluated, tested and certified in conjunction with the issuance of this Mark. The TÜV Rheinland GS Mark is a voluntary test mark. It is attached to a product to indicate that a third party has tested the product for safety and that continuous production control is maintained. In the past decade, members of the European Union have become accustomed to seeing the mark on consumer products.

In contrast to the TÜV Rheinland GS Mark, CE Marking is the manufacturer's self-declaration and does not prove compliance to all applicable directives. For most products sold in the EU, the use of CE Marking and a Declaration of Conformity are mandatory.

With the exception of some high risk products, most products can be self-declared by the manufacturer to meet the Essential Requirements. While the CE Marking permits a product's access to the EU, it is not an approval, certification or quality mark; nor is a marketing tool. CE Marking is a "mark' that is only a declaration of the supplier's own responsibility. While enabling products to be placed on the European market, it allows for the free movement of goods and permits the withdrawal of nonconforming products.