It is a research institute belonging to the Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE) and was founded in 1920. As a neutral, independent organization, VDE's laboratory conducts inspections and certifications of electrical products according to the German VDE national standards or the European EN standards or the IEC International Electrotechnical Commission standards. In many countries, the VDE certification mark is even more famous than its own certification mark, and it is especially recognized and valued by importers and exporters.