A sealing arrangement for fuel cells, including a at least one composite (40) formed of two cell separator plates (1, 4; BPP) with a deformable membrane electrode assembly (18; MEA) placed therebetween, the deformable membrane electrode assembly being composed of two porous, gas-permeable plates or layers (2, 3; GDL) and an ion-exchange membrane (5; PEM) placed therebetween, the lateral surfaces (7, 8, 9) of the membrane electrode assembly being set back with respect to the lateral surfaces (6, 10) of the cell separator plates to leave a sealing gap (19), an elastic sealing element (17) which encloses the composite in the manner of a peripheral sealing band (28), the sealing element (17) having a peripheral sealing strip (20) which extends into the sealing gap (19) to seal the sealing gap (19) in a gas-tight manner by compression between the cell separator plates (1, 4; BPP).