Russian EAC Certification

Eurasian Conformity is the unified Compulsory Product Certification system of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), replacing the original Russian GOST-R certification. Established in 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union comprises five countries: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The EAC mark indicates that the product meets the requirements of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union (TP TC) and can be freely circulated in the five markets.

The predecessor of the EAC certification system was the Technical Regulation system of the Customs Union established in 2011. From 2011 to 2015, the Customs Union gradually issued a series of technical regulations, replacing the original national standards of member states. After the Customs Union was upgraded to the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015, EAC certification officially became the unified market access system for the five countries. As of now, more than 40 technical regulations (TR CU/TR EAEU) have come into effect.

There are two types of EAC certification: EAC Certificate of Conformity and EAC Declaration of Conformity. The main difference between the two is the difference between the evaluation model and the scope of Applicable Products. Certification requires Sample Testing and Factory Audit by the Certification Body, and the procedure is more stringent; the declaration of conformity can be registered by the applicant himself/herself, and the procedure is relatively simplified. Which model is used depends on the technical regulations to which the product belongs.

In addition to the EAC mark, for certain equipment regulated by specific regulations (such as restricted equipment), the Customs Union HS code must also be marked on the product. The certificate will contain the certification body information, certificate number, validity period, applicable technical regulation numbers, product information, and manufacturer information. The EAC Certificate of Conformity is registered in the Federal Accreditation Service (FSA) system with a registration number.

The EAC mark and certificate number should be indicated in the product manual, packaging labels, and shipping documents. For products certified through the EAC Declaration of Conformity, the EAC mark must also be affixed to the product, but the certification body number is not required. The color of the mark is not standardized; black is typically used.

For wireless function devices, hazardous substance testing is also required according to TR CU 037/2016 (On Restricting the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Radio Electronic Equipment). This regulation is similar to the EU RoHS directive, restricting the content of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Additionally, certain specific products must meet the special requirements of corresponding regulations, such as toys needing to comply with physical and mechanical properties, chemical migration limits, and flammability tests under TR CU 008/2011.

The EAC Certificate of Conformity and Declaration of Conformity have different legal effects. The Certificate of Conformity is issued by a certification body and has stronger credibility; the Declaration of Conformity is registered by the applicant themselves, with the certification body only reviewing documents. The EAC mark affixed for both types looks the same, but the level of recognition during customs and market surveillance may differ. It is recommended to choose the appropriate certification mode based on product risk level and customer requirements.

The validity period for batch certification is 1-5 years (Certificate of Conformity) or 1-5 years (Declaration of Conformity), depending on the specific regulations. Annual surveillance inspections are required during the validity period (Certificate of Conformity only). Re-application is required after expiration. For single-batch shipments, a one-time valid EAC certificate covering only that batch can be applied for.

Differences exist between GOST standards and IEC standards. Although some GOST standards have adopted IEC standards equivalently, differences may still exist in test methods, limit requirements, and judgment criteria. It is recommended to communicate fully with the laboratory before testing to confirm the correctness of the test plan and standard references, avoiding test failures or certificate rejection due to improper standard application.