Summary of EAC process
The EAC certificate or EAC declaration is the key document required for companies wanting to export to CU (Custom Union) countries, also known as EAEU (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan). This document is needed both for sales and customs clearance procedures. The EAC certificates of the EAEU apply in all member states within the EAEU and are valid for up to 5 years.
The Certification or Declaration may be applicable depending on product type. A Local Representative is required.
The EAC certification process is based on in-country testing, performed by accredited labs. The accredited certification bodies are responsible for reviewing and assessing all technical documentation (test reports included) and issuing the EAC certificate.
The EAC declaration process can make use of the already performed CE testing. Therefore, neither in-country testing nor assessment by a Certification Body are required.
There are two main regulations under EAC Approval:
Technical regulation TR CU 004/2011 on safety of low voltage systems, which applies to all low-voltage devices intended for an alternating current of 50 to 1,000 volts and a direct current of 75 to 1,500 volts. According to TR CU 004/2011, the following devices are subject to the EAC Certification:
- household electrical appliances
- personal electronic data processing machines
- devices that can be connected to electronic data processing machines
- electrical tools
- electronic musical instruments
- cables
- automatic and safety switches
- electrical distribution
- electrical control units
Technical Regulation TR CU 020/2011 applies to all devices that can generate electromagnetic interference or whose functionality is dependent on the influence of external electromagnetic interference. According to TR CU 020/2011, the following products are subject to the EAC Certification [5]:
- household electrical appliances
- personal electronic data processing machines
- devices that can be connected to electronic data processing machines
- electrical tools
- electronic musical instruments
Labelling Requirements
The EAC certification mark confirms the compliance of the goods with the norms of the Eurasian Customs Union. EAC marking indicates that marked products have passed all assessment procedures. Special requirements apply to EAC marking:
- The EAC logo must be put on products covered by the EAC certificate or declaration.
- The label must contain three letters (‘E’, ‘A’ and ‘C’) written in a single font. Marking should be applied to a contrasting background and must be at least 5 mm of size.
- The label should be placed on each product unit, the packaging and the documentation and, if possible, located next to the manufacturer’s trademark. The label should be clearly visible during the lifetime of the product.
- The label must be placed directly on the product unit (if possible) and/or tag (if any) as well as on the packaging and technical documentation.
The EAC label should be put on products before passing customs clearance.
Summary of FSS Notification process
FSS Notification is a mandatory permission for the use of products with cryptographic (encryption) capabilities in Russia. The encryption notification issued by the Federal Security Service (FSB – Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti) – is an approval document proving the notification of the State regarding the use of cryptographic (encryption) technology by a product/device that is to be imported to, or exported from, a country member of the Eurasian Community.
The list of product categories subject to the registration of the FSS Notification is stipulated by the Decision of the Eurasian Economic Commission No. 30 as of April 21 2015. Generally, if the communication device has any encryption functions it will require the FSS Notification. The list of products subject to FSS Notification depends on products’ HS Codes.
A Local Representative is required and no testing activity is needed to obtain the FSS Notification. A power of Attorney shall be signed from the petitioner in order to apply to the Federal Security Service. Lead-time is typically from 15 to 20 working days and the validity period is typically 5 years. This scheme is applicable to all Custom Union countries.
Summary of FAC Approval process
FAC (Federal Agency of Communication) approval is required for most telecom and wireless equipmentdevices. This document is required for products that connect to a fixed network or wireless network.
The form type of conformity assessment can be FAC Certificate or FAC Declaration depending on the product type. Here is tThe list of the products subject to FAC Certification can be provided by Applus+ experts. can be consulted. For equipment not listed for FAC Certification, the FAC Declaration is required.
The FAC Certification requires in-country testing performed by accredited test laboratories. Typically one sample with RF antenna connector(s)conducted is needed for carrying out the test activityrequired tests. The FAC certification allows for the approval of product series or families under a single certificate. The FAC Certification allows for series or families ofy approvals into under one certificate. The lead time can easily take be between 3-4 months. The vValidity of the FAC Certificate is 3 years.
The FAC Declaration does not require in-country testing. Only a single model product type shall be specifiedcan appear on the FAC Ddeclaration (no series or/no families of approvalsy are allowed). The lead time to get the FAC Declaration is typically takes 4-6 weeks. The declarant establishes the validity of the Declaration of Conformity, which is (typically 5 years).
There are no special national markings for the FAC Declaration / FAC Certification and both cases require a Local Representative.
Summary of RFC Statement Radio Type Approval process
The RFC (Radio Frequency Conclusion) Statement issued by the Government Radio Frequency Center is a document required for the importation of radio electronic, high-frequency devices (HFD) and their components to the Russian Federation. The statement confirms that the product complies with the specifications and operating conditions approved by the State Commission for Radio Frequencies (SCRF) (also known as GKRCH). This approval can only be used in Russia.
The RFC Statement is required for the registration of the license of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (Minpromtorg License). The full list of products that fall under the scope of the RFC Conclusion can be provided by Applus+ experts.
The following steps must be followed when applying for the RFC Statement:
- Applying to Roskomnadzor (Federal Telecommunication authority) for a Samples Import Licence. When the license has been obtained, the product can be imported over the next 6 months to be tested.
- Applying to the Radio-Frequency Center for testing. In-country testing is required by the National Authority itself.
- Preparing relevant technical documentation for Authority experts.
- The RFC performs in-country testing and issues a test report. The scope of the tests is determined individually for each product according to GKRCH’s decision and Roskomnadzor’s requirements. The most frequently tested parameters are general RF aspects, including: transmission power, maximum EIRP, maximum spectral density, channel width, etc.
- Reporting the tests and preparing the RFC Conclusion.
- After the RFC Conclusion has been obtained, it can be added to the Roskomnadzor register in order to confirm that the product meets all necessary requirements and can be legally imported.
No family approval is allowed for the RFC Statement. In the case of different variants coexisting within a product family, each model will need to be tested in order to obtain this specific RF approval. One modified sample is typically required for carrying out the test activity. The lead time is between 30 and 40 working days. The validity of the RFC Statement is indefinite and there are no special national markings for the RFC Conclusion.
Summary of GOST-R Approval process
The GOST-R certificate of conformity signifies that imported products comply with Russian standards, quality and safety requirements. The GOST-R certificate is necessary for customs clearance in Russia and for sale and/or marketing within the country.
GOST-R Product Scope
The GOST system is currently being replaced with EAC certification system which was based on Technical Regulations of the Customs union (starting from 2010) and now transformed to Technical Regulations of Eurasian Economic Union (TR EAEU), however, some of the national GOSTs for certain types of products still remain effective because of the necessity to regulate and control the quality of the products which still have no harmonized requirements. It is mainly the following products:
- Building materials
- Tableware
- High-voltage (> 1000 V) equipment
- Batteries
- Steel ropes
- Polyethylene pipes
- Some kinds of medical devices
- Others
Testing must be performed by accredited test laboratories and certification may only be obtained from accredited CBs (Certification Body) and a local representative is required for GOST-R Certification.
Validity: 1, 2 or 3 years. The Russian law on certification does not allow the renewal of the certificate. Therefore, once it has been expired it will be necessary to make a new application
Products must be marked with the GOST-R Mark after getting GOST-R certificate.
This Mark should be used on the products and packages with the Certification Body registration number under the logo.