EAC certification
has now replaced the GOST-R
certification that was prevalent in Russia before. The Eurasian
Conformity (EAC) certification was introduced in August 2013, and
since then has been a mark of compliance granted to qualified products.
The
EAC mark is required for almost all products that are imported in the Eurasian
Customs Union (ECU), which includes five countries at present: Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
As
such, the authorities offer two different documents under this standard. These
are the EAC certificate and the EAC declaration of conformity for EAC Customs
Union.
Applying for the certification
One
of the most important issues manufacturers face today is to determine whether
they need an EAC certificate or a declaration of conformity. The choice is not
in the hands of the applicant or the producer.
The
product categories determine which certification you need to apply for. It’s
explicitly stated in the TR CU regulations for each category.
Moreover,
the regulations also include the certification scheme and all the relevant
procedures that must be followed by the certification body accredited for
issuance of the certificate or declaration.
The
annexes for TR CU regulations usually list products that require the
certificate. In contrast, even if not explicitly declared, all excluded
products require the declaration.
Example: Regulations for safety of
machinery (TR CU 010/2011)
Annex 3 in the regulations list some
15 product categories that must meet conformation criteria in form of the EAC
certificate.
These
include household wood working equipment, agricultural machines, garage
equipment, machines for livestock, feed-processing and poultry farming, and
load lifting machines, among several others.
In
contrast, the annex 4 lists as many as 60 product categories that must meet
conformation criteria in form of the EAC declaration.
It
includes turbine installations, conveyors, industrial floor trackless
transport, pumping equipment, pulp-and paper equipment, and cryogenic equipment
among others.
What’s the difference?
As
an applicant, the most important difference you’ll note is the way these certification
requests are being processed.
The
certification bodies follow a set of procedures which vary for the certificate
and the declaration. Furthermore, a more extensive list of documents is
required for the certificate, along with mandatory ISO certification and
detailed test and factory inspections.
The
certificate is usually applicable for explosive or more dangerous equipment
such as devices that operate in explosive environment or vessels that operate
under high pressure.
Finally,
difference in distribution of responsibilities also exists between the two. Most
of the responsibility lies with the applicant in case of declaration while the
certification body must assume wider range of responsibility in case of the
certificate.
Let
us help you determine which certification
document you need for the product of interest. At G&M
Compliance, we offer streamlined certification management services for all our clients. Contact us
today to start the certification process!