EAC Certification for Electronic and Electrical Products Export

For electronic and electrical products exported to Russia and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states, eac certification is a mandatory market access credential. From IT/AV equipment and wireless communication devices to lighting and power supplies, any electronic and electrical products falling under the jurisdiction of technical regulations must pass the EAC conformity assessment before they can freely circulate within the Union. This article systematically outlines core matters such as the product scope, applicable regulations, certification categories, application process, document checklist, and certificate validity of EAC certification.

What is EAC Certification

EAC stands for Eurasian Conformity, which is a mandatory product certification system formulated and uniformly implemented by the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The predecessor of EAC certification was the Customs Union certification system established by Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. In 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union was officially established, and the certification system was uniformly upgraded to EAC certification. The original independent certifications of individual countries (such as Russia's GOST-R, Belarus's GOST-B, etc.) have been gradually abolished.

Products that have obtained EAC certification can freely circulate within the following five member states without the need to repeatedly apply for separate certifications in each country:

• Russian Federation

• Republic of Belarus

• Republic of Kazakhstan

• Republic of Armenia

• Kyrgyz Republic

Applicable Technical Regulations for Electronic and Electrical Products

Electronic and electrical products exported to the Eurasian Economic Union usually need to simultaneously meet the conformity assessment requirements of the following three technical regulations:

TR CU 004/2011 On the Safety of Low Voltage Equipment

• Scope of application: Low-voltage electrical equipment with AC 50～1000V and DC 75～1500V, including IT equipment, audio and video equipment, wireless communication devices, lighting, and power supply products. It mainly evaluates electrical safety, protection against electric shock, protection against overheating, fire prevention, and mechanical hazards.

TR CU 020/2011 Electromagnetic Compatibility Technical Regulation

• Scope of application: Electrical equipment that may generate electromagnetic interference or whose performance may be affected by electromagnetic interference. It mainly evaluates conducted emission, radiated emission, and immunity requirements, requiring the equipment to work normally in the Union's electromagnetic environment without causing unacceptable interference to other equipment.

EAEU TR 037/2016 On Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrotechnical and Radio-electronic Products

• Scope of application: Restricts the content of 6 hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The limit for cadmium in homogeneous materials is 0.01%, and the limit for the other 5 substances is 0.1%. This regulation was formulated with reference to the EU RoHS directive. Currently, it only controls 6 substances (the 4 new phthalates added to EU RoHS 2.0 have not yet been included). It usually adopts the assessment form of an EAC Declaration of Conformity (DoC).

EAC Certification Categories

Based on product risk levels and technical regulation requirements, EAC certification is divided into two assessment forms:

eac certificate of Conformity (CoC)

• Applicable to high-risk products. Issued by a Certification Body accredited by the Eurasian Economic Union. It requires sample testing, and some certification schemes also require factory audits and annual surveillance audits. Products declared for household use must be assessed in the form of a CoC according to TR CU 004/2011 and TR CU 020/2011; products declared for industrial use are usually assessed in the form of a DoC.

EAC Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

• Applicable to medium and low-risk products. The manufacturer or authorized representative self-declares that the product complies with relevant technical regulations. It needs to be declared based on technical documents and test reports from a qualified laboratory, and takes effect after being registered in the Union's unified registration system. EAEU TR 037/2016 usually takes the DoC form. Applicants can also choose to use a CoC instead of a DoC.

Experience Tip: The same electronic and electrical product may involve multiple regulations at the same time, and the assessment form needs to be determined separately. It is recommended to confirm the regulatory combination of the target market during the design phase to avoid certificate invalidity or customs clearance blockage due to incorrect selection of the assessment form.

EAC Certification Application Process

The standard application process for EAC certification of electronic and electrical products is as follows:

• Step 1: Choose the issuing agency. According to the product category and export requirements, choose a Union-accredited certification body (CoC) or prepare a DoC registration scheme.

• Step 2: Prepare technical documents. According to the document checklist required by the regulations, prepare materials such as Russian manuals, circuit diagrams, BOMs, and technical passports.

• Step 3: Sample testing. Send samples to a Union-accredited laboratory, complete all test items required by TR CU 004/2011, TR CU 020/2011, etc., and obtain the test report.

• Step 4: Factory audit (only for CoC scheme 1C/2C). According to the certification scheme requirements, the certification body will perform a factory audit or video factory audit to confirm production consistency.

• Step 5: Document review. The certification body reviews the test report, technical documents, and factory audit report (if any) to confirm conformity.

• Step 6: Certificate issuance. The CoC is issued as a paper/electronic certificate by the certification body; the DoC is generated after the applicant registers it in the Union system.

• Step 7: Mark affixing. The certified product can only enter the Union customs territory and be sold after the EAC mark is affixed to its nameplate or packaging.

List of Required Documents for EAC Certification

To apply for EAC certification for electronic and electrical products, the following documents are typically required:

Basic Application Documents

① Application form (including product name, model, customs code, manufacturer information)

② Manufacturer's business license and ISO 9001 certificate (if any)

③ Power of Attorney (foreign manufacturers must appoint an authorized representative within the Union)

Technical Documents (Russian version required)

④ Product manual in Russian (including safety warnings, technical parameters, installation and usage instructions)

⑤ Circuit schematic diagram, PCB layout

⑥ Block Diagram

⑦ BOM (Bill of Materials for critical components, including models, technical parameters, certification status)

⑧ Product Technical Passport (Russian version)

⑨ Product nameplate and EAC mark location diagram

Testing and Audit Documents

⑩ cb test report and certificate (if any, can be used for certificate conversion to waive some tests)

⑪ emc test report

⑫ CIG 023 factory inspection report (required by some certification bodies, a video factory audit scheme can also be selected)

⑬ Samples (usually 1～2 units, the specific quantity is determined by the certification body)

Certificate Validity and Renewal

The validity period of an EAC certificate is determined by the specific certification scheme and application type:

• Single-batch certificate: Corresponds to a single supply contract, valid until the end of the supply period agreed in the contract, cannot be renewed.

• 1-year certificate: Applicable to series production, valid for 1 year, requires re-application before expiration.

• 3-year certificate: Applicable to series production, valid for 3 years, requires annual surveillance audits.

• 5-year certificate: The most commonly applied type for electronic and electrical products, valid for 5 years, requires annual surveillance audits.

Once the original certificate is issued, it cannot be directly "renewed" within its validity period. If you need to extend the certificate's validity, you must reapply for a new certificate before it expires. When reapplying, original test reports can be reused (typically, reports are valid for 3 to 5 years) to shorten the certification cycle.

Experience Tip: For a 5-year CoC certificate, starting from the year following the issuance of the original certificate, it must undergo a surveillance audit (factory inspection or document review) by the certification body every year. If the surveillance audit is not passed on time, the certificate may be suspended or revoked. It is recommended to initiate the re-application process 3 to 6 months before the certificate expires to avoid affecting shipment plans.

EAC Mark Usage Specifications

After a product passes EAC certification, the EAC conformity mark must be affixed according to regulations. The usage of the mark has the following specification requirements:

• Mark size: The height of the EAC mark must not be less than 5mm; the proportions must be maintained, and it cannot be distorted.

• Mark color: A single color (white text on black background or black text on white background) can be used. The color must form a clear contrast with the background color of the product nameplate.

• Affixing location: The EAC mark needs to be affixed to the product nameplate or placed alongside it; if the product itself cannot have it affixed, it can be affixed to the packaging.

• Durability: The mark must be affixed using permanent methods such as printing, engraving, or etching, and remain clearly legible throughout the entire life cycle of the product.

• Synchronized information: The certification body number (for CoC) or registration number (for DoC), as well as the technical regulation numbers, must be marked next to the EAC mark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1 Does EAC certification require a local representative?

Yes. The certificate holder of an EAC certificate must be a legal entity within the Eurasian Economic Union. Foreign manufacturers cannot hold the certificate directly and must designate an authorized representative within the Union (usually an importer or a certified agency) as the certificate holder. Manufacturer information is listed on the certificate as "Manufacturer" or "Factory".

Q2 Can I apply for EAC certification with a CB report?

Yes. If you have obtained a cb test report and a cb certificate, and the report content covers the relevant requirements of TR CU 004/2011, you can apply to the certification body for a certificate conversion assessment based on the CB report. Some test items can be exempted, thereby shortening the certification cycle and reducing costs. If there is no referenceable CB report, an LVD safety test report can also be provided as a technical endorsement document.

Q3 Does EAC certification require a factory inspection?

It depends on the certification scheme and the requirements of the issuing agency. CoC Scheme 1C (series production, valid for 5 years) usually requires a factory audit; some agencies accept a CIG 023 factory inspection report instead of an on-site audit, or a video factory audit scheme can be negotiated. A DoC does not require a factory audit. It is recommended to confirm specific factory audit requirements with the certification body before applying.

Q4 How long is the EAC certification cycle?

The standard cycle is usually 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the product's complexity, document preparation status, and the certification body's schedule. If you already have a CB report and a CIG 023 factory inspection report, the cycle can be shortened to 3 to 4 weeks. Video factory audit schemes can also effectively compress the time. It is recommended to set aside ample certification time before mass production.

Q5 What is the relationship between EAC certification and GOST-R certification?

GOST-R is the national standard certification of the Russian Federation. Starting February 15, 2013, the Customs Union technical regulations officially came into effect, and products within the jurisdiction of TR CU were gradually replaced by EAC certification instead of GOST-R. The transition period for old GOST-R/TR certificates ended on March 15, 2015. Currently, product categories covered by EAEU technical regulations uniformly enforce EAC certification; for products not included in the technical regulations, GOST-R certification remains valid and is mandatory (non-voluntary), but limited to use within Russia only. It is recommended to confirm the applicable certification type based on the product category.