What is it?

In order to be allowed onto the Russian market, numerous products are subject to Russian mandatory certification. The most common documents needed for are the GOST R Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or Declaration of Conformity (DoC) assuring compliance with Russian safety requirements.

The Federal Agency on the Technical Regulation and Metrology (formerly Gosstandart), the Russian Authority responsible for standards development, accreditation and metrology has accredited SGS to provide GOST R certification services since 1993. Customer support may be rendered overseas and on Russian soil alike.

The GOST R system is monitored jointly by the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology (abbreviated as Rostekhregulirovaniye) and Federal Customs Service of Russia. A Certificate of Conformity as well as Declaration of Conformity is a written confirmation that products meet Russian safety regulations and is required at point of entry for Customs clearance (CoC only) as well as a prerequisite for placing the product onto the Russian market (CoC or DoC). CoC is issued and DoC is required with a Certification Body.

The mandatory GOST R certificate, including the serial production GOST R Certificate of Conformity is issued following technical evaluation of your Company's products to ensure compliance to Russian safety regulations. The evaluation procedure may include evaluation of technical documentation, surveillance visits, sampling, analysis, type testing, factory audits and sometimes certification of quality management system.

Background

With the intention of protecting the Health & Safety of their people, the Russian Government enacted legislation during 1993, requiring many products to be certified and introduced the GOST R system of certification.

In order to gain access to the Russian Market, these goods must be accompanied by the original or by the certified copy of the Conformity Certificate and the GOST R Mark of Conformity which is checked by Russian Customs.

As from the 1st July 1998 Russian language labeling concerning the product and any peculiarities that could be dangerous to the consumer or user must be included. The presence of mandatory information and correct translation is then checked by Russian Standard, who may also give advice concerning technical translation and information to be included on the items for export.

GOST R certification covers a wide range of products including industrial, mechanical, electrical and also consumer products such as food, cosmetics and toys. Russian Standard now has the widest scope of specializations, which includes virtually all major consumer, electrical and industrial goods with few exceptions. Given the key role of expertise in the certification, more than 10 years of experience in the business and a vest network of accredited experts worldwide Russian Standard is in the position to offer optimal certification solutions for its customers.

Should you wish to confirm the quality of your product against the Russian standards the GOST R system envisages voluntary certification, for which Russian Standard has been specialized as well.

 
Application scope

The GOST R certification system concerns the majority of products sold or/and used in , namely:

• consumer products such as foodstuff, textiles, cosmetics and toys;

• mechanical and electrical goods;

• industrial equipment for food, chemical, oil & gas, construction and other industries.

Please check the full list of products subject to mandatory certification within GOST R system (latest amendments made in February 2006) can be downloaded here (in Russian).

Legal framework: mandatory vs voluntary certification

Since 1993, the Russian Government enacted legislation obliging to certify a number of products and introduced the GOST R system of mandatory certification with the intention of protecting health and safety of 's population.

• Original or certified copy of Certificate of Conformity is required for customs clearance at the Russian border as well as for sale and / or marketing within the country.

• The certified product should be marked by the registered GOST R sign (so called Mark of Conformity), which clearly demonstrates product compliance to the applicable Russian standards. The Mark consists of a sign standing for the GOST R certification system combined with the Certification Body registration number.

GOST R Certificate of Conformity is a pre-requisite to obtain RTN Permit to Use for electrical ex-proof and other types of equipment.

For products not subject to mandatory certification according to the Russian law, voluntary certification scheme may be applied. Exporters or importers initiate voluntary certification with the aim to formally prove the conformity of their products to the applicable Russian standards, technical norms or recipes. In other words, GOST R Certificate of Conformity is a powerful marketing tool to capture Russian customer.

Learn more about GOST R Declaration and Certificat of Conformity here.

Types of certification schemes: single shipment vs serial production

Depending on the annual export volume, there are different types of Certificates of Conformity determining the evaluation procedure:

• Single shipment certificates

The Consignment Certificate of Conformity is a trade document valid for one consignment only, i.e. for a certain quantity and type of product. This kind of certificate is advisable if you export to sporadically. It can be issued only if you are able to prove who will be your customer/importer in by means of a contract or an invoice.

• Certificates for serial production

The Serial Production Certificate of Conformity is a trade document whose validity can vary from 12 months to 3 years depending on the nature of the products. Such a document enables you to export unlimited times and quantities of heterogeneous goods produced during the certificate validity period. This type of GOST R certificate is especially suitable for a company with regular export activities and a wide product range. To ensure the compliance of products to Russian standards after the certificate has been issued, an annual inspection by accredited Certification Body is necessary.