Introduction
The purpose of this online guide is to provide a top-level information guide to the conformity assessment requirements for many countries (listed in the left navigation). The intended audience for this document is electrical and electronic manufacturers considering entry into the international product marketplace. This Second Edition provides updated information on the relatively new CCC Mark system implemented in China in 2003 and revision to information and points of contact for several countries as a result of changes that have occurred since the First Edition was published in August 2001. New information has also been added for Israel, Egypt, and South Africa. Comments on the contents of this document and its usefulness in dealing with market access issues are always welcome.

This guide is designed to be a practical handbook for NEMA member companies to facilitate their efforts to market products in selected locations around the globe. It is divided into four categories, three geographical areas: the Americas, Asia, Europe, and other, and then further divided by country. It is planned to be updated on a periodic basis to keep the information timely and accurate, and to add additional market destinations and more information on these countries, as necessary.

This guide contains recommendations based on successful experiences in the marketplace. It does not provide endorsements of specific service providers, or brands.

As industrialization and trade proceed throughout the world, awareness of the value of standardization and conformity assessment is growing. As nations are increasingly making compliance with recognized standards mandatory, it is important for manufacturers to be aware of these requirements. The evolution is proceeding at different paces around the world.

Global trade is requiring increased attention to conformity assessment. While the technical definition given by ISO/IEC Guide 2 is "any activity concerned with determining directly or indirectly that relevant requirements are fulfilled," the practical impact for any supplier is market access. For the purpose of this Guide, the term conformity assessment refers to product certification.

Around the world, a number of regional standards bodies have been established to facilitate trade within regional trading blocks. For example, the Council for Harmonization of Electrotechnical Standardization of the Nations of the Americas (CANENA) originally had been formed to harmonize requirements for the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) nations (it has since expanded membership to all nations of the Americas). The European Union has established CENELEC for its regional electrotechnical requirements. The Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) in South America is also pursuing regional standards.

The Voluntary Action Plan for Alignment of Standards with International Standards (VAP) that is being carried out through the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) program provides a common framework for the many diverse nations of the Pacific Rim to evaluate the status of their standards. This process inevitably leads to a greater awareness of the value of the development of standards by each participating nation.

Conformity assessment activity aimed at product certification is a process by which products are shown to comply with recognized codes and standards and, in many countries, is an important step for a manufacturer to enter the marketplace. While conformity assessment is important, it is only part of what is needed to build a successful international product business, which would also include adequate marketing assessment, development of appropriate selling strategies, effective distribution channels, and attention to other administrative details such as customs, financial structure, and so on.

The IECEE CB Scheme, under the auspices of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), provides a systematic conformity assessment process based on IEC standards. This process enables uniform application of international requirements to CB Scheme participating countries (a subset of the IEC member countries). There is also a Scheme known as the IECEx, which is focused on electrical products for use in explosive atmospheres (hazardous locations).

Product certification is being greatly facilitated through the IECEE CB and IECEx Schemes. Many countries have adopted IEC standards as their national standards, or are in the process of bringing their national standards closer to IEC standards through the process of harmonization. If some members’ national standards are not yet completely harmonized with IEC standards, national differences are permitted if clearly indicated to all other members. These differences are provided in the individual standards as ‘in some countries’ clauses and a comprehensive set is published in IECEE CB Scheme documents available to members of the CB Scheme. Often a group of countries has agreed on the same differences from the IEC standard; this information is also provided in CB or Ex Scheme Bulletins.

The intent of the CB and Ex Schemes is to facilitate international trade through the mutual recognition of test certificates for the purpose of obtaining certification or approval at national levels implementing the concept of having “one product, one test, accepted everywhere” for the world marketplace. A manufacturer utilizing a CB Test Report and Test Certificate issued by a National Certification Body (NCB) in a participating country can obtain national product certification in all other member countries with minimal or no additional testing required by the CB Ex Scheme. The IECEx Scheme uses a different terminology for National Certification Bodies, referring to them instead as Ex Certification Bodies (ExCBs).

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is a participating organization in the CB Scheme and Ex Schemes. United States certification bodies are listed on the U.S. pages, as they are potential testing firms for product certification for other nations, as well.

The products covered by the CB and Ex Schemes are those within the scope of those IEC Standards accepted into those Schemes. Officers of the IECEE Certification Management Committee and the IECEx along with tables of product sectors and IEC standards are provided in the annex to this document.

Acknowledgements
This guide is not intended to be the comprehensive source document for all product certification information, rather it is intended to be a place to begin the process of obtaining the conformity assessment knowledge needed to compete successfully.

Contact information is provided for each country in this document. Additional information is available from the following sources, many of which have been used to develop this document:

1. Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation website. This location provides a wealth of information on what APEC is and what it does. Detailed information is available here on the Voluntary Action Plan (VAP) for Alignment of Standards with International Standards. This VAP information includes tables that show where a participating country stands in its review of national standards against IEC standards for a given product area. This is particularly useful as a number of countries in APEC are not members of the IEC CB Scheme.

2. IECEE CB Scheme information. Some information available through the “International Electrotechnical Commission Systems for Conformity Testing and Certification of Electrical Equipment” (IECEE) “Scheme of the IECEE for Mutual Recognition of Test Certificates for Electrical Equipment” (CB Scheme) is in this guide. The CB Scheme information useful for manufacturers includes which countries participate in the CB Scheme, the specific IEC standards that apply in each participating country, the national differences for each of these IEC standards for each of these countries, and the National Certification Body information for each of these countries. This information is updated through CB Bulletins available to CB Scheme members. An updated CB Bulletin was published in May 2003. Some general information on the CB Scheme is available on the IECEE website, and standards purchases may also be made through the IEC website. 

3. IECEx Scheme information. Some information available through the “International Electrotechnical Commission Scheme for Certification to Standards for Explosive Atmospheres” (IECEx Scheme) is in this Guide. The IECEx Scheme information useful for manufacturers includes which countries participate in the IECEx Scheme, the specific IEC standards that apply in each participating country, the national differences for each of these IEC standards for each of these countries, and the Accepted Certification Body information for each of these countries. This information is updated through IECEx Bulletins available to IECEx Scheme members. The first IECEx Bulletin was published in September 2000 and revised in May 2003. Some general information on the IECEx Scheme is available on the IECEx website, and product purchases may also be made through the IEC website.

4. U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publications. NIST has published “Special Publications” on relevant topics including “NIST Special Publication 941 – Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Conformity.

5. “Assessment Infrastructure” (Special Publication 941) and “A Guide to EU Standards and Conformity Assessment” (Special Publication 951). For publications, NIST may be called at (301) 975-3058. NIST also has a conformity assessment website.

WTO members are required to notify the WTO Secretariat of all proposed government regulations and conformity assessment procedures that might significantly affect international trade. As the official U.S. WTO/TBT inquiry point for information on standards and conformity assessment activities, the NIST National Center for Standards and Certification Information (NCSCI) notifies the WTO Secretariat of proposed U.S. Federal Government rules that might significantly affect trade. NCSCI also receives foreign notifications and disseminates them to appropriate U.S. companies and industry groups (such as NEMA). NCSCI responds to inquiries about foreign and U.S. notifications, provides copies of the proposed regulations, and arranges for fee-supported translations of foreign standards.

6. U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Foreign Commercial Services. The Department of Commerce has available the results if previous studies and can conduct customized market analysis upon request that can help U.S. exporters. They also have a staff with extensive personal experience in the conditions in countries of particular interest.

7. “The European Union in the U.S.” website. This website provides overall policy information that places the European requirements in perspective and includes links to many other relevant websites, including those of individual EU member countries.

8. The “Europa” website. This website enables the user to start at an overall European Commission policy framework as well as “drilling down” to detailed information on EC-US Mutual Recognition Agreements and specific conformity assessment bodies in each EU country.

9. The European Organization for Conformity Assessment offers a wide variety of Information via its general web site or its "Testing, Inspection, Certification Q&A" site (which now offers information on Eastern Europe). You can also pose specific questions by contacting mhelpdesk@eotc.be.

10. U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration China Gateway website. This website has a link to a CCC Mark Guide with valuable information on the new CCC Mark System of Conformity Assessment in China and contains detailed information regarding the Chinese requirements and the CCC Mark application process.
 

Import and Export of Products
Tariffs and import and export regulations are often assigned for a particular Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) Code Number. HTS code numbers are internationally recognized for export-import transactions, and are essentially the same in any country that is a member of the WTO. For U.S. products intended for export, consult the website of the Bureau of the Census (U.S. Department of Commerce). The HTS codes are found using the browse feature in the Schedule B section of the website. Electrical Products are found in Section 85. The HTS codes can range from 4-10 digits, depending on the specification of the product, using a hierarchical system. For example, 8535 refers to electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuits. Breaking the classification down further, 8535.10 refers to fuses, while 8535.10.0020 refers to fuses for circuits of 2300 Volts or more.

Once the HTS Codes are determined, you can contact the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce for help in determining the applicable product certification standards that must be met in the country of interest or you can access the website in the country of interest to determine what standards apply. A problem that may be encountered is the lack of an English presentation on many of the websites of foreign countries.