The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is a customs and economic union of Belarus, the Russian Federation, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia. It establishes an area of free trade between the member states. Since 2015 the EAEU has been the legal successor of the former Eurasian Customs Union EACU. In the area of the Eurasian Economic Union a common customs tariff, unified trade rules and harmonized technical standards apply.

The Eurasian Conformity Mark - EAC - is official proof that the products conform to all Technical Regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union (TR CU and TR EAEU) assessment procedures. The new common certification system is based on the Technical Regulation processes of the Russian Federation.

The products, which conform to all Technical Regulations and are confirmed to do so by an EAC certificate, are allowed to cross the borders and be sold within the EAEU. This requires no further national certification of conformity such as GOST-R, TR or GOST-K.

Required certificates of the customs union can be granted by an independant certifying body accredited in a member state after the product has been inspected.

Legal framework

The legal basis for the EAC certification involves following documents:

•  the board decision of the EAEU commission No. 319 from 18.06.2010

• the agreement on common principles and rules of technical regulation in the Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation 18.11.2010

• the decision of the board of the customs union commission No. 620 from 07.04.2011

As a consequence of the coordination of national safety standards, the previous national Technical Regulations such as Russian GOST-R, and TR certification were gradually phased out and substituted by the new Technical Regulations of the EAEU - TR CU in every industrial sector. In addition to the EAC certification, the EAC declaration has also been introduced in the customs union as a simpler and less expensive form of proof of conformity.

The EAC certification process is consistent for all member states of the EAEU. The certificate of the EAEU has a standardised format and application process in accordance with the board decision of the EACU commission No. 896 from 09.12.2011.

EAC certificate includes the following information:

Regarding its content, the EAC certificate of the EAEU is identical with the TR certificate and includes the following information:

• address and name of the manufacturer

• names of certified products

• customs tariff number

• applied standards of Technical Regulation

• information about the testing center

• period of validity

• registration number

• information on the notified body

The EAC certificates of the EAEU apply in all member states within the EAEU and are valid for up to 5 years. The issued EAC certificates are registered in the uniform register of the EAEU. Besides the duties of EAC certification one needs the EAC declaration process to confirm the conformity of the products with Technical Regulations of member states of the EAEU.

Application area

The EAC certification and EAC declaration are required for all products, which are listed in the common list of products to be certified within the EAEU under decision of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission No. 620 from 07.04.2011. For the products which are not listed, the national regulation for the certification for import and sales is valid.

Technical Regulations TR CU and TR EAEU

So far, 48 technical regulations have been adopted in the Eurasian Economic Union, which must be used for EAC certificate. Several sets of rules are currently being developed or are already being discussed at the Union level.

The technical regulations TR CU and TR EAEU are basically the counterpart of Eureopean CE directives, or more precisely EU regulations. TR CU is abbreviation of Customs UnionTechnical Regulations an TR EAEU is an abbreviation of Economic Union Technical Regulations, smiliar to the designation of CE directives e.g. Directives 2006/42/EC and 2011/65/EU. More on this topic you can find in our articles: "Which one is correct: TR CU certificate or EAC certificate?" and "Differences between EAC Certificate and EAC declaration".

The technical regulations set minimum requirements for the safety of the respective products. The conformity of the products with the regulations is declared by EAC certificate by the manufacturer or its representative. After successful conformity assessment, the products are marked with the EAC conformity mark. The EAC marking declares that the product complies with the applicable safety requirements of the technical regulations. Only then the product can be placed on the EAEU market for free circulation.

Required documents

In order to apply for the certificate of the EAEU, you need the documentation like for the application for a GOST or TR certificate, such as:

• detailed product information

• product name

• customs tariff number

• technical passport

• safety justification

• technical drawings and pictures

• technical data sheet

• operating manuals

• test reports

• already available certificates: ISO, DIN, CE, CB certificates

Depending on the type of certified products, other additional documents may be required.

In case the products which are to be certified also require hygiene and sanitary inspection, appropriate proof for the issue of the EAC certificate of the EAEU may need to be supplied.

The EAC declaration of the EAEU

The EAC declaration of conformity to Technical Regulations of the Eurasian Economic Unionis is a more easy and less expensive way to prove the conformity of the products. It should guarantee that the products meet the safety requirements of the technical regulation of the EAEU and are safe for customers and the environment. In opposition to the EAC certification, the EAC declaration can only be applied for by an importer based in one of the member states of the EAEU. Therefore an authorized representative within the EAEU is required. In case you need an authorized representative, we would be pleased to reccomend a suitable company to you that can take over this function.

The EAC declaration has the same validity as a certificate. The products listed in the resolution of the board of the Customs Union Commission No. 620 from 07.04.2011 require an EAC certification or an EAC declaration.