EAC Certification for China Imports: What Buyers Selling into Russia and the EAEU Need to Know

The EAC mark shows that a product meets the technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Goods covered by these regulations can't be cleared or sold without the right conformity document.

The surprise for buyers used to Europe: the document must be issued to a company registered inside the EAEU. Your Chinese factory cannot hold it for you.

Which technical regulations apply

Each EAEU technical regulation (TR CU or TR EAEU) covers a product group. The ones that matter most for consumer goods from China:

Regulation	Covers
TR CU 004/2011	Low-voltage electrical equipment
TR CU 020/2011	Electromagnetic compatibility
TR EAEU 037/2016	Hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products
TR CU 007/2011	Products for children and adolescents
TR CU 008/2011	Toys
TR CU 017/2011	Light industry products: textiles, bags, footwear
TR CU 005/2011	Packaging, including packaging for food
TR CU 010/2011	Machinery and equipment
TR CU 025/2012	Furniture

One product can fall under several regulations; an electric kettle, for example, needs the low-voltage, EMC and hazardous-substances regulations together. Kitchenware and tableware for repeated food contact are assessed against the EAEU's sanitary requirements, and the right route depends on the material. Confirm it with an accredited certification body before you order.

Declaration or certificate

• EAC Declaration of Conformity (декларация о соответствии): where the applicable technical regulation permits declaration. The applicant uses the evidence required by the relevant scheme, and the declaration is registered. Some schemes require an accredited laboratory; others permit the applicant's own evidence.
• EAC Certificate of Conformity (сертификат соответствия): for higher-risk products, including many children's and some electrical products. It is issued by an accredited certification body, often with an assessment of production.

The regulation itself lists which products need which. Documents are issued either for serial production for a fixed term, often up to five years, or for a single batch.

The applicant must be inside the EAEU

The applicant is a company or individual entrepreneur registered in an EAEU country: the manufacturer if it is based there, the manufacturer's authorised representative, or the importer. The eligible applicant depends on the regulation and scheme. For serial production under TR EAEU 037/2016, it is the manufacturer or its authorised representative; batch schemes also permit the importer or seller.

The document must cover the actual manufacturer and products. For serial-production documents, another importer may use it where the applicant or manufacturer has authorised that use under the applicable import rules.

Where GOST R still fits

GOST R is Russia's national certification system. Where an EAEU technical regulation covers a product, EAC applies and a GOST R document is not a substitute. GOST R documents are still used for some products outside the technical regulations that are on Russia's national lists, and some retailers ask for voluntary GOST R certificates. If a supplier offers "GOST" for a product that needs EAC, ask which document they mean.

Marking and labelling

• The EAC mark is applied after conformity is confirmed, in the locations required by each applicable technical regulation. Under TR EAEU 037/2016, it goes on each product and accompanying operating documents; packaging is a fallback when the product cannot be marked.
• Labelling in Russian is required for Russia, including the product name, manufacturer and importer. Check the language rules for each EAEU country you sell into.
• Russia's Chestny ZNAK system requires a DataMatrix code on every unit in a growing list of categories, including clothing and footwear. Check whether your category is covered before production, because the codes go on the goods.

A practical sequence for a China order

1. Identify the regulations and the document type for each SKU; the HS code helps.
2. Decide who will be the applicant inside the EAEU.
3. Collect technical documents from the supplier: specs, materials, drawings, and instructions translated into Russian.
4. Arrange testing with a laboratory accredited in the EAEU system. Ask your certification body which test reports it accepts before you ship samples.
5. Register the declaration or receive the certificate.
6. Put the EAC mark and the Russian label into the artwork before printing.
7. Keep the document number ready for the customs declaration.

Checking a document you have been given

• Look up the number in the public register; for Russia, that is Rosaccreditation's portal.
• Check the applicant, the manufacturer's name and address, the product names and models, the HS codes, the regulations listed and the validity dates.
• Red flags: issued to another importer; a manufacturer that isn't your supplier; a product list so vague it could cover anything.

FAQ

Can my Chinese supplier send me their EAC certificate? They can send a certificate or declaration held by an EAEU applicant. Verify the manufacturer and product coverage; for serial production, confirm any authorisation needed to use it for your import.

How long does it take? A declaration can take a couple of weeks once samples and documents are ready; certificates take longer. Start before production, not after.

Is this legal advice? No. Requirements change and depend on the exact product. Confirm the route with an accredited certification body.

Selling into Russia or Kazakhstan? Tell us what you are sourcing.