China Compulsory Certification (CCC) is a compulsory product certification system covering 158 types of products. If you intend to export products to China, you need to be aware of CCC's coverage and requirements.
Some of the principal product categories covered by the regulations include:
- electrical wires and cables
- switches for circuits, protective installation and connective devices
- low-voltage electrical equipment
- small power motors
- electric tools
- welding machines
- household and similar electrical appliances
- audio and video equipment (excluding acoustics equipment for broadcasting service)
- information technology equipment
- lighting electrical appliances
- motor vehicles and safety parts
- motor vehicle tires
- safety glasses
- agricultural machinery
- telecommunication terminal equipment
- fire-fighting equipment
- safety precaution products
- wireless LAN (local area network) products
- decoration and fitting products
- toys
For a comprehensive list of the products covered by the new regulations, please refer to the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) (in Simplified Chinese only), the Chinese government agency that regulates the CCC.
The CCC mark replaced the old Conformity Certification of Electrical Equipment (CCEE) mark (quality assurance symbol for China-made products) and the China Commodity Inspection Bureau (CCIB) mark (quality assurance symbol for imported products). The CCC scheme standardises technical regulations, certification marks, and fee schedules for both domestic and imported products. These changes stem from China's commitment to conform to the World Trade Organisation's Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
Getting the CCC mark
When Canadian companies are exporting to China, their products, if identified under the CCC regime, must be certified with the CCC mark. The length of time needed to obtain certification varies. CCC's service standard is three months, but the time required can be much longer depending on the nature of the product and required testing.
There are five major steps in the CCC mark application process:
- Submission of an application and supporting materials, including credentials of the applicant, a general assembly diagram, an electrical schematic diagram, a circuit diagram, a list of key components and/or main raw materials, a copy of the contract, and other information. A Canadian company can apply on its own, or use an agent or a consultant to manage the application.
- Type testing. A CNCA-designated test laboratory in China will test product samples.
- Initial factory inspection. A CNCA-designated certification body will send representatives to inspect the manufacturing facilities for the product.
- Evaluation of certification results, and approval (or failure or retesting)
- Follow-up factory inspection. The certification body will re-inspect the product and the manufacturing facilities on a regular basis. The frequency of follow-up inspection depends on the security level and quality stability of the product and the record of the manufacturer.
Applicants must pay the following fees: the application fees, product testing, initial factory inspections, follow-up inspections, and label costs. Once the application is approved, a CCC certificate is valid for five years. Applicants can apply for the renewal of the CCC certificate 90 days before the expiry of the certificate.
Since the short description in the product catalogue may not be specific enough to determine whether the CCC mark applies to your products, we encourage exporters and potential exporters to review CNCA's "Implementation Rules for Compulsory Certification" booklets which outline detailed technical application requirements for each of the 158 product categories. The booklets each provide a "scope" section, which in some cases includes a more detailed description of which products require the CCC mark.