EAC Certification of clothing and shoes

Products of the light industry like clothing, footwear and textiles must undergo the conformity assessment procedure before exporting to Russia, Kazakhstan and to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (consisting of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan). Clothing, footwear and textiles must comply with the EAEU technical regulations before import into the EAEU area. There are three forms of conformity assessment for the products of the light industry:

1. EAC Certification
2. EAC Declaration
3. State registration

It is important to note that the EAC declaration or EAC certification may only be applied for by a company established in the territory of the Customs Union, therefore an authorized representative within the Customs Union is required. If you need an authorized representative, we will be pleased to offer you a suitable company that takes over this function.

Legal framework

The relevant technical regulations are:

• Technical regulation TR CU 017/2011 On safety of light industry products
• Technical regulation TR CU 007/2011 On safety of the products for kids and teenagers
• Technical regulation TR CU 019/2011 On safety of personal protective equipment

The technical regulation TR CU 017/2011 On safety of light industry products consists of general requirements for the certification, marking, storage, transport and disposal of textiles, shoes and clothing. Depending on the application area and the areas which are in contact with the human body, the textiles are divided into three layers:

• Layer I: Products that are in direct contact with human skin, e.g. bed linen, underwear, bodices, swimwear or headgear for the summer, hosiery, handkerchiefs, scarves and similar products.
• Layer II: Products with limited contact with human skin, such as dresses, blouses, shirts, trousers, skirts, unlined suits, sweaters, headgear (except for summer), gloves, hosiery for winter and similar products.
• Layer III: Products that are worn on top of clothing of Layer II such as coats, jackets, and similar products.

Certification of clothings and textiles

Technical regulation TR CU 017/2011 On safety of light industry products has a wide range of subjects that its rules apply to:

• everyday and sport clothing
• shoes
• textiles
• home textiles
• machine-made carpets and floor coverings
• leather goods
• felt and non-wovens
• furs and fur products
• leather and leather goods
• faux leather

For each product the technical regulations provide a procedure for the conformity assessment and the extent of it. From 09/28/2017, the following items are also subject to the EAC conformity assessment:

• table and kitchen linen, handkerchiefs
• towels
• shawls and scarves

For each product, the Technical Regulation specifies a procedure for conformity assessment and the scope of the necessary proof of conformity.

Following products are subject to EAC declaration according to TR CU 017/2011:

• clothes I and II layer
• knitted fabrics
• fabrics and materials for underwear, bed linen and towels
• clothes made of leather and fur
• knitwear II layer
• headwear
• shoes, except felt shoes
• machine-made carpets and floor coverings

EAC declaration schemes:

The procedure 3D, 4D and 6D can be replaced with the EAC certification. The EAC declaration is issued upon the request of the applicant and is submitted to the notified body. The EAC Declaration must be registered in the EAEU's single register by a notified body accredited in the EAEU Member State. A declaration registered in the EAEU applies to the entire EAEU.

Following products are subject to EAC certification according to TR CU 017/2011:

• underwear, corsets and swimwear
• bed linen
• arm and leg wear I Layer

EAC certification schemes:

The EAC certificate may only be issued by an independent notified body accredited in a Member State of the Customs Union after a quality inspection. In order to apply for the EAC certificate, the applicant must provide the required documentation. In order to obtain EAC certificate, following documents must be submitted:

• test reports
• technical documents, operating documents with information on the raw material, substances and accessories
• copy of ISO certificates at hand
• certificate of origin
• contract
• shipping documents

EAC declaration or EAC certificate are valid for up to five years.

Certification procedure

The certification is based on the provided samples, as well as on the analytical basis of the technical documentation, the company internal test protocols and the test protocols provided by accredited test laboratories.

Labelling

The label must be correct and legible. The label shall contain the following information:

• product description
• country of origin
• information concerning the manufacturer or authorized representative
• size
• composition
• trademark (if any)
• EAC conformity marks
• guarantee
• date of manufacture
• serial number (if required)
• care Instructions

Additional information for clothing and textiles:

• type and proportion of natural and chemical fibers
• care symbols and special care

Additional information for shoes:

• shoe model
• upper material, material of deck and running sole
• shoe care

The information must be given in Russian and (or) in the official language of one of the Member States of the Eurasian Economic Union. The placing on the market of products without corresponding marking can be punished with a fine and (or) confiscation.

Certification of children clothing

There are special technical regulations, which prescribe certain rules for children clothing and shoes. The technical regulation TR CU 007/2011 On safety of the products for kids and teenagers set the requirements for children clothing, shoes, and children products. Prior to market approval, the products must be subjected to the mandatory conformity assessment in order to be in compliance with the requirements of the Technical regulation TR 007/2011. The following three procedures are provided for conformity assessment:

1. EAC Certification
2. EAC Declaration
3. State registration

The EAC Certification according to TR CU 007/2011 applies to:

• bed linen
• underwear
• socks
• outer garments
• head covers for children up to 1 year
• outerwear for children up to 1 year
• clothing and head covers made of fur for children up to 1 year
• footwear, except shoes made of wool

The EAC Declaration according to TR CU 007/2011 applies to:

• outerwear for children from 1 year
• winter head covers made of fur and fabric for children from 1 year
• wool shoes
• backpacks and bags

State registration of products for children and teenagers

The state registration of products takes place before the placing of products on the market of the EAEU. The state registration of products is carried out by the national monitoring authorities of the Member States in the field of sanitary and epidemiological control. Following products are subjects to state registration:

• underwear for children up to 3 years
• knitted stockings for children up to 3 years
• summer head covers for children up to 3 years

The data on the registered products are stored in a single register. The state registration is valid for up to 5 years.

Labelling

In addition to the EAC conformity mark, the label shall include the following:

• country of origin
• name and address of the manufacturer or his authorized representative
• name and purpose of use of the product
• date of manufacture
• storage life

Designations such as "environmentally-friendly", "orthopedic", etc., may not be used without corresponding proof. Clothes for newborns and children up to 1 year must contain the indication "Pre-wash is required".

Certification of personal protective equipment

The technical regulation TR CU 019/2011 On safety of personal protective equipmentapplies to the textiles used for personal protective equipment. The technical regulation TR CU 019/2011 applies to:

• personal protective equipment for protection against mechanical effects and general industrial pollution
• personal protective equipment for protection against harmful chemical agents
• personal protective equipment for protection against ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
• personal protective equipment for protection against the effects of increased or reduced temperature
• personal protective equipment for protection against the effects of electricity, electrical or electromagnetic fields
• special clothing for better visibility
• means of complex individual protection
• means of individual protection of the skin

The safety of personal protective equipment is carried out in the following forms:

1. EAC Declaration
2. EAC Certification

EAC certification schemes

The EAC certificate is intended for: suits that protect against mineral oil, alkalis, acids, high or low temperatures.

EAC declaration schemes

The EAC declaration is intended for: safety shoes, protective suits against non-toxic dust, water and industrial dust, etc.

EAC marking

Once the conformity assessment is carried out, the products must be marked with the EAC conformity mark. EAC is an abbreviation for Eurasian Conformity. The EAC label should be attached to each individual production unit, packaging or accompanying documentation.

Requirements for the EAC conformity marking:

• EAC marking must be easy to read with the naked eye
• dimensions are not less than 5 mm
• EAC marking should be monochrome and colour contrast to the surface
• EAC sign can be placed in any way that guarantees its legibility throughout the life of products

For personal protective equipment: the label is to be applied both directly to the means of personal protective equipment or to the label, that is difficult to separate, as well as to the packaging and the instruction manual. In this case, the marking should be attached on the mean of personal protective equipment, so this is easily recognizable and readable during the entire use cycle. In the case if protective equipment consists of several parts, each component shall be marked.

Honest Sign (Chestny Znak) Traceability System

In addition to the EAC certification, for many product groups exported to Russia, the digital labeling in the “Chestny ZNAK” system has also been mandatory for several years. This traceability system, introduced by the Government of the Russian Federation, is based on a Data Matrix code that uniquely identifies each individual product unit and registers it in a central database. The goal is to eliminate counterfeit, smuggled, and non-compliant products from the market and to ensure full transparency throughout the supply chain. The sale of unlabelled remaining stock is permitted until the expiration date. An overview of all product categories already included can be found in our articles: Mandatory Labeling of Goods. “Chestny ZNAK” Goods Labeling System and Labeling of Goods in the “Chestny ZNAK” System.

Application of “Chestny ZNAK”

Marking is applied directly to the product, e.g., on labels, hang tags, or inserts in shoes. Each item receives a unique Data-Matrix code, which can include the GTIN and a serial number. The codes are registered in the central Chestny ZNAK database, allowing the full traceability of the product from manufacturer or importer through wholesale to retail. Data Matrix codes may be applied to:

• hangtags
• internal textile labels
• cardboard, plastic, or foil packaging
• shoe boxes and product labels
• printed packaging designs or separately printed stickers

Manufacturers and importers may choose any method as long as the code is machine-readable, permanent, and uniquely assigned.

Authorized representative

The manufacturer, which is not based in one of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, is not entitled to request the implementation of clothing and shoes to comply with the requirements of the relevant technical regulations.

In order to be able to carry out a conformity assessment, the foreign manufacturer must commission a authorized representative in one of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union. This then represents the foreign manufacturer's interest in working with the certification bodies of the Eurasian Economic Union with regard to the safety and quality of products and compliance with technical regulations.

Period of validity of EAC conformity assessment certificates

The validity period of the EAC certificate or EAC declaration for clothing and shoes differs depending on the applied technical regulations, the selected scheme, the type of production (serial production, individual delivery, etc.) and equipment and ranges on average from one to 5 years. Those parameters are determined in the respective technical regulation.

Duration and costs for EAC certification

The duration and costs associated with an EAC certificate application for clothing and shoes depend on several different factors, such as the classification of the product, any required laboratory checks and the complexity of all examinations. As such the exact conditions of the EAC certification are always determined individually based on the required documentation. Please note that an application for an EAC certificate can takeseveral weeks to process.

Delivery of the documentation

If you order the EAC Certificate on clothing and shoes, you will receive a copy of it via email immediately after our successful certification procedure. The original document and two certified copies will be sent by post.