EAC Certification: Option For An On-site Remote Audit Extended

Products destined for Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) must have an EAC marking. Furthermore, an EAC certificate is required for high-risk products. This often requires an on-site audit. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to conduct these audits via video conference.

COVID-19 pandemic: Remote Audits

During the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site audits were virtually impossible due to travel restrictions. For this reason, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, with the cooperation of the Federal Accreditation Service, made it possible to conduct these audits remotely (via video conference). These measures expired on 10 January 2022.

Measures Extended

However, due to the positive effects of remote audits on industry and business, it was decided on 21 January 2022 to extend these measures for another year. In addition, the option to also enable the annual inspection checks of EAC certificates via video conference was added to the decree.

Are you a manufacturer and do you wish to market your products in Russia and the EAEU? Or are you currently already doing so? Then please continue to read, because below, Certification Company will explain how such an ‘external on-site audit’ works in practice.

The Remote On-Site Audit

Step 1

Send the documentation about the management system to the certification body. This body will review the submitted documentation within a few days and, if necessary, will ask questions about quality control. If necessary, the certification body will also request additional documents.

Step 2

The certification body will choose the date and time of the video conference at the production location together with you.

Step 3

An expert from the certification body and a representative of your organisation will meet online at the agreed date and time.

Please note:

1. It is mandatory to record the video conference and store it as a file. The certification body will take care of this.
2. Participants in the video conference must be able to identify themselves.
3. The certification body must be able to identify the geolocation of the production site.

In addition to introducing the participants and general information about your organisation and the manufacturing process, the following matters must be inspected and recorded during the video conference:

• (Raw) materials and/or components that affect the performance safety of certified products.
• The production infrastructure (a set of facilities located on the site and necessary for the organisation of production, such as production areas, equipment, etc.).
• The technological processes (including special processes).
• Management of control, measuring and test equipment.
• The measuring instruments necessary to ensure that the product complies with the established technical regulations.
• Inter-operational testing and quality control of finished products.

In addition, the certification body will analyse other elements based on the documents provided by you.

Step 4

Following the video conference, the certification body’s expert will ask you for additional documents to complete the remote on-site audit and prepare the final report. You must then sign the report and send a scan of the signed document and the original to the certification body. The certification body will then also sign the report, after which you will receive a copy.

More Information

Would you like to learn more about this procedure? Please feel free to contact us. Wish to apply for an EAC certification? Then you’ve also come to the right place. We speak both Dutch and Russian fluently and work with reliable partners. We can therefore provide complete peace of mind.