When you first search for the CoC certificate on the Internet, you must be confused. That’s because CoC can be short for different kinds of certificates. In this blog, what I’ll talk about is the certificate of conformity.
In short, a Certificate of conformity is a needed product certificate when exporting to many countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East. It just has a similar role as the CE certificate in Europe, the CCC certificate in China, the FCC certification in the USA.
In the following, I’ll introduce the certificate of conformity to you, and also some related information about it.
NOTE: The CoC in this blog only refers to the certificate of conformity. Besides, it does not refer to the technical documentation for a vehicle.
1. What is the Certificate of Conformity?
As I have noted, the Certificate of Conformity is an authorized document for products. Furthermore, it states that the tested product meets all the stated production, technical, and safety specifications.
In addition, every country has its quality standards for a product. Thus, for a specific product, the standard of Certificate of Conformity depends on the importing country or buyer’s needs.
For example, the quality standards for a first aid kit in the USA will be different from EU quality standards.
Besides, the standard also varies from the product category. As each product has different characteristics and specifications, the required standards for each product are different.
To give you an idea, a cosmetic product will have completely different required standards than a car part such as a headlight.
CoC in different countries
| Import countries | CoC | Import countries | CoC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | PVOC | Ghana | COC |
| Saudi Arabia | SABER | Ivory Coast | COC |
| Tanzania | PVOC | Israel | COC |
| Nigeria | SONCAP | Egypt | COI |
| Uganda | PVOC | Iran | COC |
| Russia | GOST-R | Morocco | COC |
2. Why You Need Certificates of Conformity?
Most importantly, the Certificate of conformity plays an essential role in importing and exporting products. In summary, the Certificate of Conformity has the following three functions:
- To avoid any Customs intervention
- To ensure the quality of products
- To sell a product freely
To avoid any Customs intervention
There are many reasons that you need a CoC. Above all, it’s used in the Customs Clearance. When the imported products do not have a Certificate of Conformity, they may get confiscated or rejected by Customs.
Besides, if you have invested a lot of money in the products, that may become a big problem. Thus, it is best to acquire a CoC before the products arrive at Customs to avoid the delaying or rejecting of your products.
To ensure the quality of products
In general, many governments and buyers worry about the safety of products manufactured locally or imported overseas. Because some manufacturers may create cheap and uninspected products to save production costs. However, these low-quality products can cause many problems, even loss of life in some cases.
So, to ensure end-consumer protection from any damage, most governments made it mandatory to have a Certificate of Conformity for most products.
To sell a product freely
Further, if the products don’t have a Certificate of Conformity, your government may not allow you to sell your products. Hence, always check whether your product requires this document or not.
For example, when importing to Pakistan, you can find that CoC is needed for solar PV systems through the import policy of Pakistan. Therefore, if needed, you must get one from your manufacturer when you buy the product.
3. Who Can Issue the CoC Certificate?
In brief, only an authorized inspection agency can issue the certificate of conformity. Here are some common third-party agencies for your reference:
- SGS
- Intertek
- BV
- TUV
- NEMKO
- CCIC
- CQC
- COTECNA
Usually, good manufacturers and exporters will give you a Certificate of Conformity without asking. But if your manufacturer or exporter is not providing a Certificate of Conformity, you can demand and get one before buying the product.
Moreover, to ensure whether your products need CoC certificates, you can check the regulation in your country and consult third-party agencies.
4. How to Get a Certificate of Conformity?
In general, the process of getting a CoC varies from country to country. But the basic steps are similar. Here are some steps for you to get a Certificate of Conformity:
- Look for Inspection Agency
- Choose the Way of Inspection
- Apply for products inspection
- Set date and time for inspection
- Get your Certificate of Conformity
Look for Inspection Agency
First, look for a suitable inspection agency in your country and ensure your selected inspection agency is accepted worldwide. There are many international famous inspection agencies from which you can choose, such as：
- SGS
- Intertek
- BV
Choose the Way of Inspection
Moreover, different inspection agencies offer many kinds of inspection, such as:
- Initial Production Check (IPC)
- During Production Check (DUPRO)
- Final Random Inspection (FRI)
- Loading/Unloading Supervision (LS/US)
Among these, most exporters choose the Final Random Inspection ( FRI ) package for making a Certificate of Conformity. When 80% of the products have been packed, the agencies will conduct the Final Random Inspection.
Apply for products inspection
After selecting the package of your choice, fill in the application document with all the necessary information about the products.
Set date and time for inspection
Next, select the suitable day, time, and location of your choice when your products are ready for inspection. Then, on the designated date, the inspector will arrive and check the products for various characteristics of the products, such as:
- Labeling
- Quantity
- Packaging
- Appearance
Plus, the inspector will only open a few product boxes randomly for the overall inspection of the whole shipment. After gathering the data, they will make the Certificate of Conformity based on the results.
Get your Certificate of Conformity
Finally, the inspector will give the exporter a draft of the Certificate. And the original document will be shipped to the importers for Customs Clearance at the destination port.
Besides, you can also find an inspection agency at the port for help if your products have no CoC during Customs Clearance. Actually, a CoC will be quickly generated on the site so that you can avoid any delay in Customs Clearance.
5. Is a CoC required for Each Product?
Above all, the answer is yes and no. In detail, the need for the Certificate of Conformity depends mainly upon the kind of product, for example:
- For some products, CoC is not necessary, such as various toys, many locally manufactured products, etc.
- In some cases, you may need only one CoC for the whole batch of products, such as baby products ( bottles ), etc.
- As for high-risk products, you need to get a CoC for each product. For example, each airplane turbine must be X-ray checked to inspect the microscopic cracks and deformities to ensure safety. Thus, each turbine needs a CoC certificate.
- For some very complex products, a CoC is needed for each part of a product.
In addition, to determine under which category your product falls, check your country laws or buyer-given demands.
Final Words
If you have more confusion, you can tell me by leaving a message below. Plus, please share it with your friends and on social platforms if you think this blog is helpful.
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