Some information about GOST  Certification.

GOST is the valid quality certification system in Russian Federation. ( With the other words, it is called GOST-R Certification) GOST is very important for Russian companies and exporters to the Russia and carries the same meaning of ISO 9000 series certificates for the western companies. GOST is the approved quality indicator for Russia.

GOST Certification is not only engaged with the quality management of the subject company, but also focused the products of it. With the other words, to obtain of this certificates the tests of samples are necessary. These test are made on accredited laboratories by GOSSTANDARD. ( Russian Governmental Standards Organization) According to these tests the certificates are given to the willing company.

On the certificates, these information can be found:

Who is authorized to obtain these certificates?

The authorization of Certification is applied to Russian Governmental Standards (GOSSTANDART) and other accredited specialized Certification Organs and accredited Test Laboratories. For obtaining of these certificates, the production system analysis and the products of related company should be checked  and investigated for the conformity of Russian norms by the authorized auditors. Also you will need to present some official documents, confirming production quality, and samples of products. Production will be tested accordingly Russian Federation standards of quality. The Certificate Organs are under strict control of GOSSTANDART that is why all the documents and products are carefully tested. These Organs are situated mainly in Moscow; each Organ has its own area, where it can make Certification.

The Certification Organs are entitled to give Certificates only for the products, belonging to their accredited area. For example, Organs for food Certification cannot give a Certificate for textile products. To get a Certificate for textile products, you will need to apply to Organ entitled for this type of Certification; they should have inspectors on textile products and Test Laboratories.


Why is this necessary?

If you are going to arrange export to Russia, you will need this Certificate. Here European ISO 9000 is not valid yet, and the only official standard is GOST-R - most well-known and popular among customers.
Usually Certificate is necessary for two cases: 1. customs office 2. Realisation of products at Russian market. This Certificate is announced as the necessary document for customs at crossing the boarder and for wholesale stores if tax inspection is taken place. That is why Russian organizations and export-companies cannot work with non-certified products. The Certificate for building materials is also one of the necessary conditions for the object to be accepted by government commission. Certificate for equipment should be made for every factory or plant and service organisations.

Is this the requirement of Russian Customs?

Yes. On October 1, 2000 Russian Governmental Customs committee issued an order that Certificate of Conformity is needed for some of exported products and equipments. However, not all the products have to be certified - the list of the products, where Certification is not necessary, is published by Governmental Customs committee every half of the year. "Letter of Refusement" is required for such products, it is issued by a special Certification Institute.

Is this Certificate valid in other CIS countries?

Russian Certificate is valid also in Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan. Till the middle of 80-th there was general GOSSTANDART in our country, and it was used by all the republics of ex-USSR. Now many of them continue to work with some standards from that period and Russian Certificate still has a very big value here.
However, Russian GOST Certificates is not valid in Ukraine! They have own system called UkrSEPRO.
All Russian and foreign manufactures, making products on the territory of CIS and Baltic countries, have to get Certificates for their products and equipment.

How Certificate can be used ?

You will make copies of the Certificate original, than you will set there your company seal and write "true copy". Now you can use these copies at Russian market - for wholesalers and customers. Original-copy of Certificate is necessary for Russian customs - this is a copy, approved by Russian notary or at Russian consulate abroad. The Certificate is accurately checked at Russian customs, as well in shops and wholesale stores. Sometimes in Russian customs there is chemical contents verification - and for these purposes we have a Hygienic Certificate, issued by SES (sanitary epidemical station).

What does it mean "Certificate for Serial production during 3 years " ?

Certificate Organs, accredited in GOSSTANDART, are entitled to give Certificates for serial production during 3 years. Having such Certificate, manufacturer gets an opportunity to deliver their products in Russia during 3 years. This Certificate looks like all others, but there are some special features:

*any manufacturer from any country can get such Certificate.
*One of the necessary conditions is to arrange inspectors visit for checking production process and getting products samples.
*Certificate is valid only for products listed there. All other products of this manufacturer cannot be delivered to Russia with this Certificate.
*to get this Certificate it is necessary to check level of production, products quality and its hygienic features.
*Certificate is valid during 3 years.

Accordingly Russian Federation laws, every year Certificate Organ has to make "Inspecting Control" visits.



What does it mean "Certificate for Serial production during 1 year" ?

This Certificate for serial production - but it is valid during 1 year only. To get such Certificate it is necessary:
*visit of inspectors is not necessary, that helps to avoid some expenses and it makes this option cheaper.
*products samples have to be tested to find out quality level (If products cannot be brought to Test Laboratory, it is checked through technical documentation.)
*official documents of manufacturer including company registration, brand, copy of ISO 9000 Certificate, act from local Chamber of Commerce indicating main activities of the company.
Usage of Certificate during 1 year is similar to 3 year one, the difference is only in duration.

What does it mean "Certificate for single delivery " ?

This Certificate is for manufacturers, arranging single delivery of products to Russia. To get such Certificate - you will not need to present samples, only documentation is required. This is the cheapest option of Certification, it can be used if there is an appropriate customer in Russia and it is issued for exact quantity of products.
Foreign manufacturer cannot use this Certificate for sale of his products to other customer.
To get such Certificate it is necessary :
*The list of products for Certification and International Customs Tariff codes.
*Quantity of products for delivery.
*Technical information about products - specification has to be presented on 2-3 pages.
*Information about import-company, including address, telephone and contact person.
*Copy of export-import contact.
*Copy of Invoice.

What does it mean "Letter of Refusement" ?

The list of products, where Certification is not necessary, is published by Government Customs committee every half of the year. For such products "Letter of Refusement" has to be presented, it is issued by special institution of Certification. In this letter it is set a number of contract and Invoice, quantity of products for delivery and so on.


What is GOSSTROY Certificates ?

GOSSTROY Certificates are issued for building materials.
GOSSTROY is a separate organisation, similar to GOSSTANDART, the procedure of getting such Certificate is about the same as for GOST Certificate. Only special Organs accredited in GOSSTROY are entitled to issue these Certificates.

Which procedure should be applied for obtaining Certificates?

Firstly, address to our nearest office by phone, fax or email.

*You will fill-in some special forms - we will need to get detailed information and replies to all our questions!
*Technical documentation can be received in written or sent by email or through Internet.
*You will send us copies of valid certificates (ISO 9000 and so on)

Which documents should be prepared by the company before the inspection ?

The main reason, why Russian Experts come to your company - is to check the stable production process.

Analysis of production is similar to the one, arranging for ISO 9000 Certificate. Here copies of the next documents are needed :

1. General information about company (yearly production volume, entire territory of production, number of staff in each department and so on)
2. Main establishment contract of the company, tax registration Act,
3. Approved registration document for trade mark,
4. Copy of ISO 9000 Certificate or local Certificate of quality, normative documents with standards for products,
5. Description of incoming row-materials control procedure and its issues,
6. Description of production steps process control and its issues for each operation,
7. Description of completed production quality control and its issues,
8. List of main suppliers and their Quality Certificates, Declarations,
9. Organisation chart of the company (here is the related person for quality should be directly responsible to the General Director of the firm).
10. The program of maintenance and repairing of the main equipment for the production. On this program should be shown as: Name of the machinery, their trade mark, country of origin, frequency of maintenance period, former and future maintenance and repairing time.
11. The program of the calibration of measuring instruments and equipment. On this program should be shown as: Name of the equipment, the place where it is used, trade mark, country of origin, frequency of calibration period, former and future calibration time. Accreditation Certificates of calibration organization and related reports should be added to this program.
12. User manuals, guarantee labels, stickers, etc. should be copied and prepared.

  I have ISO 9000 Certificate or CE Sign - are they not enough ?

Unfortunately, not! Even if you have a translation of this Certificate into Russian, it is not valid in Russia. Here the only official Certificate is GOST-R, Hygienic Certificate and Fire Certificate. At the moment ISO 9000 is not known here very well, and it is almost not being asked by Russian customers at all.


 I have no ISO 9000 or any other quality certificate, in spite of this, may I obtain GOST Certificate for my goods ?

To get GOST-R Certificate you will not need ISO 9000, that is why any manufacturer can get Russian Certificate of Conformity. But if you already have ISO 9000, it will be easier for you to prepare all the information for GOST Certificate, because similar documents are necessary for analysis of production, required for inspectors.

For GOST-R Certificate it does not matter how many staff you have in the company.

What does it mean Hygienic Certificate ?

Hygienic Certificate is given by specialized Laboratories, accredited in Ministry of Health of Russian Federation, after checking products for poisons, chemical contents and so on. Products, where Hygienic Certificate is necessary, are listed in GOST, - including food, hygienic products, cosmetics and cloths. To get Certificate of Conformity for such products, you will need to get Hygienic Certificate firstly.

What does it mean Fire Certificate ?

Fire Certificate is required for some products and equipment, mostly it is given after checking their burning level. All the products, where Fire Certificate is necessary is listed in GOST, including rock-wool, power cables, fire-fighting equipment, fireproof doors, home appliances and so on.

To get Certificate of Conformity for such products, you will need to get Fire Certificate firstly.

What is the "Annual Inspection"? In which conditions it will be executed ?

Accordingly to Russian Federation legislation, "Annual Inspection" for Certificates should be executed for all the manufacturers, having Certificates for Serial production during 3 years. For companies, having Certificate for Serial production during 1 year or for single delivery, such inspections are not needed.

Company-manufacturer will automatically accepted to cover (one and two years after) all the expenses for inspectors visit, sending samples and laboratory tests. All these conditions are mentioned in separate contact, signing after Certificate is given. The Certificate of Conformity will be cancelled if the company refused to arrange annual inspection. In this case, accredited Certification Organ sends letters to Government Customs Committee (GTK) and GOSSTANDART and notifies about termination of the Certificate. Than Certificate cannot be used any more on the territory of Russian Federation and its customs.

E-marketci will get Certificate for your company, and upon your request we could also help with arranging of Annual Inspection. We will remind to you and Certificate Organ about this inspection, we will organize the trip, tests and so on, for these purposes additional agreement for contract is fulfilled. E-marketci is well experienced in holding such dealings and we will really help you to arrange this inspection.