Russia has a unique system of standards, which uses a combination of various international standards, but relies mostly on product testing as a key element of the product approval process. Russia does not have an association agreement with the E.U. or the United States and does not recognize internationally-recognized certificates, such as CE mark or FDA certificates. These certificates will often be a part of an application file submitted to the relevant approval government agencies, but tests would have to be carried out in Russia.

The main Russian standards body is the Federal Agency for Technical Regulations and Metrology (Rosstandart). In the late 1990s the agency was responsible for developing the Russian GOST-R standards (state standards for Russia), similar to GOST standards (state standards) in the former Soviet Union. The regulatory document for which the company applied was called the GOST-R certificate and indicated that the products conformed to the requirements of these standards.

Later, the agency started developing Russian Technical Regulations (TU) that were sector-specific. When the Russia-Kazakhstan-Belarus Customs Union (CU), and later the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), was established, it gradually discontinued the creation of Russian Technical Regulations. Now the Eurasian Economic Commission (ECC), a permanent supranational regulatory body of the EAEU, oversees the alignment of standards and the creation of new Technical Regulations (TR) for all five member-states.

Currently, Russia uses a combination of 45 Russian and EAEU technical regulations. Once EAEU Technical Regulations come into force, they prevail over the relevant Russian technical regulations for the same products.

Russia is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and many other standards organizations, the list of which can be found on Rosstandart’s website.

Any U.S. exporter planning to enter the Russian market should check if their products are included in the “Unified List of Products” and if they are subject to mandatory conformity and the issuance of a certificate of conformity or a declaration of conformity.

A manufacturer can choose whether to apply for a certificate or a declaration of conformity, and manufacturers can also choose between EAEU and Russian certifications. EAEU certifications enable the product to be imported by any EAEU member-country and transferred/reexported to other member-states. Only Russian legal entities can apply for these certificates or declarations, so U.S. manufacturers must work with a Russian distributor or importer. Once obtained, certificates are valid for five years. Only EAEU-accredited testing and certification organizations can perform the necessary tests and issue certificates or declarations. If the product is not included on the “Unified List of Products” subject to mandatory conformity, then it should go through the conformity process according to the national standards of the five EAEU countries, depending on the final destination of the product.