The Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) published "Announcement 19 of 2015" on July 13, 2015, inviting testing labs and certification bodies to formally apply to become designated to perform work related to the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) mark. The notice outlines the eligibility criteria for interested applicants, which include provisions such as accreditation in the relevant scope and experience in the applicable services. Application materials must be received in full by July 24, 2015.
Annex 1 of the Announcement lists the needs identified for certification bodies and laboratories, including the relevant CNCA implementation rule and product areas. The scope contains several product areas including automobile indoor parts and door locks, fire alarm and fire protection equipment, audio and video equipment, IT and telecommunications equipment, and others.
The CNCA notice also details the specific timeline for the application process. Application materials received by the July 24 deadline will undergo two rounds of review by August 21, before the final announcement of newly designated bodies is made on September 4.
The designation process by CNCA is important because in order for companies to perform certification in China, they must achieve both accreditation and designation. Announcement 19 follows the similar "Announcement 17 of 2014" issued last year. Until the 2014 announcement, only Chinese companies were permitted to become designated.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has prepared a reference translation of the Announcement as a courtesy to ANSI members only. The English translation is available in the Member Library here.
CNCA also recently published new requirements for certification bodies to file documentation of their procedures for voluntary certification services. Announcement 18 of 2015, "Announcement on Certification Rules Filing," requires certification bodies to file with CNCA information about their certifications issued, procedures, and standards used. The announcement also discusses what filed information is then shared publically. A deadline of August 31, 2015, was provided for filing the information using a platform on CNCA's website. Announcement 18 replaces and abolishes the following earlier guidance: Notification on Related Issues in Certification Authority Carrying Out Filing of Certification Service (CNCA approval No. 67 (2011), Notification of CNCA on Clarifying the Requirements in Filing Voluntary Product Certification Implementing Rules (CNCA certificate letter No. 36, 2013), Certification Technical Specifications Management Method (CNCA announcement No.3, 2006), and Certification Technical Specifications Management Method Implementing Regulations (CNCA approval No. 81, 2007).
ANSI has also prepared a reference translation of this announcement as a courtesy to ANSI members only. The English translation is available in the Member Library here.