Author ccicfrance@outlook.fr
Energy Efficiency Certification in Saudi Arabia
Since 2010, Saudi Arabia has imposed the requirement of labeling energy efficiency mark on some electrical products imported into the Saudi market. Suppliers (manufacturers, importers, manufacturers or their authorized representatives) who violate this regulation will bear all legal liabilities arising therefrom.
The first batch of certification catalogue only cover refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines. On August 24, 2018, Saudi Arabia Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) updated the General Technical Regulations on Energy Efficiency (M.A-156-16-04-05), expanding the product catalogue to the following 11 categories: air conditioners with a capacity of 65,000 Btu/h and below, large-capacity air conditioners, refrigerators within 1,100 liters (39cft), 850 liters (30cft).
Certification Process:
1. Testing: The laboratory designated by SASO shall issue an energy efficiency testing report;
2. Registration: Submit applications online through Saudi Energy Efficiency Registration System and upload relevant technical documents;
3. Certification: SASO Engineer shall review the application and issue energy efficiency certificates and marks.
CQC International Voluntary Emission Reduction Certification
Headquartered in Washington, DC, Verra is a nonprofit corporation that manages the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), The Climate, Community & Biodiversity, the following CCB and Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard(SD VISta) and other related evaluation standards in the field of climate change to provide a wealth of quality assurance standards for trading market of the voluntary carbon emission reduction. As the world renowned certification body, CQC has obtained the qualifications to conduct evaluation in accordance with the standards of VCS, CCB and SD VISta.
SD VISta is a standard used to evaluate and report the impact of project activities on sustainable development. Once SD VISta is evaluated, the project’s contribution to the sustainable development will be listed in the VERRA database and have the opportunity to be sold as an asset. The CCB standard is used to determine projects that meet the requirements of addressing climate change, supporting local communities and small-scale farmers, and protecting biodiversity. Once certified, the project will improve livelihoods, create jobs, protect traditional culture and endangered species, help ensure the accessibility to land and resources, increase the resilience of ecosystems and help to deal with climate change. For voluntary carbon emission reduction assets certified by the VCS standard, it will prove that the emission reduction project complies with the VCS, which will help expand the sources of funding for the project and promote the project’s social influence.
Certification of Products Exported to Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East. As Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner, China possesses strong competitive advantage in the Saudi market regarding exports. The main commodities exported from China to Saudi Arabia include electrical equipment and parts, mechanical equipment and parts, ships, furniture, steel, etc. CQC has maintained a good cooperative relationship with Saudi Arabia’s Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) since 2008 and registered as its notified body in 2017.
The Saudi Product Safety Plan (SALEEM) currently being implemented in Saudi Arabia aims to improve product quality, build consumer confidence and create a suitable environment for Saudi trade development, thus helping to achieve Saudi Arabia’s “2020 National Transformation Plan” and “Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision”. SALEEM plans to cover more than 40 product categories such as building materials, chemical products, mechanical products, auto parts and electric vehicles.
In order to cooperate with the smooth implementation of SALEEM plan, SASO launched SABER, an electronic registration system for conformity certificates. Since January 1, 2021, all products entering the Saudi market must be applied for Product CoC and Shipment CoC by local importers in Saudi Arabia through SABER platform, otherwise customs clearance will not be allowed. Importers need to apply for Product CoC first. Within the validity period of the certificate, each batch of goods needs to upload necessary information and materials through SABER platform to obtain Shipping CoC.
Energy Efficiency Grades Certification forInternal Power Supply
The energy efficiency grades certificationfor internal power supplyis applicable to internal power supply for supplying power to information technology equipment, telecommunication equipment, audio and video equipment and industrial equipment. It is targeted to promote the development of power industry in the direction of green energy saving, and make CQC certified power supply become the high-quality power source of the whole equipment.
The energy efficiency grades certificationfor internal power supplyis the first certification service launched by CQC in China for the sub-field of energy efficiency grades certification. It is committed to accurately meeting the needs of the industry and providing scientific and effective support for the on-demand procurement of whole machine manufacturers, Internet enterprises and government departments. At the same time, it also provides localized energy efficiency grades certification solutions for power supply enterprises, which helps them to gain wider social recognition.
Certification category:
Energy Efficiency Grades Certification of Internal Power Supply (Application CategoryNo.: 709001)
Certification mode:
Product inspection + initial factory inspection + post-certification supervision
Implementation rules：
CQC31-461288-2021Energy efficiency grades certification rules for internal power supply
Referenced standard：
CQC3178-2021Energy efficiency grades certification criteria for internal power supply
Certification marks：
The following certification marks are allowed for certified products according to the certification grade: Deformation marks are not allowed.
Deformation marks are not allowed. FRENCH VERSION
Bahrain Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme
According to Decree No.70/2015 of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MOICT) of the Kingdom of Bahrain, air-conditioning products entering the Bahraini market must meet the Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) and be registered in Bahrain Energy Efficiency Official Website. On December 30, 2021, CQC was authorized by Bahrain Testing & Metrology Directorate (BTMD) to become the designated for for the registration and evaluation of energy efficiency labels of air-conditioning products.
Scope :
single-package (such as window type) and split-system non-ducted air conditioners using air- and water-cooled condensers and heat pumps employing air-cooled condensers and ducted air-conditioners using air-to-air heat pumps for residential, commercial and industrial sectors with a capacity of 70,000 Btu/h (20kW) or less.
Application materials:
Effective energy efficiency test report/product nameplate/use and installation instructions/color photos, etc.
Pay special attention to:
1. If the air-conditioning products are within the scope of GC mark certification at the same time, valid GC mark certification shall be provided when applying for Bahrain energy efficiency label, and the export target country includes Bahrain. 2. The registration period of energy efficiency labels is 1/2/3 years, and the manufacturer is obliged to register and reconfirm the labels within 2 months before the expiration date of the registration every year.
Provisions on the Administration of Registration of Foreign Producers of Imported Food
CCIC FRANCE provides professional registration advise for European food companies, regarding to “Provisions on the Administration of Registration of Foreign Producers of imported Food” of P.R.China.
The Notice No.248 of the General Administration of Customs, “Provisions on the Administration of Registration of Foreign Enterprises Producing Imported Food of P. R. China” and Notice No.249, “Measures for the Safety Administration of Imported and Exported Food of P. R. China” were published on 12thApril, 2021, and the implementation will start on 1st January, 2022. The foreign food companies that export food to China are facinghuge changes. It is important that foreign food companies keep following the new rules which will be published soon, in order to achieve a successful registration. The critical changes are listed as follows:
All classes of food need to be registered, divided into two categories by different classifications
Foodclassified in Article 7 of order No.248 (totally 18 sub-categories) are as follows:
| 1 | Meatand meat products | 7 | Egg and egg products | 13 | Condiment |
| 2 | Casings | 8 | Edible fat and oil | 14 | Nuts and seeds |
| 3 | Fish and Sea products | 9 | Stuffed wheaten food | 15 | Dried fruits |
| 4 | Dairyproducts | 10 | Edible cereals | 16 | Unbaked coffee beans and cocoa beans |
| 5 | Bird’s nest soup and its products | 11 | Cereal milling industrial products and malt | 17 | Special dietary food |
| 6 | Bee products | 12 | Fresh or dehydration vegetables and dried beans | 18 | Dietary supplement |
Food that belongs to the above categories are subsumed in the “Registration by Recommendation of Competent Authorities” category, the required documents are as follows:
| No. | Applying documents |
| 1 | Recommendation letter from the local competent authorities |
| 2 | Company list and company registration application |
| 3 | Company certification. E.g. Business license from the local competent authorities |
| 4 | Compliance statement of order No.248 from the local competent authorities |
| 5 | The inspection report from the local competent authorities |
| Attachment | If necessary, the General Administration of Customs could require the documents of food safety and hygiene, and the documents of the protection system of companies. E.g. Floor plan of the factory, workshop or frigidaire, process flow diagram, etc. |
As for the food which are NOT classified in Article 7 of Order No.248, subsume in the “Enterprises Applying Registration” category, the required documents are as follows:
| No. | Required documents |
| 1 | Company registration application |
| 2 | Company certification. E.g. Business license from the local competent authorities |
| 3 | The compliance assurance statement of order No.248 from the company |
Multiple inspection methods of Customs
To ALL kinds of foodmanufacturers, the General Administration of Customs has the duty to “organise the Evaluation team by itself or consign the relative structure, to do the evaluation and examination of the Foreign Enterprises Producing Imported Food registration applicants, through documents, video, on-site and combination methods.”
Extend Certification valid period
The certification validity period of Foreign Enterprises Producing Imported Food registration is extended to 5 years (was 4 years).
About us
CCIC FRANCE has a number of experts engaged in food inspection, testing and consulting and form a high-quality professional service team. Relying on the advantages of familiarity with Chinese food-related laws, regulations and standards and localized services in the European region, we can provide European food manufacturers and related parties a variety of services, including but not limited to:
- Training programme of Chinese laws and standard of Safety Administration of Imported and Exported Food, and link it with your Safety Administration system and products
- Detection of the compliance of China food national standard
- Factory pre-checking, find and prevent the potential matters
- Assist your application registration
- Assist your remote/on-site inspection and evaluation
- Strategic consulting of the compliance of Chinese market entry rules
At present, General Administration of Customs. of P. R. China has not yet announced specific details of the Administration of Registration of Foreign Enterprises Producing Imported Food application process or inspection requirement. CCIC will keep following up on further information and share related news with our customers.
Subscribe for news updates
CCIC will keep following up onthe application procedures and inspection details. Every food company can sign up for our news updates simply by sending us an email with the title: “CCIC EU News Update on Food ManufacturersRegistration”.Please mention your company name, contact person name, telephone number and email address. You shall receive our news updates directly in your mailbox.
CQC EV Charging Stations (CNAS accreditation) Inspection
Recently, CQC’s on-site inspection of EV charging stations was officially accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS).
As the domestic EV industry is booming, the construction of EV charging stations is in full swing in various places. Similar to the emphasis placed on safety management by automobile gas stations, the charging stations building and operation have better safety guarantees and are expected to provide safe and high-quality charging services. Therefore, a large number of clients have entrusted CQC to conduct post-construction inspections and annual inspections for the charging station projects to confirm that various safety measures are precise and effective.
CQC’s charging station inspection have been implemented and managed in accordance with ISO/IEC17020 requirements since the very beginning, and established the inspection management system in addition to the existing certification system to train inspectors, manage testing equipment, and improve inspection process control. After several years of running-in and continuous improvement, the inspection system has become increasingly mature. Through the expert review organized by CNAS, the national accreditation demonstrates once again that CQC’s charging station inspection meets the requirements of ISO/IEC17020.
In the past few years, CQC’s inspection system has been operated and implemented in strict accordance with scientific international standards, providing a large number of charging station inspection services for governments, car companies, operators and other customers, and issuing inspection reports with credibility and professionalism to ensure charging safety and project’s quality.
Keep free to contact us.
French version： click here
China GACC Announces New Regulations on Import Food Administration
On12th of April 2021, the General Administration of Customs P.R.China (GACC), has announced two major updates of regulations, both of which concern food products imported into China:
- Announcement 248: New version of Registration and Management Rules of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food
- Announcement 249: New version ofAdministrative Rules of Imported Food Safety
BothRules will officially be enforced starting from 1st of January 2022.
These new ruleshave many changes compared to their preceding versions. Announcement 249 has abolished 6 rules related to import/export of food, including the separate rules for aquatic products, meat, and dairy products.The new Administrative Rules of Imported Food Safety has effectively combined all these different old rules together so both the authorities and food product related operators can refer to one rule.
The new rules have many new specific details implemented. For example,video inspections are now officially stated as one of the methods that the GACC may use to carry out audits on a country, area, or manufacturer’sfood safety management system.This may greatly increase the efficiency as audits are not limited to on-site inspections only.
Announcement 249 has significant changes on the registration requirement for food manufacturers which wish to export to China. Previously only several high-risk food categories, including aquatic products, meat, and dairy products, are required to be registered at the GACC, and only via recommendation by the competent authority of the manufacturer. The new rule has effectively expanded the food categories to all:
- Food Manufacturers of Imported Food, should be registered at the GACC.
The rule has further separated this into two different types of registration procedure:
- Via the overseas competent authority only: aside from the previously mentioned aquatic products, meat, and dairy products (including formula food), this has been expanded to in total 18 food categories, including: meat and meat products, casings, aquatic products, dairy products, bird’s nest and bird’s nest products, bee products, eggs and egg products, edible fats and oils, stuffed pasta, edible grains, grain milling industrial products and malt, fresh and dehydrated vegetables and dried beans, seasonings, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans, special dietary foods, and health foods.
- Via the manufacturer or agency: for other food categories, manufacturers should apply for registration at the GACC themselves or via their agent.
For both types of procedure, manufacturers are expected to receive inspection by the GACC. The inspection method could be via written information, video, onsite, or a combination of them. It is expected that the GACC will publish further details of the application procedure and inspection requirement in the short future.
Both rules will have great impact on European food manufacturers who are already exporting to China or planning to do so.Manufacturers will have greater responsibility on obtaining their permission to export to China, including to provide a guarantee of their products to comply with the Chinese relevant laws, regulations, and food safety standards. In addition,the expanded scope of registration implies that every food manufacturer should be prepared to receive inspection by the GACC.
What can CCIC do for you?
CCIC is the strongest expert inregulatory affairs concerning food exporting to China. We possess a great wealth of information in Chinese food safety regulations and standards, and our consultants have excellent experience handling Chinese official affairs from interpretation during official meetings to participating in audits. Our service has helped European food manufacturers to be better trained and prepared for official inspections, discover gaps, and prevent misunderstandings due to cultural differences.
Our services related to registration at the GACC include but are not limited to:
- Training of the latest Chinese National Standards and its implementation into your food safety management system and your products.
- Food product analytic service to check against compliance requirement.
- Factory pre-audit to discover or prevent potential gaps.
- Support in the official application of registration.
- Support during video and/or onsite official inspections.
- Strategic consulting for market access of China.
Should you have interest in understanding the new rules and see how we can help you prepare for it, please contact us.
CCIC Recycled Metal Product Line team had online meetings with Chinese Customs Technology Centers
– To ensure the CCIC overseas companies accurately understand the relevant national standards and policies, to provide accurate test results, on December 24 2020 and January 15 2021, the team of Recycled Metal Product Lines respectively had online meetings with Ningbo Customs Technology Center and Guangzhou Customs Technology Center. At the meeting, Ningbo and Guangzhou Customs Technology Center gave information focused on the inspection methods for the arrival recycled metals, and explained the technical difficulties in the inspection standards of recycled metals. The team leader of CCIC Recycled Metal Product Line technical group introduced the overall situation, the progress of the work and the work plan for the next step, and consulted on the problems encountered in the overseas on-site inspection. The leaders and technicians of the Customs technical centers gave detailed answers. The two parties also discussed sampling method, sampling ratio, detection methods of recycled brass, copper and aluminum, as well as how to achieve technical information exchange.
CCIC Recycled Metal Product Line is currently committed to developing overseas testing methods suitable for different raw metal materials, including moisture and impurity content determination, metal composition testing, volatile determination, etc., and strive to be consistent with the inspection results of Chinese Customs, to provide overseas customers with precision, localized inspection and testing services, to further improve the quality of recycled raw metal materials exported to China .