Customs Union EAC certification is the mandatory product conformity assessment required for goods entering the market of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
The term "Customs Union" refers to the predecessor of the current Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Because the technical regulations were originally established by the Customs Union (often abbreviated as CU), you will frequently see this certification referred to interchangeably as EAC certification, CU-TR certification, or TR CU certification.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of what this certification entails:
🌍 What is the Customs Union EAC Certification?
It is a unified mandatory certification system that acts as a single "passport" for your products to clear customs and be legally sold across all five EAEU member states: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan.
EAC (Eurasian Conformity): This is the official name of the conformity mark that must be affixed to your product once certified.
TR CU / CU-TR (Technical Regulations of the Customs Union): These are the specific legal technical regulations (e.g., TR CU 004/2011 for Low Voltage, TR CU 010/2011 for Machinery) that your product must comply with.
📜 Two Main Types of EAC Certification
Depending on the risk level of your product, the certification process falls into one of two categories:
Type    Full Name    Applicable Products    Key Requirements
EAC CoC    Certificate of Conformity    High-risk (e.g., industrial machinery, high-voltage equipment, children's toys, elevators, pressure vessels)    Strict third-party audit, mandatory sample testing in EAEU labs, and usually requires a factory inspection.
EAC DoC    Declaration of Conformity    Medium/Low-risk (e.g., household appliances, standard IT equipment, textiles, simple hardware, furniture)    Manufacturer/Importer self-declaration based on test reports. No factory audit is usually required.
📋 General Certification Process
Product Classification: Identify the correct HS code and determine which specific TR CU regulations apply to your product.
Appoint an EAEU Representative: A non-EAEU manufacturer (e.g., a factory in Shanghai) cannot be the direct certificate holder. You must appoint a legal entity registered within the EAEU (such as a local importer or a professional authorized representative) to act as the applicant and take legal responsibility.
Sample Testing: Send product samples to an EAEU-accredited laboratory for testing against the relevant safety and EMC standards.
Documentation & Audit: Submit technical files (manuals, drawings, risk assessments, etc., all translated into Russian) to a certification body. For CoC, a factory audit may be conducted.
Issuance & Labeling: Once approved, the certificate or declaration is issued and registered in the official EAEU database. You can then affix the EAC mark to your products.
⚠️ Critical Updates for 2026
If you are planning to export now, you must be aware of the latest strict enforcement rules to avoid customs rejections:
Mandatory Dynamic QR Code: Since July 2025, machinery and many other products must have an encrypted dynamic QR code on their nameplate. Customs officers will scan this to verify the certificate's authenticity in real-time. Products without it will be rejected at the border.
Local Testing is Mandatory: Test reports from outside the EAEU (such as standard Chinese CNAS reports) are generally not accepted on their own. Samples must be physically tested in an EAEU-accredited lab.
Stricter Rules for Specific Goods:
Self-propelled machinery: Must undergo the stricter EAC CoC (Certificate of Conformity) process starting from 2026.
Cosmetics & Toys: Must be registered in the "Honest Sign" (Честный ЗНАК) national track-and-trace system with Data Matrix codes.
In short, obtaining Customs Union EAC certification is not just about getting a piece of paper; it is a systematic compliance process that requires local representation, strict adherence to technical regulations, and keeping up with the latest digital tracking requirements.