LOGISTICS OF EXPORTING TO EURASIA SERIES

LOGISTICS OF EXPORTING TO EURASIA SERIES

Product Certification Process in Armenia

By George Isayan, BISNIS Armenia April 2005

***********************************************************************************************************

***NOTE: This report should be used for general reference purpose only. As certification-related legislation and regulations are constantly changing, it is advised that exporters consult with certification agencies from the country of importation to obtain accurate and current information that would pertain to their specific transaction***

I. OVERVIEW OF CERTIFICATION AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

1. Regulatory Agencies and their functions

According to the law the National Institute of Standards Closed Joint Stock Company (SARM) operating within the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development is primarily responsible for all issues related to standardization and certification. The National Institute of Standards maintains the National Fund of Standards of the Republic of Armenia which contains International (ISO), Interstate (GOST), Regional (EN), Armenian (AST) and other state standards. The company has been accredited as products, services and quality management systems (ISO 9000) certification body, as well as a products a products certification body within the system of the Russian Federation, carries out conformity assessment works in the mentioned fields and testing of large number of items.

The following entities operating with the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development are also involved in standardization and certification process:

Metrolog Closed Joint Stock Company provides control of metering devices, which are subject to certification.

The Quality Control Inspectorate assesses the compliance of the products with claimed quality standards.

Accreditation Agency provides accreditation of certification laboratories and other private and public legal entities involved in the certification process.

According to the Government decrees in addition to the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development the following government bodies are engaged in the provision of certificates of conformity:

- Ministry of Agriculture

- Armenian Drug and

Medical Technology Agency (pharmaceutical products)

2. Current Legislation

The legislation regulating the certification and conformity assessment system includes the Law on Standardization, the Law on the Conformity Assessment of Products and Services to Normative Requirements, the Law on Unified Metering, and several Government decrees.

English-language translation of some of these documents is available at http://www.sarm.am/sarm/site/index.php?go=reg_guidance

3. Mandatory Certification vs. Voluntary Declaration of Conformity

Based on the Law on the Conformity Assessment of Products and Services to Normative Requirements the Government of Armenia established the list of the products and services subject to the compulsory conformity assessment in the Republic of Armenia . For a complete list (except pharmaceuticals) in English please see the Armenian Customs website www.customs.am and also on Certification page of BISNIS website at http://www.bisnis.doc.gov/bisnis/isa/isa-cert.cfm.

4. Voluntary assessment

Public and private entities that choose to certify their products and services not included in the above-mentioned list may apply to the National Institute of Standards (SARM) or certification laboratories accredited by SARM. Their products' conformity assessment is carried out in compliance with the applicant's announced normative and technical requirements.

5. Effect of international certification/standardization laws and regulations on certification system in Armenia

Armenia has several interstate agreements with foreign countries on mutual recognition of conformity certificates. In 1997, USDA and SARM exchanged letters in which SARM agreed to recognize USDA safety certificates for meat and poultry products.

The certificates issued by Rostest (Russian Federation) are also accepted by local certification and customs authorities, but still subject to additional certification albeit in this case the procedure is much shorter. At the same time the Article 4 of the Law on the Conformity Assessment of Products and Services to Normative Requirements says: " should the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia stipulate otherwise rules than the product conformity assessment legislation of the Republic of Armenia, the provisions of international treaties shall prevail".

6. Brief overview of Standardization and Accreditation Systems as relates to Certification and Conformity Assessment processes

Certification and Conformity Assessment processes are described in the Law on the Conformity Assessment of Products and Services to Normative Requirements. Accreditation Agency under the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development and the interagency accreditation board authorized by the Government of Armenia implement accreditation of legal entities as certification bodies or testing laboratories. The board, based on positive outcomes of accreditation officially recognizes the competence of legal entity in certain sphere, as well as officially recognizes independence of the legal entity on product manufacturer (seller, buyer) or service provider.

According to Article 3 of the Republic of Armenia Law on Standardization (see full text available at http://www.sarm.am/sarm/site/docs/lawstadard.pdf ), the objectives and objects of standardization are stated as follows:

The objective of standardization is to ensure:

a) the safety of production, work, service for the environment, life, health and

property;

b) the technical and informational compatibility, exchangeability of the

production;

c) the improvement of quality of the production, work, service;

d) uniformity of measures;

e) economy of resources;

f) in the event of emergencies, the security and reliability of the buildings and

constructions;

g) removal of technical barriers to trade;

h) the essential conditions for the state defense and mobilization readiness.

Objects of standardization are products, labor (including process) and services.

II. CERTIFICATION PROCESS BASED ON COMMODITY TYPE

The Government body issuing declaration on conformity and conformity certificate of product and services is the National Institute of Standards (SARM). The applicant should submit the application that should contain the following information:

- name and address of the applicant submitted

application for declaration;

- designation or classification code of product or

service;

- obligation of the applicant to ensure the

conformity of product or service to the normative

requirements;

- on normative documents to which requirements the

mentioned in declaration product or service shall conform;

- on hygienic conclusions, veterinary, phytosanitary

certificates, testing conducted and availability of other

documents stipulated by the legislation of the Republic of

Armenia on given

- product or service, confirming the quality and safety

thereof.

Application for declaration shall be signed by the manager of the applicant

organization or his trustee.

1. Hygienic Certificate

The National Institute of Standards (SARM) through its accredited test laboratories performs the hygienic assessment and issues the hygienic certificate either for the products that are subject to compulsory certification or the products to be certified voluntarily.

The following is the approximate list of documents needed for the issuance of hygienic certificate:

- application

- invoice

- copy of registration certificate

- certification documents of the country of origin

- business licenses (if applicable)

- copy of customs declaration

Testing service provider:

Center for Disease Control

2 Hrachya Ajaryan Street

Yerevan 375040

Tel: (374-1) 622-780

2. Phytosanitary Certificate

To get a phitosanitary certificate importers should apply to the State Inspectorate of Phitosanitary Quarantine operating under the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia. The Inspectorate issues two types of documents, including the phitosanitary import permit and the phitosanitary certficate for export

The following products are subject to phitosanitary quarantine and phitosanitary certification:

· live cattle, live sheep and live goats;

· seeds and planting material of agricultural, forest and decorative cultures;

· plants and parts thereof (scions, bulbs, root tubers and fruits)

· any vegetal products, including packed in postal parcels, hand luggage and other.

· cultures of live mushrooms, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, acarines and insects;

· collections of insects or pathogenic agents of plant diseases and samples thereof or seeds as well as herbariums;

· agricultural machinery and earth tilling tools;

· all types of packaging, packaging materials, industrial goods and articles made from vegetal materials which can be carriers of plant diseases or weeds;

· monoliths and soil samples;

· fodder, hay and straw;

· wood and items thereof;

· carpets, artificial fibers, etc.

· transport means (aircraft, railway carriages, containers, automobiles) and wastes.

The following documents are needed for issuing the phitosanitary certificate:

- certification documents of the country of origin

- invoice

- airway bill or other transportation documents

The time for issuing of certificate may take from 1 hour (on spot) to 2-3 hours (in case of laboratory inspection). The fee is up to USD 17 (depending on quantity of the product).

3. Telecommunication certificate

The regulating agency is SARM. It accredits legal entities and test laboratories to certify the telecom products. There are 7 certification schemas.

The approximate list of needed documents is as follows:

- Invoice

- airway bill or bill of landing

- technical description of the product

- sample of the product

The process may take up to 7 days. Certification of multiple series of products (for example for consumer electronics imported from Asia and Europe) is implemented in the country of origin for a term of up to three years.

An accredited telecom testing service provider:

Readicom LLC

23 D. Anhakht Street

Yerevan 375014

Armenia

Tel: (374-1) 249-413

Fax: (374-1) 249-418

E-mail: readicom@readicom.am

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

BISNIS Representative in Armenia

Mr. George Isayan

1 American Avenue

Yerevan 375082, Armenia

Phone: 374-10-464-700 ext. 4233

FAX: 374-10-464-742

Email: IsayanGX@state.gov