Users' Guide to the Co-operation Agreement between New Zealand and China on Electrical and Electronic Equipment and their Components
New Zealand has negotiated a Co-operation Agreement with China on electrical and electronic equipment and their components (EEE MRA). It is annexed to the Technical Barriers to Trade Chapter of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
- EEE MRA - Annex 14 to the Agreement
- Implementing Arrangement [PDF 106KB]
The main features of the EEE MRA and the choices it provides for businesses interested in exporting to, or importing from, China are described below.
Objectives
From a New Zealand perspective, the EEE MRA has two main objectives:
- to facilitate trade by making it easier for New Zealand exporters to meet China's testing, inspection and certification requirements; and
- to assist New Zealand regulators to manage risks relating to electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
It is also designed to reduce language barriers as much as possible. New Zealand manufacturers and exporters will be able to rely on references to IEC standards with translations from Chinese of the deviations from them in Chinese law. Chinese manufacturers and exporters will be able to follow Chinese requirements in Chinese but with translations into Chinese of the deviations needed to meet the New Zealand regulators' requirements.
As a result, the EEE MRA will support improved consumer confidence of electrical and electronic products being placed on the market.
Coverage
The EEE MRA does not cover all electrical and electronic equipment and components. It only covers those that are listed in the Chinese Compulsory Certification (CCC) system catalogue and also require supplier declarations of conformity to enter New Zealand. As other electrical and electronic equipment are subject to different requirements in China, those products will be the subject of separate negotiations. Some examples of product categories covered by this EEE MRA are:
- low voltage electrical apparatus
- electrical tools
- household and similar use appliances
- lighting electrical appliances
See the text of the EEE MRA and Implementing Arrangement [PDF 106KB] for the complete product category coverage.
For exports to China
Standards
Under the EEE MRA you will still need to comply with the Chinese standards. These requirements are contained in the Implementing Arrangement where the product standards are expressed as versions of the IEC standards with the deviations from them found in the Chinese Standards .
Conformity Assessments
The CCC system requires products to be tested, inspected and certified by designated Chinese Conformity Assessment Bodies. That option is still available. However, the EEE MRA gives you another choice. Products will have to undergo the same tests, inspections and certifications but they may be undertaken by New Zealand laboratories and certification bodies that have been recommended to the Chinese Authorities by the New Zealand regulators after they have been accredited by IANZ or JAS-ANZ. Reports and Certifications from laboratories and certification bodies that have been recommended by the New Zealand regulator as meeting Chinese requirements will automatically be accepted by the Chinese Authorities. This will save exporters the expense and difficulties of sending goods to laboratories in China for testing and paying for Chinese inspectors to visit plant in New Zealand.
For information on which firms are able to offer testing and certification services in New Zealand, contact IANZ or JAS-ANZ respectively.
The CCC Mark
Once a New Zealand certification body has recommended a product for listing by a Chinese certification body, exporters will be able to obtain:
- an appropriate "standard" CCC Mark from the New Zealand certification body if a standard mark is appropriate for your product; or
- an approval to place a CCC mark of "non standard" specifications if the "standard" marks are not appropriate.
Certification Bodies will be able to undertake this for you.
For further information on CCC Marks see Schedule E of the Implementing Arrangement [PDF 200KB]
Other requirements
The documentation to support your certification will need to be held by the certification body for a period of 7 years and must be made available to the Chinese Authority through the New Zealand electrical safety or EMC regulator if any defects are found in the products exported to China.
Border controls in China
Products exported under the terms of the EEE MRA may still be subject to border controls in China but the EEE MRA stipulates that the same rules must apply as for any other products that have obtained a CCC mark. These are laid down under Chinese State Law entitled "Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection". For further information on this State Law, please contact the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand.
Fees
Other than the fees for testing, inspection and certification services in New Zealand, there are three types of fees payable to Chinese Authorities.
Fees payable to the Chinese Certification Body
A fee is payable to the Chinese Certification Body that accepts the recommendation of the New Zealand Certification Body (Chinese State Law requires details of CCC certifications to be accepted and registered by a Chinese Certification Body):
- RMB 300 yuan for each CCC Certificate.
The CCC Mark Issuance & Management Centre
For "Standard Marks"
- RMB 0.06 yuan for size number 1
- RMB 0.12 yuan for size number 2
- RMB 0.20 yuan for size number 3
- RMB 0.30 yuan for size number 4
- RMB 0.40 yuan for size number 5
For each design of "Non- Standard" Marks
- RMB 900 yuan for the first year; and
- RMB 600 yuan for each subsequent year.
Fees payable to the Personnel Certification Body
A fee for the registration or re-registration of an Inspector is payable to the Personnel Certification Body by a Certification Body that is accepted or has applied for acceptance under the EEEMRA:
- RMB 100 yuan for each inspector.
For imports into New Zealand
SDoCs and Approvals
Under the terms of the EEE MRA, importers may import products that have met the same requirements as they would to sell the product in China, with some additional or alternative requirements to meet New Zealand's particular circumstances. If they wish, importers may still rely on relevant New Zealand standards and conformity assessment requirements to obtain approvals for Declared Articles or for Supplier's Declarations of Conformity.
Standards
The standards that must be met under the EEE MRA are the Chinese standards but with some additional or different requirements that the New Zealand regulators think are necessary in the New Zealand environment. These requirements are contained in the Implementing Arrangement [PDF 106KB].
Conformity Assessments
Chinese manufacturers may have their products tested, inspected and certified in the same way as they would if the products were to be sold on the Chinese market but taking into account the deviations for the product standards required by the New Zealand regulators.
The CCC and New Zealand Marks
The holder of a CCC Certificate issued by a designated Chinese certification body as complying with the standards in Schedule A1 of the Implementing Arrangement may apply for a CCC mark and a New Zealand Mark to the CCC Mark Approval Centre. For further information on CCC Marks see Schedule E of the Implementing Arrangement [PDF 200KB].
Holders of a CCC certification under the EEE MRA who have marked the relevant products with a CCC mark will:
- be able to use the CCC certificate as the basis for compliance with New Zealand legislation for a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity for electrical safety; and
- not be required to make a Self Declaration of Conformity for EMC or apply a New Zealand EMC compliance mark.
Enforcement (imports and exports)
The EEE MRA contains provisions that require the Governments of both countries to have in place legislation that will permit regulators to prosecute offenders who in anyway act negligently or fraudulently in obtaining a certification or applying a mark to products which have been exported on the basis that they comply with the EEE MRA. The regulators are also required to supply each other with evidence, give positive consideration to any requests from the regulator in the other country to prosecute and, where possible, to co-ordinate legal action.
- Page last updated: 03 December 2008
