Two forms, one safety objective
Certificate
Certification body’s decision
Declaration
Applicant’s confirmation
Both require
Correct product scope and evidence
Who makes the decision
In certification, the body reviews the application, arranges the work required by the scheme and decides whether to issue the certificate. Its accreditation must cover the product and work concerned. In declaration, the applicant confirms compliance under its responsibility and assembles the evidence. Registration does not remove its responsibility for product safety or accurate information.
Testing is not limited to certification
Testing requirements follow the regulation and scheme, not the document’s name. A declaration may require an accredited laboratory report; some schemes permit the applicant’s own evidence. Another party’s report cannot be accepted without checking its product, manufacturer, samples and permitted use. Serial certification schemes may additionally require production assessment and later periodic evaluation.
Can I choose the easier document?
An agreement with a service provider cannot replace mandatory certification with a declaration. Replacement in the other direction also requires a legal basis. Voluntary product certification, ISO 9001 management-system certification or CE marking does not cancel the required EAEU assessment. Determine the product requirements first, then a permitted scheme, and only then compare cost and timing.
What the applicant should retain
Retain the registered document together with the technical description, identification materials, test reports, sample records and other scheme-specific evidence. Check model annexes, limitations, labelling conditions and continuing obligations. The electronic record must match the actual supply. A shared supplier does not extend a document from one product to another.
The public register and evidence file serve different purposes. The register identifies the document, while procedure participants retain detailed technical evidence. A full test report missing from the public card does not prove that none exists; request it from the applicant and verify product applicability.
A practical example
Example: a toy and a cosmetic product
Toys within CU TR 008/2011 require certification. Ordinary cosmetics under CU TR 009/2011 follow declaration, while specified categories require state registration. A cream declaration is not “inferior” to a toy certificate: each follows the relevant rules. The error is applying one product’s document to another.
What to do next
Identify the required form
Locate the product group and read the assessment section and annexes of the applicable regulation.
Confirm the evidence
Agree the scheme, samples, testing and any production assessment. Ask for the basis of each mandatory step.
Check the completed file
Verify registration, models and manufacturer; obtain the agreed documents and continuing obligations.
What to watch for
A certificate does not remove manufacturer or seller obligations; declaration registration is not state approval of every product claim.
Official sources
Reviewed:
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