Two abbreviations get confused more than any others in exports to Russia: the customs code and the GTIN. Both are strings of digits, both “identify a product”, and so they are often used interchangeably — but for the Chestny Znak (Честный ЗНАК) system the difference between them decides whether your registration is accepted at all. This article explains what each is for, why you absolutely need a GS1 barcode (GTIN) to ship labelled goods to Russia, and how to obtain one.
What is the difference?
Both are product codes, but they belong to completely different systems:
- Customs code (TN VED / HS code): based on the World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System, it shows which duty and customs class a product falls into. It is used in the customs declaration, in duty rates and in foreign-trade statistics.
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number): a barcode number allocated to businesses by GS1 that identifies a product uniquely worldwide, usually in GTIN-13 / EAN-13 format. It is the number inside the barcode that scans at the till.
In short, the customs code answers “which category does this product fall into at customs”, while the GTIN answers “exactly which model or variant is this”. Chestny Znak registration asks for both — but the one the system needs in order to generate the DataMatrix code is the GTIN.
Why is a GTIN mandatory for exports to Russia?
The DataMatrix code Chestny Znak prints on a product is not a randomly generated square. Embedded in it are:
- the product’s GTIN (GS1 barcode),
- a unique serial number,
- a cryptographic verification code that prevents counterfeiting.
Before you can open a product card at CRPT, the system operator, that product’s GTIN must be registered and verifiable in the GS1 database. If you have no GTIN, or you are using a made-up barcode outside GS1, the system rejects the product card and the labelling process stalls at the very first step.
What if you already have a barcode?
If your products already carry a valid GS1 barcode — most exporters do — the same GTIN can be used in the Chestny Znak registration. GTIN is a global numbering system and does not change by country. Problems usually arise when the barcode is not GS1-issued but a locally invented number, or when separate GTINs have not been created for product variants such as colour, size or packaging.
How is a GS1 barcode obtained?
A GS1 barcode is obtained from your national GS1 member organisation. In outline:
- Company membership: you join GS1 and are allocated a company prefix.
- Product numbering: a sequence number is added to that prefix for each product or variant to produce a GTIN-13 (EAN-13). Different colours, sizes or packaging of the same product each need their own GTIN.
- Barcode certificate: GS1 issues a certificate showing which barcode belongs to which company — CRPT registration may ask for this certificate or GTIN list.
- Annual renewal: GS1 membership has to be maintained. If it lapses, the barcode database entry can be treated as invalid, which in turn can cause the Chestny Znak product card to be rejected.
From GTIN to the Chestny Znak code
The route from a GS1 barcode to a labelled product on a Russian shelf runs like this:
- A GTIN is obtained for the product through GS1 (or an existing one is verified).
- A product card is opened in the CRPT system with that GTIN, matched to the category, customs code and manufacturer.
- The required number of DataMatrix codes is ordered from the system (GTIN + serial + crypto code).
- The codes are printed or applied to the product or packaging.
- Product movements are reported to the system at the shipping, customs and sales stages through electronic document management.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the two codes: trying to enter the customs code from the declaration where the GTIN belongs. The system rejects it, because the two live in different databases.
- Using a non-GS1 barcode: passing off a number you generated yourself, or one created for another purpose, as a barcode. CRPT cannot find it in the GS1 database.
- Not creating a GTIN per variant: trying to use one GTIN for three different sizes of the same product. Every variant needs its own product card and its own GTIN.
- Letting GS1 membership lapse: when the membership expires the barcode can be treated as invalid and existing product cards can be called into question.
How we make this easier
From our offices in Moscow, Istanbul and Podgorica, and as a member of the Russian–Turkish Business Association (RTİB), we run the whole process end to end for exporters: from advice on obtaining GTINs to CRPT registration, from DataMatrix code generation to labelling and data reporting. By getting the technical details right from the start — the customs-code-versus-GTIN confusion among them — we make sure your product card is approved first time.
To review your products’ GS1 barcode position together and start labelling for Russia without errors, reach us through our contact page, and see our end-to-end offering on the Solutions page. Our other guides on Russian labelling are on the blog.
