One of the most common questions from manufacturers preparing to export to Russia is this: “Our buyer is asking for an EAC certificate — what exactly is it, and does our product really need one?” The question sounds simple, but getting the answer wrong means a loaded container sitting at customs.
In this guide we explain what the EAC certificate is, the difference between a certificate and a declaration, the current status of GOST-R, and the point that causes the most confusion — why EAC is not the same thing as the Chestny Znak marking system.
What is the EAC certificate?
EAC stands for Eurasian Conformity. It is the mandatory conformity document showing that a product complies with the common technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union.
A product carrying the mark can move freely across all member states of the union: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. In other words, a single document opens the door to five markets at once.
Functionally it resembles the CE mark in the European Union: it declares that the product meets safety, health and environmental requirements. But the certification process, scope lists and responsible bodies are different; holding a CE certificate does not substitute for EAC.
What does the EAC mark mean?
Products in scope must carry the mark made of the letters EAC on the item or its packaging. The mark signals that the manufacturer has declared conformity with the relevant technical regulation and completed the required certification process.
Having the mark printed on the product is not enough on its own. There must be a valid certificate or declaration behind it, and that document must be registered in the union’s official registry. What customs checks is not the mark itself but the existence of the registration.
EAC certificate or EAC declaration?
This is the most misunderstood point. “EAC document” is not a single document but the common name for two different forms of conformity:
- EAC Certificate: issued by an accredited certification body after testing and, where required, an inspection of the production site. Usually required for higher-risk product groups — machinery, electrical equipment, children’s products, certain underwear items.
- EAC Declaration: the manufacturer or importer takes responsibility; the product is declared compliant with the relevant regulation and the declaration is entered in the official registry. The process is generally shorter and less costly, applied to lower-risk products.
Which one is required is determined not by the company but by the technical regulation the product falls under. Even within the same sector, one or the other may be required depending on the product group. That is why the question “do we need a certificate or a declaration” cannot be answered without looking at the product’s technical file.
Is your product within EAC scope?
The Eurasian Economic Union has separate technical regulations published for each product group (referred to by TR CU and newer TR EAEU numbers). Food safety, textiles, toys, machinery safety, low-voltage equipment, packaging — each falls under its own regulation.
The first step is always the same: identify which regulation the product falls under. This is done through the product’s technical characteristics and its customs tariff position. Products out of scope do not require an EAC document; but assuming you are out of scope is very different from confirming it.
We covered why the tariff code is so decisive in detail in our guide on the difference between GTIN and the tariff code.
Is GOST-R still valid?
Short answer: it has largely been replaced by EAC, but it has not disappeared entirely.
GOST-R is the Russian certification system that existed before the Eurasian Economic Union’s common technical regulations came into force, and it was valid within Russia’s borders only. As the common regulations took effect, GOST-R documents for the product groups covered gave way to EAC certificates and declarations.
In practice today: a product falling under a technical regulation needs EAC. For some products not covered by any regulation, voluntary or sector-specific documents may still be requested in Russia. If your buyer says “GOST certificate,” what they usually mean is EAC — but rather than assuming, get written confirmation of which document they mean.
How to obtain an EAC certificate, step by step
- Scope determination: Which technical regulation does the product fall under, and is a certificate or a declaration required?
- Scheme selection: Is the document for serial production or a single batch? This choice directly affects time and cost.
- Technical file preparation: Product description, technical drawings, user manual, and any existing test reports and quality documents.
- Samples and testing: The tests required by the relevant regulation are carried out in an accredited laboratory.
- Production site inspection if required: Some certification schemes require a factory audit.
- Issuing the document and registration: The document is entered into the union’s official registration system.
- Marking: The EAC mark and the required information labels are applied to the product and packaging.
Time and cost vary considerably by product group, chosen scheme, number of tests required and whether a factory audit is involved. So rely not on one-size-fits-all price lists online, but on an assessment specific to your product.
How long is the document valid?
EAC certificates issued for serial production are generally valid for up to five years. Documents issued for a single batch cover only that shipment; they do not expire but cannot be used for another batch.
For declarations, the validity period is set by the relevant regulation and the chosen scheme. When a document expires, the renewal process starts again from the beginning; that is why keeping the dates on a calendar is critical for shipment planning.
An EAC certificate and Chestny Znak are not the same thing
This is the confusion that costs the most in the field. The two systems do not substitute for each other; both may be required and they answer different questions:
- The EAC certificate answers “is this product technically safe and compliant?” It is obtained once per product type and is valid for its duration.
- Chestny Znak answers “where is this individual item, who holds it, at what stage?” A unique DataMatrix code is printed on each item and its movements are reported to the system.
In short, EAC is conformity, Chestny Znak is traceability. Your product may fall under both: EAC because it is subject to a technical regulation, and Chestny Znak obligation because its tariff code is on the marking list. Textiles and apparel are among the groups where the two most often appear together; you can find sector-specific detail in our textile guide.
You can check within seconds whether your product is within the marking scope using our Chestny Znak lookup tool by customs code.
Common mistakes
- Assuming “we have CE, that’s enough.” CE is not valid in the Eurasian market. Existing test reports can speed up the process but do not replace the document.
- Accepting the document name the buyer says without question. What is called “GOST” is usually EAC; time spent on the wrong document does not come back.
- Planning the document too close to shipment. Testing and, if needed, audit processes take calendar time; if the document is not ready when the product is, the cargo waits.
- Forgetting the marking after sorting out EAC. Even with a complete document, a product within the marking scope sent without a code will be stopped at customs. We shared a concrete example in our case study.
- Not checking whether the product’s export is restricted. The list of prohibited and restricted products is where to look before certification.
Frequently asked questions
Who can obtain the EAC document?
The document is issued in the manufacturer’s name. A manufacturer in Türkiye can obtain it in its own name; solutions issued in the importer’s name are also possible, but this changes who bears responsibility in the market.
Is EAC required for every product?
No. It is mandatory only for products falling under a technical regulation. Confirming that you are out of scope is safer than assuming it.
If I have an EAC document, do I still need Chestny Znak?
Yes. The two systems serve different purposes and neither replaces the other.
Is the document obtained in Türkiye or in Russia?
The document is issued by bodies accredited in the Eurasian Economic Union. The process can be run from Türkiye, and some of the testing can be done in laboratories in Türkiye.
How far ahead of shipment should I start?
It depends on the product group. General rule: for any process that includes a sampling and testing phase, leave a comfortable buffer working backwards from your planned shipment date.
Run the EAC and marking process from a single point
Global Znak Consulting, under the Global Znak umbrella and with offices in Moscow, Istanbul and Podgorica and RTİB membership, runs the entire Russia export process for Turkish manufacturers end to end. With our partners we manage certification on the EAC and GOST side, and with our own team we handle Chestny Znak registration, code generation and labelling within the same process — so you do not have to deal with two separate suppliers.
Get in touch for a free preliminary assessment — together we will work out which technical regulation your product falls under, whether EAC needs a certificate or a declaration, and whether it is within the marking scope. You can review our service packages on the Solutions page, and our approach to trade with Russia and other guides in the News and Guides section. We also recommend our pre-shipment checklist for a final check before you ship.
Note: This article is compiled from publicly available sources and our own field experience; it is for information purposes and does not replace legal, financial or technical advice. Technical regulations, scope lists, document schemes and validity periods may change. Confirm the current situation for a specific product and shipment.
