In addition to North America and European countries being developed regions for international trade, the ANZ market is no exception. The ANZ market refers to Australia and New Zealand, two countries that have some historical roots and similar consumer habits, purchasing preferences, imported product regulations and technical requirements. Coupled with the lush demand for local electronic product imports, many importers in the ANZ market may wish to start importing electronic products if they wish to understand the requirements of the ANZ market for certification.
I. SAA Certification
SAA certification is the standard body of the Standards Association of Australia, referred to as SAA, which requires electrical products entering the Australian market to comply with local safety regulations, which is the basic threshold for entering the local market. Due to the mutual recognition agreement between Australia and New Zealand, all products with Australian certification can also be sold in the New Zealand market.
SAA certification consists of two parts: electrical products are divided into prescribed products and non-prescribed products.
(1) Prescribed products are classified according to AS/NZS4417.2 and include electrical heating equipment, refrigeration equipment, power tools, power supplies, etc. It is mandatory for prescribed electrical appliances to obtain a certificate of approval (SAA) issued by the supervisory authority and to require labelling.
(2) Non-prescribed products can be sold without safety certification. Although certification is not mandatory for non-prescribed products, the exporter/importer is responsible for their safety and can voluntarily apply for certification.
Whether the imported products are covered by the Australian market control can be found by following the link below. SAA certification is required for electrical products with a basic voltage range of 50V~~1000V AC or 120V~1500V DC.
https://www.saaapprovals.com.au/regulated-products/
SAA certification for prescribed electrical products is basically applied locally by the supplier in the exporting country, but as an importer, you need to confirm your supplier's SAA certification eligibility in advance. There are currently two forms of SAA, formal accreditation and standard certification. Formal accreditation is a sample only responsible, while standard accreditation is required for each to be factory reviewed. If there is a CB or IEC test report, SAA can be transferred directly through the CB or IEC test report. If there is no CB or IEC, you can also apply directly. In general, the cycle time for applying for SAA certification is 3-4 weeks for common products in the IT, lighting and small household appliances categories, and will be extended if the product quality is not up to standard.
SAA certification process.:
Fill in the application form → product sample testing → product rectification (when the test fails) → issuance of report → evaluation → issuance of the certificate
II. C-Tick Certification
In Australia, the EMC requirements for electrical products are monitored by the ACA (Australian Communications Authority). The standards used are in addition to the Australian and New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS), the ACA recognized 103 other standards in 2002, which include EN, IEC and CISPR.
In order to limit the effects of electromagnetic interference, Australia introduced mandatory electromagnetic interference (EMI) requirements for all products within the scope of the standards from January 1999. Some of the EMC test items that must also meet the mandatory requirements are: conducted interference, intermittent interference (clicks), and radiated interference. The remaining EMC items are not mandatory.
The C-Tick mark can only be affixed after the product has been tested to meet the relevant standards and a report has been submitted by the Australian importer, accepted by the Australian ACA and issued with a registration number, with the aim of protecting the resources of the wireless communication band. However, since the mandatory implementation of RCM in Australia, the C-Tick mark is no longer mandatory and has been replaced by the RCM mark. However, even if the C-Tick mark is replaced by the RCM mark, most products need to complete the C-Tick certification in advance before they can apply for the RCM mark.
III. RCM mark
RCM (Regulatory Compliance Mark) is a mark introduced in Australia and New Zealand to achieve uniformity in the marking of electrical products. The mark is a trademark owned by the regulatory bodies of Australia and New Zealand, indicating that the supplier declares that the product complies with the safety and other requirements stipulated in the electrical safety laws or regulations of the Australian states and New Zealand, and also complies with the electromagnetic compatibility requirements of the Australian ‘Radio communications Act’ and the New Zealand ‘Radio communications Act’. It is a certification system that combines EMC electromagnetic wireless and electrical safety.
Depending on the risk level of electronic products, Australia classifies electrical products into three levels of risk: Level 1 low-risk category, Level 2 medium risk category and Level 3 high-risk category. Level 2 and level 3 are mandatory for RCM registration and uploading information to the EESS database.
Level 1 certification requirements: Generally, refers to DC-powered products (with EMC report you can use the RCM mark yourself) (i.e., C-TICK).
Level 2 certification requirements: Generally, refers to AC powered products (EMC report + safety report) applying for RCM mark + EESS registration (i.e., C-TICK + safety test report).
Level 3 certification requirements: refer to the Australian mandatory certification list (provide EMC report + SAA test report + SAA certificate) apply for RCM certification + EESS registration (i.e., C-TICK + SAA certification).
IV. Points to note regarding certification
1. For products with plugs, the SAA certificate of the product plug is required when submitting the report to Australia for audit. In addition, the important components inside the product SAA certificate, such as the transformer SAA certificate for the inside lighting.
2. RCM certification can only be applied for by Australian importers, who must apply to the Australian government for an RCM number. Manufacturers and exporters in the country of origin can apply for an IEC or AS/NZS report in their own name, but the report must be submitted to the Australian importer to apply for RCM.
3. There is a service fee for RCM registration. Firstly, if you are applying for the first time, you need to register your company, the fee is A$208, then you need to register your product, the fee varies depending on the length of registration, A$78 for 1 year, A$156 for 2 years and A$390 for 5 years, the fee may change every year, importers can check the real-time feed on the EESS official website.
4. Level 1 and Level 2 electrical products do not need to apply for SAA certification., Level 1 electrical products do not need to do safety testing, Level 2 electrical products only need to do safety test reports that meet Australian standards, only Level 3 electrical products need to do SAA certification.
Electronic products are a relatively broad product category, containing many different functions and parameters, and in the actual import, the market or the government requires different testing regulations for different categories and parameters of products. And of course, there may be additional certification requirements. It is up to the importer to refer to the specific requirements of the local market, consult a professional testing institute, or talk to a supplier with export experience.