CNCA Further Opens CCC Certification and Testing Market

On July 7, the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) published its No. 19 Notice (2015) on Supplementing CCC Designated Certification Bodies and Testing Labs, with an aim to better provide CCC services through market capacities and further motivate the certification and testing industry. This was the second time CNCA openly solicited third-parties for CCC, with the first time in 2014 with three foreign-invested testing labs recruited. 

The notice, based on the PRC Regulations of Certification and Accreditation and theRegulations on the CCC Certification Bodies, Inspection Bodies and Testing Labs, outlined several guidelines for selecting additional CCC certification bodies and testing labs, including:

• Ensure open and fair competition for both domestic and foreign entities
• Set preference to those with 'one-stop' service capabilities, that is to be able to do inspection and testing altogether at one certification body or testing lab
• Only consider those entities who have obtained accreditation and certification respectively from the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment and the Certification Management Committee

According to the notice, CNCA attached a demand list of supplemental CCC designated certification bodies and testing labs by product categories, in which CNCAis looking for 6 more each respectively for A/V, information technology and telecommunication terminal equipment.

The Notice also included a timeline of the selection process, with a deadline of application by July 24,CNCA review process from July 27 to August 7, and final decisions announced by August 21.