CELAB pays attention to and supports companies operating in the Import-Export sector, both Italian companies importing and distributing goods from China and Chinese companies wishing to export to Europe.
Importers and distributors have a key role of responsibility in the distribution of products that comply with European safety requirements, in the preservation of declarations of conformity and technical documentation, which must remain available to the authorities in charge of market control. It is they, in fact, who bear the legal, ethical and economic responsibility if an unsafe product is imported and distributed that does not comply with European laws.
To support these companies in their import-export activities, CELAB, thanks to its experience in certification, inspection and laboratory testing, as well as its partnership agreements with competent Chinese testing and certification bodies, can offer various services.
Pre-shipment inspections
The pre-shipment service verifies the coherence between what is declared and the exported goods, so that the goods loaded in the containers comply with the requirements set by the customer (e.g. with regard to safety features, quantity, type, processing, functionality, colour, measurements, packaging, labelling, dimensions and product assortment). At the end of all checks, a detailed report is issued.
For purchasers, the issuing of an audit report is an important means of guaranteeing the conformity of the batch and also provides authoritative support for the control activities of customs authorities. Verification protects both importing companies, helping them to reduce the risk of fraud and possible negligence, and exporting companies, in the event of litigation related to goods arriving at their destination damaged or with missing parts.
Pre-shipment inspections are offered for all product categories and not only for those of traditional CELAB competence.
Control over the manufacturer’s production process
Italian companies importing products of Chinese origin want to perform more checks on their suppliers‘ production process.
CELAB is able to offer, through qualified partners, various control and support services at the customer’s request.
First and foremost, the audit service on the supplier’s site, which allows confirmation first of the company’s real existence in China and then that it has correctly performed the activities requested by the customer.
Voluntary certificates
CELAB carries out inspections on the technical files of manufacturers or their suppliers. This activity is voluntary and is not performed as a notified body.
- Its purpose is to verify whether
- the standards used are harmonised against the directive
- the reports contain evidence with respect to the harmonised standards
- the declaration of conformity correctly mentions the harmonised standards
- a user manual exists
- the product label includes the CE marking
- the model of the declaration of conformity exists
The result of this verification is an opinion expressed by CELAB, in a traceable and certain manner, in the form of a certificate. Verification is an activity carried out voluntarily, as an independent third party, and under no circumstances can it constitute advice. For these reasons, it is referred to as a ‘voluntary certificate’, identifiable by the designation: ‘Certificate of Conformity/Inspection’.
These certificates can only be used in the following cases:
- to show one’s own client that technical tests have been carried out and that a technical file exists relating to the CE marking, but without the need to show the client one’s own documentation
- to assess the congruity of its own documentation with respect to the requirements of the directives
- to evaluate your own supplier’s technical file when you do not have technical expertise or when your supplier does not want to show it to you directly
Notified Body
CELAB also offers the activity of Notified Body, i.e. a third-party assessment of technical dossiers that certifies the conformity of products to the provisions set out by European Directives with competence, transparency, neutrality and independence. This activity, in some cases, is expressly required by the relevant Directives, but can always be carried out on a voluntary basis.
Specific limits of work are set for each Directive, see in detail the Notified Body activity for each of those below:
Notified Body EMC
Notified Body RED
Testing Activities
For companies with a production site in China, thanks to recognised partner laboratories and qualified personnel in the area, CELAB is able to offer testing activities also on site.
Technical assistance for importing products from China
CELAB can provide technical assistance to identify and correctly interpret the European standards and directives applicable to products and the tests necessary to verify their compliance with these requirements, as well as the legal aspects and technical documentation required by the main directives.
Useful documents
Customs Agency – Procedural manual for customs controls
European Commission – Guide for EU exporters
European Commission – Free movement of goods
European Commission – Guidelines for import controls in the area of product safety and compliance
Celab services for importers