The GOST R (государственный стандарт России – State Standard of Russia) is a system of standards that prescribes requirements for the quality of products and services placed on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The system originated from the GOST system, which was in force during the existence of the Soviet Union. After its dissolution, it continued to be valid in the area of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). Consequently, the GOST standard still applies in the CIS territory, while the GOST R is current only in the Russian Federation. The fundamental characteristic of the standard is to prescribe requirements that must be met for entry into the Russian market, which apply only to final products. This means that any product intended for the Russian market must possess a certificate of compliance with the requirements of this standard. ISO certificates and the CE mark are not sufficient for entry into the Russian market.

The GOST R standard covers a wide range of products subject to certification, including:

• Electrical products and electronics
• Telecommunication equipment
• Medical equipment
• Cosmetics
• Food products
• Furniture
• Household chemicals
• Consumer packaging materials
• Toys
• Machinery
• Pressure equipment
• Personal protective equipment
• Construction products (including fire protection products)
• Automotive industry
• Agricultural machinery
• Equipment used in premises with easily flammable materials

The list of all products subject to mandatory certification is covered by Resolution No. 982, adopted by the Russian government.

The basic classification of standards can be made according to the certification criterion. In this regard, standards are divided into:

• Mandatory standard – applies to all products covered by Russian law and must meet certain standards and specifications regarding the product. According to the law, products subject to mandatory certification are distinguished from those that must have a declaration of conformity.
• Voluntary standard – applies to products not covered by the law and not subject to mandatory certification. It is applied in cases where a manufacturer wishing to operate in the Russian market formally wants to prove compliance with certain standards and increase competitiveness.

Mandatory conformity assessment is a necessary condition for a product (listed for mandatory certification by law) to be placed on the Russian market, and it is carried out in two forms:

• Declaration of conformity
• Mandatory certification

Recent updates include the introduction of the "Technical Regulation on Safety of Products" (TR TS), which replaced some aspects of the GOST R system. The TR TS system, part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) regulations, is increasingly applicable to products entering Russia and other member states of the EAEU.

Declaration of conformity includes two processes:

• Issuing a declaration of conformity
• Registration of the declaration of conformity with the certification body

The declaration of conformity is made by the manufacturer or supplier based on their evidence, confirmed by independent expertise, and the task of the certification body is only to register the declaration.

The manufacturer (supplier) issues the declaration of conformity based on the following documents:

• Production control test protocols carried out by the manufacturer or competent laboratories
• Certificates of conformity or test protocols for raw materials, materials, products
• Documents prescribed for the given production by federal laws issued by authorized bodies (sanitary-hygienic assessments, veterinary certificates, etc.)
• Quality or production system certificates
• Other documents directly or indirectly confirming compliance of production with prescribed conditions

Types of certification can be divided according to the activity performed in the Russian market, as well as the validity period of the certificate and can be:

• For supplying products for a certain period of time specified in the contract. The certificate is issued to the importer from Russia who requests product approval. The validity of the certificate is equal to the duration of the contract, but cannot exceed 1-2 years. The certificate is issued at the request of the importer. In some cases, it is necessary to send samples for laboratory testing.
• For serial production. The certificate is issued directly to the manufacturer for a period of 1 to 3 years. The certificate allows the export of an unlimited quantity of products during the certificate's validity period. It includes regular sampling inspections and factory inspections by the certification body that issued the certificate, most often in situations where the manufacturer does not operate in accordance with ISO standards.
• For supplying a certain quantity of products specified in the contract. The certificate can be issued to the importer from Russia or the manufacturer who can prove that they have customers in Russia to whom they supply products. The validity period of the certificate is proportional to the quantity of products specified in the contract, so the contract may apply to one or more deliveries, depending on the agreement.

The certification process has recently been streamlined, with new online platforms introduced to facilitate the submission and tracking of certification applications. These platforms aim to improve efficiency and reduce processing times for certification.

For products not covered by mandatory certification, it is recommended to have a so-called Exemption letter. The Russian government issues a list of products twice a year that do not require special certification. Therefore, a manufacturer planning to sell their products in the Russian market submits an Exemption letter to the relevant Russian state authorities, after which the letter is verified and submitted to the importer from Russia who imports those products. Additionally, the manufacturer is obliged to provide all necessary technical documentation related to the product to determine whether the Exemption letter can be verified or whether additional testing and certification of parts of the product are required.

The Russian state body responsible for standardization, accreditation, and certification is called Gosstandart (Gosudarstvennyy standart). All official certification bodies, testing laboratories, and authorized auditors in Russia are under their supervision. All relevant authorities are based in Moscow. Each of these bodies has a precisely defined area in which it can perform certification activities, so mixing activities is prevented, and all manufacturers wishing to be certified know in advance whom to contact.

Recent changes have seen an increase in cooperation between Gosstandart and international standards organizations to align Russian standards with global practices. This cooperation aims to facilitate easier market access for foreign manufacturers and enhance the credibility of Russian certifications.

Also, all relevant authorities under the jurisdiction of Gosstandart are responsible for regular inspection, which applies only to products certified for three years in serial production. The manufacturer covers all costs of inspector visits, sending samples, and laboratory tests. Details regarding the inspection are determined by a separate contract after the issuance of the GOST R certificate. If the manufacturer refuses to comply with the inspection contract, the relevant certification body forwards an official letter to Gosstandart to officially terminate the contract and the certificate's validity on the territory of Russia.

The main advantage of possessing a GOST R certificate for a company is the opening of a new, vast market – Russia. Since the GOST R standard certifies the final product, companies that have not implemented ISO standards have no difficulties in obtaining a GOST R certificate if their products meet the requirements of the mentioned standard. On the other hand, if a company possesses the appropriate ISO certificates, the process of obtaining the GOST R standard is facilitated.

For more information, visit the official GOST R website here.