KEMA has become the first foreign certification body to secure permission from the Chinese accreditation organization CNCA to establish a wholly independent business for the certification of electrical products in China. This means that Chinese and other manufacturers can have their products both tested and certified in China, thus ensuring even faster access to global markets.

China is currently working towards admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO). One of the conditions for joining is that the Chinese market is opened to foreign businesses. This will mean an end to the situation where the only way for a non-Chinese enterprise to establish a presence was through a joint venture with a local company. Following liberalization of its banking, insurance and retail sectors, China opened up the certification market to independent foreign companies in December 2005.

Four laboratories
Chinese and other manufacturers want to be able to export their electrical products to Western markets without problems. KEMA certification and especially the KEMA-KEUR international safety mark offer these companies the access they need. KEMA already has four laboratories in China, testing electrical consumer products and industrial equipment. Based in Wenzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the labs are already recognized as CB test laboratories by the global IECEE CB Scheme.

Independent China-based business
Certification by a foreign body has not previously been possible within China. Following the rule change, KEMA has acted swiftly to convert its existing enterprises into independent China-based businesses. Close cooperation with CNCA and other Chinese governmental organizations, support from the Dutch embassy in China and involvement in the inspection and testing of medium and high-voltage components have enabled KEMA to become the first foreign company to receive accreditation in this field.

Speed and flexibility
Manufacturers and retailers can now come to KEMA in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wenzhou or Hong Kong for professional and independent inspection, testing and certification services – with the emphasis on speed and flexibility. Certification offers access to the European, North and South American, Australian and Asian markets. One important upshot of CNCA approval for the change in the status of KEMA’s Chinese businesses is that clients can now pay in local currency. This new facility should reduce the threshold to certification by a technically skilled body, especially for Chinese manufacturers.