EAC Certificate / Certification for Alcohol

EAC Certificate for the Export of Alcohol

The EAC certification of alcohol and alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, or spirits, is carried out in accordance with the uniform TR CU guidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union. 

With an EAC certificate, the manufacturer gains access to the markets of Russia and the other countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (Customs Union).

The EAEU countries form the free trade zone between Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. In the EAEU member states, uniform customs regulations, trade rules, and harmonized technical regulations apply.

In principle, EAC certification is confirmed in three forms of EAC approval depending on the type of product: EAC Certificate, EAC Declaration, and State Registration (SGR Registration).

To protect the health and lives of people in Russia and EAEU countries, the EAEU Economic Commission has developed specific technical regulations (TR CU guidelines) that establish safety requirements for products.

The following technical regulations may be relevant for the export of alcoholic products to Russia and other EAEU countries:

• TR CU 047/2018 - EAC Certification of Alcohol
• TR CU 021/2011 - EAC Certification of Food
• TR CU 022/2011 - EAC Certification for Food Labeling
• TR CU 029/2012 - EAC Certification of Food Additives
• TR CU 005/2011 - EAC Certification of Packaging

TR CU 047/2018 - EAC Certification of Alcohol

The technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - EAC Certification of Alcohol was adopted on December 5, 2018, and was originally scheduled to come into force on February 5, 2020. 

However, the date of entry into force has been postponed several times, and by decision N139 of December 2, 2021, the date of entry into force was postponed to January 1, 2024. 

Until that time, the EAC conformity assessment of alcoholic products is carried out in accordance with TR CU 021/2011 - EAC Certification of Food.

Scope of Application of TR CU 047/2018

The technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol Products was developed with the aim of protecting the life and health of individuals and preventing actions that may mislead consumers regarding the purpose and safety of alcoholic products in EAEU countries. 

The technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol complements the requirements of the customs union technical regulations TR CU 021/2011 - EAC Certification of Food, TR CU 022/2011 - Certification for Food Labeling, and TR CU 005/2011 - EAC Certification of Packaging. 

The technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol establishes the requirements applicable to the use of alcoholic products in the Eurasian Economic Union and related requirements for the processes of production, storage, transport, sale, consumption, as well as EAC labeling and packaging to ensure free circulation within the customs union.

The technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol applies to the following product groups: 

• High-proof alcoholic beverages such as vodka, spirits, cocktails, balms, liqueurs, gin, rum, and whisky
• Ethyl alcohol: Rectified ethyl alcohol (over 96% alcohol), raw ethyl alcohol (under 96% alcohol)
• Alcoholic food products such as perfumed alcohol, alcoholic juices, and alcoholic mors
• Low-alcohol beverages, e.g., beer and beer drinks, wine, and champagne
• Distillates such as grape distillate and wine distillate

The technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol does not apply to the following product groups: 

• Non-alcoholic beer or beer with a maximum alcohol content of up to 0.5%
• Natural flavoring substances and substances from fruits and vegetables
• Raw smoked and dry-cured sausages
• Baked goods and flour-based products
• Fermented dairy products
• Sugar-containing confectionery
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Grape must

Furthermore, TR CU 047/2018 - EAC Certification of Alcohol does not apply to:

• Alcoholic products intended for transit through Russia and other EAEU countries
• Alcohol produced by individuals for personal use
• Alcohol products produced for scientific purposes
• Alcoholic products exported outside the customs union

EAC Certificate for Alcoholic Products

Under the technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol, an EAC certificate is generally not required for EAC approval in Russia and other member states of the customs union for alcoholic products. 

However, it must be considered on a case-by-case basis that, for example, the production of alcoholic products in EAEU countries, storage, transport, and packaging of the goods may be subject to other regulations. 

Additionally, a voluntary GOST R certificate or EAC certificate may be applied for at the initiative of the applicant. To assure customers of the quality of the products, any products can also be certified according to GOST standards. 

Products certified voluntarily according to GOST standards can be marked with the GOST certification mark. An EAC certificate or GOST R certificate for alcohol is valid for a maximum of 3 years.

EAC Declaration for Alcohol

An EAC declaration is a statement by the manufacturer that the imported products meet the minimum safety requirements of the technical regulations of the EAEU countries. 

The application for the EAC declaration is made by the manufacturer or the authorized representative. Furthermore, an EAC declaration is registered by an accredited certification body based in the EAEU in the unified register of the EAEU. 

An EAC declaration is issued for all alcoholic beverages and goods in accordance with TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol and for related processes of production, storage, transport, sale, consumption, as well as EAC labeling and packaging.

The following documents and materials are required for the confirmation of conformity with the safety requirements of the technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol:

• Test reports from an externally accredited testing body
• Internal company test protocols

An EAC declaration is valid for a maximum of 5 years, depending on the chosen procedure.

State Registration for Alcohol Products

All alcohol products that are introduced into Russia or other EAEU countries for the first time are subject to State Registration (SGR) of the EAEU. State registration is also required for new types of alcoholic products. 

This applies to alcoholic products produced with new technologies and previously unused ingredients. 

Such products must be examined and registered before export to Russia and the EAEU countries. Data on all registered products is stored in a unified register of the EAEU certification authority. State registration is valid for 1 to 5 years.

EAC Labeling of Alcohol Products

Products that receive an EAC certificate or an EAC declaration are marked with an EAC mark of the Eurasian Economic Union. The EAC labeling confirms EAC conformity with the uniform TR ZU standards of the EAEU. 

Thus, all alcoholic products must be marked with an EAC mark before being introduced to the EAEU countries. The EAC marking according to TR CU 047/2018 - EAC Certification of Alcohol must be clearly legible. 

The EAC marking itself must be affixed directly to the product or its packaging and to the relevant accompanying documents. 

It must be ensured that the EAC marking remains easily recognizable and legible throughout the entire product usage cycle.

The EAC marking for alcohol must contain the following details and information:

• Exact designation of the product
• Quantity of the alcoholic product
• Information on ingredients and components
• Uniform EAC marking of the EAEU
• Caloric value and nutritional values of the product
• Information on allergic reactions
• Storage conditions of the alcoholic product
• Special features regarding the use of the product
• Production, packaging, and minimum shelf life dates
• Manufacturer information: Company name and address of the authorized person or importer

Costs and Duration of EAC Certification of Alcohol

The amount of costs for EAC certification and the duration of EAC certification for alcoholic products consist of several factors, which largely depend on the expenditure of the EAC approval procedures. 

The following factors influence the costs and duration of EAC certification or EAC declaration:

• Composition of the products
• Correctness of the language of documents
• Number of components and ingredients
• Amount and complexity of laboratory tests
• Type of certification, e.g., relevance of EAC certificate
• Type of delivery (single or batch delivery)

Obtaining an EAC certificate or an EAC declaration can take several weeks. The exact costs and duration of the EAC conformity assessment for export to Russia and other EAEU countries are determined individually based on project effort. 

Legal Situation of EAC Certification of Alcohol

In principle, the EAC certification of alcohol is based on the technical regulation TR CU 047/2018 - Certification of Alcohol. Furthermore, decision N319 of the EAEU on technical regulation in the EAEU countries and decision N620 of the EAEU on uniform EAC standardization within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are taken into account for approvals.

The EAC approval is carried out in all EAEU participants (Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia) according to the same principle. The form of EAC document preparation is outlined in regulation N896 and serves as the legal basis for EAC certification.