WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/IT/24 
16 February 2004 
 (04-0635) 
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in 
Information Technology Products  
 
 
 
BEST PRACTICES FOR EMC/EMI RELATED CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT 
PROCEDURES FOR IT PRODUCTS 
 
 
Communication from Canada  
 
 The following communication, dated 13 Febr uary 2004, has been received from the 
Permanent Mission of Canada.  
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  The purpose of this paper is to present a proposal on best practices for ElectroMagnetic 
Compatibility/ElectroMagnetic Immunity (EMC/EMI) related conformity assessment procedures for 
IT products.  It is not intended to be definitive. It is intended to be a contribution by Canada to 
stimulate the continuing discussion in the cont ext of the ITA Committee work programme on non-
tariff measures.   
 
1. CONTEXT 
 The purpose of the EMC/EMI workshop held in  Geneva on 23-24 April 2003 was twofold: i) 
better understand the trade policy aspect of the EMC/EM I elements of IT products; and ii) allow ITA 
participants’ regulators to analyse and determine co llectively a set of optimum regulatory approaches 
for EMC/EMI phenomenon with a view to furt her facilitate market access for IT products. 
  Experts from 19 countries attended the EMC/EMI workshop.  Based on the discussions held during the workshop and the result of the EMC/EMI su rvey, it was clear that potential impediments to 
market access lie more in differences in conformity  assessment and administrative procedures than in 
technical requirements.  
 
2. CURRENT EMC/EMI TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS  
 According to the result of the EMC/EMI survey conducted by the ITA committee, the 
EMC/EMI requirements for IT products of almost all countries are based on standards developed by 
the Comité International Spécial des Perturbati ons Radioélectriques (CISPR). Manufacturers have 
little difficulties in producing IT products to meet the EMC/EMI requirements of most countries.   
3. CURRENT CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES FOR EMC/EMI  
 In order to determine the compliance of IT products with EMC/EMI requirements, ITA 
participants employ different types of conform ity assessment procedures. They can be summarized 
below in descending order of complexity:  G/IT/24 
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(a) Certification by 1
st party (regulator or delegated entity) – the equipment has to be 
submitted to the regulator or its delegated entity for certification. 
(b) Certification by 3rd party – the equipment has to be submitted to private sector 
certification bodies recognized (or approved) by the regulator for certification. 
(c) Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) type 1 – the supplier or manufacturer of 
the equipment declares the equipment meets the technical and administrative 
requirement provided that the equipment is tested by a testing laboratory recognized by the regulator and the supplier regist ers this equipment with the regulator. 
(d) Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) type 2 - the supplier or manufacturer of 
the equipment declares the equipment meets the technical and administrative 
requirement provided that the equipment is tested by a testing laboratory recognized 
by the regulator. No registration of the equipment with the regulator is required. 
(e) Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) type 3 – the supplier or manufacturer of 
the equipment declares the equipment meets the technical and administrative requirement provided the supplier registers the equipment with the regulator. Testing 
of the equipment by recognized testing laboratory is not mandatory 
(f) Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) type 4 – the supplier or manufacturer of 
the equipment declares the equipment meets the technical and administrative requirement. Registration of the equipment with the regulator is not required and testing of the equipment by recognized testing laboratory is not mandatory. 
 The above is a generic description of the pro cedures. In practice, ITA members use different 
titles and names to describe their procedures. 
 
4. PROPOSED BEST PRACTICES 
 It is, of course, up to each ITA participant to decide the appropriate conformity assessment 
procedures to determine compliance with EMC/EMI requirements of IT products. Factors affecting 
this decision include legal aspects, types of products, maturity of products and risk factors. From the 
ITA non-tariff measures work program point of view, these procedures should be consistent, transparent and as simple as possible so that the procedures themselves do not become impediments to 
trade of IT products.   The following are proposed best practices for EMC/EMI related conformity assessment 
procedures: 
 
• A country that has, at present, no mandato ry conformity assessment procedures should be 
encouraged to maintain the status quo. 
 
• A country that has, at present, mandatory c onformity assessment procedures should consider 
simplifying its procedures according to the list in section 3. 
 
• A country that has, at present, mandatory 1
st party Certification procedures should consider 
changing its procedures, at a minimum to 3rd party certification. This would promote competition 
and expedite trade. 
 
• Every country is encouraged to base its procedures on SDoC (section 3 items c to f). 
 
  G/IT/24 
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5. CONCLUSION 
 This paper outlines a possible approach to EMC/EMI related conformity assessment 
procedures. We would welcome any comments and f eedback on this proposal and look forward to 
continued discussions in the ITA Committee.   
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