Information for exporters

IECEE CB Scheme
Towards a single standard forelectrical products and components

CBSCHEME®

TMOne product test, one quality mark — for many companies wanting
access to the global market, this is the longed-for ideal, the single
most important thing for making exporting easier. The IECEE CB
Scheme brings the manufacturers of electrical equipment andcomponents one step closer to it.

This document explains how the scheme works. It’s written
for anyone who wants to export an electrical product or anelectrical component intended for use in homes, offices,workshops, medical facilities and similar locations, that is,the categories covered by the IECEE CB Scheme.

It follows a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ format, and should
be seen as an introduction to the scheme rather than acomprehensive or definitive guide. Further information canbe obtained from the IEC website or by getting in touchwith BSI. Our contact details appear on the back page.

IEC IECEE CB Scheme – Information for exporters

How does the IECEE CB Scheme differ
from CE marking?
The CE Mark is compulsory for certain products, including
electrical products, sold in the European Economic Area (theEU member states plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein)and shows a product conforms to the relevant EU directives.
The IECEE CB Scheme is wider in geographical ‘reach’: it’s atruly international scheme.
Unlike the CE Mark, the IECEE CB Scheme always requires
third-party certification. CB stands for Certification Body. You
cannot, as a manufacturer, ‘self-declare’ that your products
conform to the standards of the scheme. Instead, you haveto have verification from an independent body such as BSI.
More precisely, you have to have verification from a National
Certification Body (NCB), accredited by national authorities
for the assessment of products against national andinternational standards. BSI, the world’s oldest certification
organisation, qualifies as an NCB because it’s recognisedby the government-backed United Kingdom Accreditation
Service (UKAS).
An IECEE CB certificate can be used to support declarationsof conformity both in Europe and beyond; a CE Mark, even if
verified by a third party, cannot.

What is the IECEE?
CBSCHEME®

TM

This question is best answeredin two parts, by breaking theabbreviation down.

IEC stands for the International Electrotechnical Committee,
a not-for-profit organisation that, to quote its website,“prepares and publishes international standards for all
electrical, electronic and related technologies”. As its namesuggests, the IEC is made up of technical committees fromaround the world. To quote the website again: “Close to
20,000 experts from industry, commerce, government,
test and research labs, academia and consumer groups
participate in IEC Standardisation work.”
The aim of the IEC is to remove barriers to international
trade by harmonising standards, ensuring products
are tested to the same level of safety wherever they’remanufactured.
EE merely stands for Electrotechnical Equipment. IECEE,
then, is an international committee for electrical andelectrotechnical equipment that had developed a worldwide
conformity assessment scheme.

IEC IECEE CB Scheme – Information for exporters

So, what exactly is the IECEE CB Scheme?

Who benefits from the IECEE CB Scheme?

The IECEE CB Scheme is the IEC’s system for conformity
testing and certification of electrotechnical equipment andcomponents. The system is based on mutual recognition ofCBTCs (Certification Body Test Certificates) by IEC members.

Governments — the IECEE CB Scheme reduces barrierscaused by different certification criteria and promotes freetrade

Businesses — the IECEE CB Scheme makes exporting
cheaper, simpler and quicker by eliminating or reducing theneed for multiple or repeat tests

The scheme means that once an electrotechnical producthas been tested and certified reliable and safe by one NCB,
it doesn’t need to be tested by another. Put another way, itenables test reports to ‘travel’ across regions and borders. Aproduct tested to the standards laid down by the IEC in one
country will not usually need further assessment to obtaincertification from another IECEE NCB. Re-testing should
only be necessary if the product is complex and/or highlyinnovative. In most cases, ‘travelling’ will be a matter of simple
paperwork.

End users — the IECEE CB Scheme provides assurance a
product has been type-tested and certified to internationallyagreed standards and will meet people’s expectations forsafety.
For businesses and end users there’s also the advantage ofinteroperability: by applying uniform standards, the scheme
helps ensure products work or ‘interact’ with other products,
services and installations.

How international is ‘international’?
Very. There are more than 50 IECEE member countries: CBTCs are recognised all over the world — from America to Australia,
Argentina to Vietnam, Belgium to Bahrain. A full list of participating countries can be found on the IEC/IECEE website.

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEMECB
SCHEME®

TM®

European UnionCB
SCHEMECB
SCHEME
®

TM

®

TM

TM

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEMECB
SCHEME
®

®

TM

TM

CB
SCHEMECB
SCHEME®

CB
SCHEME
®

®

TMTM

TM

CB
SCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEMECB
SCHEMECBSCHEME®

®

TM®

TMTM

CB
SCHEME®

CB
SCHEME®

TMTMCBSCHEME®

CB
SCHEME®

TMCBSCHEMETM®

TMCBSCHEME®

TM

CB
SCHEME®

CB
SCHEME®

TMTM

CB
SCHEME®

TMIEC IECEE CB Scheme – Information for exporters

Does the scheme have its own productmark or symbol?

Is it a licence, then, to tradeinternationally?

No. However, CB certification can be used to obtain national
certification marks such as the BSI Kitemark for the UK, theS Mark for Sweden, the GS Mark for Germany, the SAFETY
Mark for Singapore and the ETL Mark for the USA.

No, not exactly. It’s better thought of as a passport tocertification in other countries, a way of speeding up
entry to other markets. You may need other permits tosell your product — just as you may need a visa to stayin some countries. It’s always worth checking the specificrequirements with the country you want to dobusiness with.

It can also, of course, form part of the technical file ona product and be used to support the declaration for CE
Marking conformity.

What products does the scheme cover?
The IECEE CB Scheme applies to equipment and components primarily intended for use in homes, offices, workshops,
healthcare facilities and similar locations.
It covers 23 categories of electrotechnical equipment:
Batteries

Measurement, control and laboratory equipment

Cables and cords

Miscellaneous

Capacitors as components

Electrical equipment for medical use

Switches for appliances and automatic controls
for electrical household appliances

IT and office equipment

Electrical Energy Efficiency

Installation protective equipment

Electrical vehicles

Photovoltaics

Electromagnetic compatibility

Safety transformers and similar equipment

Household and similar equipment

Portable tools

Hazardous Substances Testing Service

Electric toys and electronic equipment

Industrial automation

Electronics, entertainment

Low voltage, high power switching equipment

Installation accessories and connection devices
Source: IEC/IECEE: http://www.iecee.org/dyn/www/f?p=106:70:0

Luminaires

IEC IECEE CB Scheme – Information for exporters

What’s the certification process?
There are usually seven key steps:

1

The company applies for a CB Test Certificate
and Test Report to an IECEE NCB.

2The NCB arranges for testing based on therelevant IEC standards at a recognised CB
Testing Laboratory (CBTL) or an approved
facility run by the manufacturer. Importantly,
these tests allow for ‘national deviations’ — forexample, different power grid voltages, energy
consumption and labelling requirements — toenable a produce to access its target market(s).

3The CBTL issues a Test Report.

4The NCB reviews and validates the Test Reportand issues a CB Test Certificate proving
representative samples of the product comply
with the requirements of the harmonised IEC
standard.

5The company sends the CB Test Certificate andTest Report to participating NCBs in countries itwants to do business with.

6The other countries’ NCBs review the Test
Certificate and Report and then issue their own
national certification, usually without re-testing ofthe product.

7The company (if authorised to do so) affixes thenational marks of conformity of the other NCBs to
its products and then starts exporting them to therelevant countries.

How can BSI help?
We are an IECEE NCB. A test and certification report from us
will be recognised by customs and port authorities and byother National Certification Bodies in the 50-plus countries
that are members of the IEC.
What’s more, as the scheme becomes more popular — morethan 80,000 CBTCs were issued in 2013, more than double
the number issued ten years previously — we can help yourproducts stand out from the crowd. The BSI Kitemark is now
available for a range of electrical products.

Exclusive to BSI, the BSI Kitemark
symbol tells importers, contractors
and customers you go the ‘extra mile’,
passing quality, performance andreliability thresholds others don’t.
Combined with the CBTC, it can help
you win new contracts and new
business in rapidly expanding markets. The BSI Kitemark forLuminaires, for example, is very well recognized and specified
for contracts in the Middle East.

For more information
and a CB certification quote
Call: +44 (0)345 0765 606

or visit: bsigroup.com/certification

IEC IECEE CB Scheme – Information for exporters

More about BSI
For more than a century BSI has been helping clients make excellence a habit.
• Having worked with over 70,000 companies of all sizes
globally, we have a proven track record.

• BSI works in partnership with industry experts,
government bodies, trade associations and consumer
groups to gain the widest possible market and industry
view to shape our services for the challenges companies
face today.

• Our clients reap the benefits of working with BSI teams
with a wealth of experience in a wide range of industries.
They help cultivate a better understanding of thechallenges and share valuable insights.

• We provide end-to-end support, helping our clients
monitor and maintain their excellence.

• We talk with and listen to clients every day, asking them
what they want and how satisfied they are with ourproducts and services. This way we ensure we respond tothe needs of our clients as they arise.

For more information
and a CB certification quote
Call: +44 (0)345 0765 606

T: +44 (0)345 0765 606
F: 01908 814920
bsigroup.com

The trademarks in this material (for example the BSI logo or theword “KITEMARK”) are registered and unregistered trademarks
owned byThe British Standards Institution in UK and certain othercountries throughout the world.

© BSI Group

BSI Group
Kitemark Court
Davy Avenue, Knowlhill
Milton Keynes MK5 8PP

BSI/UK/1130/PC/0617/EN/BLD

or visit: bsigroup.com/certification