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Resources for Exporters on Foreign Country Compliance

Private Sector Testing, Certification and Compliance Companies

Intertek. Testing, inspection, certification company. The link below provides a series of regulatory, compliance and 

quality systems resources – training, webinars, white papers, newsletters, and more.

http://www.intertek.com/knowledge-education/

Tuv-Sud. Testing, certification and compliance company. 

• This link below identifies compliance requirements by country for product testing and certification, across a variety 

of products and industries.

• White papers and eBooks on standards and compliance topics across multiple industries can be found at

http://www.tuv-sud.com/activity/global-market-access

http://www.tuv-sud.com/home-com/resource-centre/publications/white-papers-e-books

UL. Testing, inspection, certification, auditing and validation services.

• Includes a summary of selected international product certifications (and UL certification bodies that can certify a 

company’s compliance with the standard). 

• Journals, reports, case studies and white papers on standards and regulatory compliance, including many 

resources relevant to international markets. 

http://www.ul.com/customer-resources/ul-certification-bodies/

http://library.ul.com/

Discussion Forums

Elsmar Cove Discussion Forums. Discussion forums on international standards.

https://elsmar.com/Forums/

Medical Device Regulations

Emergo Group. Medical device regulatory consulting company. Link below provides information on international 

medical device regulations and approval processes.

https://www.emergogroup.com/resources

Greenlight Guru. Quality management software company. Link below provides medical device compliance 

resources. http://www.greenlight.guru/medical-device-resources

Portals

Global Edge, Michigan State University – Trade Law Compendium. This is a portion of a larger information portal 

on global trade. This section is “produced by the member law firms of Lexwork International,” and “provides trade law 

summaries for over 30 jurisdictions prepared by law firms located there.” Key information related to foreign 

compliance includes information on distributor/agent/rep agreements in various countries.

https://globaledge.msu.edu/global-resources/trade-law-compendium

Trade Compliance Institute – Regulatory Database. “The regulatory database includes hundreds of compliancerelated terms/acronyms; laws/acts/regulations; treaties/agreements/conventions; documents; and 

organizations/agencies.” http://www.tradecomplianceinstitute.org/p_regulatory_database.php?Content=true
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ANSI Standards Portal. Standards, conformance, market access and trade-related topics focused on Brazil, China, 

India, and Korea. https://www.standardsportal.org/

European Commission

European Commission. Importing into the EU – this information is aimed at helping both European firms wanting to 

import products to the EU and exporters from outside the EU who want to export their products to the EU. 

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/import-and-export-rules/import-into-eu/

US Government

US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. Federal export portal, managed by the US 

Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, in collaboration with 19 federal agencies involved in 

opening foreign markets and promoting the export of US products and services. 

• Country Commercial Guides provide information on “market conditions, opportunities, regulations and business 

customs for over 125 countries prepared by trade and industry experts at US embassies worldwide.” Includes 

regulatory and compliance information. 

https://www.export.gov

• Foreign Commercial Service offices in embassies and consulates also have their own sections of the export.gov 

website, which sometimes include additional market and compliance information (beyond the Country Commercial 

Guide). 

https://www.export.gov/ccg

• Industry pages provide market intelligence, trade events, trade leads and other industry resources. Market 

research sources include information on foreign country compliance. 

http://2016.export.gov/worldwide_us/index.asp

https://www.export.gov/industries

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Standards Coordination Office (SCO) NIST provides 

information about foreign standards, technical regulations and certification requirements. 

• Notify US is a free web-based service from NIST that provides US industry with the opportunity to review and 

comment on proposed foreign technical regulations that can affect their businesses.

https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/what-we-do/trade-regulatory-programs/standards-information-center

• ”Brazil's Inmetro has released specific industry sector guides with detailed information on product regulations, 

standards, and conformity assessment requirements for use by businesses interested in exporting to Brazil.” 

Industries covered include agricultural machinery, medical equipment, toys, toiletries/perfume/cosmetics, oil and oil 

derivatives.

https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/index/index.cfm

https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/inmetros-brazilian-industry-guides

US Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). This part of the FAS site allows you to select 

specific regions and countries and find market intelligence and guides for US exporters, including compliance 

information. http://www.fas.usda.gov/regions

US Department of Agriculture (Exporting in General). Requirements for US exporters of food and agricultural 

products and processes for obtaining export certificates (e.g.; health and phytosanitary certifications) from the US 

government, which are sometimes required by foreign country governments. Includes US government and foreign 

country requirements. 

• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Export requirements by country for agriculture, including 

wood products and animal/animal products.

https://www.usda.gov/topics/trade/exporting-goods

• Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS). Food export requirements by country. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/importexport

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/exporting-products
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US Food and Drug Administration (Medical Devices). Rules for exporting medical devices and obtaining export 

certificates (often required by importing countries to document FDA regulatory and marketing status). 

https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DeviceRegulationandGuidance/ImportingandExportingDevices/ExportingMedica

lDevices/default.htm

US Food and Drug Administration (Food). Obtaining export certificates for food products, which are sometimes 

required by importing countries. https://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/importsexports/exporting/default.htm

US Food and Drug Administration (Drugs/Biologics). Obtaining export certificates for drugs/biologics – firms 

exporting products from the US are often asked by foreign customers or foreign governments to supply an export

certificate, prepared by the FDA containing information about a product's regulatory or marketing status. 

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/developmentapprovalprocess/smallbusinessassistance/ucm052787.htm#exports

US Treasury Department, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, International Affairs Division. “This

guide was compiled by the International Affairs Division to offer information on international import requirements, 

such as licensing, labeling, and taxation considerations, for various countries for beer, wine, and distilled spirits.” 

Here is the link that allows you to select which countries you are interested in: http://www.ttb.gov/itd/interre1.shtml