Frequently Asked Questions

• 1.What are the application procedures for testing organisations in Hong Kong to participate in testing of products requiring the China Compulsory Certification (“CCC”)?

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  According to the Implementation Guide promulgated in February 2019 on the Articles relating to testing and certification (“T&C”) in the Agreement on Trade in Services (“the Services Agreement”) revised in December 2018, any testing organisations engaging in testing business for products under the CCC System have to be accredited by Hong Kong Accreditation Service (“HKAS”) under its Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (“HOKLAS”) as a proof of competence in performing CCC product testing. In addition, the testing organisations concerned have to enter into a cooperation agreement with designated Mainland certification bodies. Requirements on the testing organisations concerned and procedures of establishing cooperation with designated Mainland organisations could be viewed at HKAS’ website.

  An implementation guide on the further liberalisation measures set out in the November 2019 Amendment Agreement will be promulgated by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (“CNCA”) in due course.

• 2.Regarding the part on CCC factory inspector in the Implementation Guide promulgated in September 2017, if that factory inspector, who is from a Hong Kong certification body, later works for another certification body, does he/she need to re-submit an application to China Certification and Accreditation Association (“CCAA”) and/or retake related training and examinations in accordance with the procedures set out in the Implementation Guide?

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  Registered CCC factory inspector on the "CCAA認證人員註冊與管理系統" (CCAA Personnel Registration and Management System) is only required to submit an application using the "轉換機構申請" (apply for changing the institution) function in the system when they work for another certification body. The factory inspector is neither required to submit a written application to CCAA nor to retake relevant training courses and examinations. (The system "CCAA 認證人員註冊與管理系統" could be accessed at its website (only simplified Chinese version is available).)

• 3.The Services Agreement was amended in November 2019 to expand the geographical coverage of CCC factory inspection that can be undertaken by qualified certification bodies in Hong Kong in collaboration with designated Mainland organisations. The coverage has been expanded from manufacturers located in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone to manufacturers in the whole Mainland. Besides the expansion of geographical scope, would the other implementation arrangements (e.g. qualification requirements for factory inspectors, implementation procedures, etc.) remain the same as those set out in the Implementation Guide promulgated in September 2017?

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  Besides expanding the scope to the whole Mainland, other implementation arrangements would remain unchanged in principle. The implementation guide on this new measure will be promulgated by CNCA in due course.

• 4.The Services Agreement was amended in November 2019 to add a new task that can be undertaken by qualified certification bodies in Hong Kong in collaboration with designated Mainland organisations, i.e. selection of post-certification test samples at factories manufacturing CCC products in the whole Mainland. What would be the detailed arrangements?

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  Qualified Hong Kong certification bodies will be able to select samples at the production site for testing. The implementation guide on this new measure will be promulgated by CNCA in due course.