Expert Opinion (hereinafter EO) is a document that confirms the safety of hygiene and sanitation products and other goods subject to epidemiological inspection. The Federal Centre issues expert opinions for Hygiene and Epidemiologywithin Rospotrebnadzor (Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing).

The Opinion is formally approved based on the tests, which are carried out according to protocols complying with the Unified Sanitary, Epidemiological, ​​and Hygienic Requirements of the CU (Customs Union) adopted in 2010. These requirements concern only pre-market control, as previously issued sanitary and epidemiological conclusions are still in effect.

Prerequisites for confirmation

The requirements to be met by products are uniform among CU member states. The following documents have equally been approved:

  • List of Goods subject to mandatory sanitary and epidemiological inspection within the CU territory. Sections:
  • Forms of documents certifying the safety of the goods launched onto the market.
  • Requirements for goods and materials subject to sanitary and epidemiological inspection.

The expert opinion is prepared for submission for approval in accordance with the provisions of the CU commission.

By decision of the Customs Union Commission № 299 (2010) the products included in the List of Goods require either an Expert Opinion (for the goods listed in Section I), or a State Registration Certificate (for the goods listed in Section II of the Commodity Nomenclature).

Expert opinions are issued for a large number of consumer goods, such as:

  • food,
  • tableware,
  • household appliances,
  • clothing and footwear, furniture,
  • other household goods, which come in direct contact with people.

Please note that the State Registration Certificate is mandatory, whereas the Expert Opinion is optional.

The Expert Opinion on The Conformity of Industrial Safety to the Unified Sanitary Requirements can be obtained after the certification procedures mentioned above have been completed. This includes collecting and submitting documents to the certification authority accredited by Rospotrebnadzor, passing of lab tests, and product inspection (in specific cases).

Documents required obtaining an expert opinion

In order to obtain an expert opinion, the applicant must submit the following documents:

  • an applicationwith the information aboutthe manufacturer and therecipient, thenameof the product and its FEACN (Foreign Economic Activity Commodity Nomenclature) code;
  • product description;
  • a declaration letter written by the applicant on the conformity to the sanitarysecurity requirements;
  • formerly issued certification documents on the hygienic and sanitary safety of the goods (if available);
  • a sample of the label;
  • a document detailing the procedure of testsample selection;
  • Material Safety Data Sheets(for chemical products);
  • rental contract for industrial facilities or a document certifying their ownership (for domestic manufacturers);
  • documents confirming thesafetyof production facilities;
  • Certificateof Origin of the goods (for foreign companies);
  • other documents (if necessary).

All the submitted documents should be done in Russian or translated and certified. RostestEurope specialists are also fluent in English and Latvian languages. Foreign manufacturers must submit a contract. A test sample should be presented separately.

RostestEurope issues the “Expert Opinion on the Conformity to Sanitary Requirements” within 5-6 days upon receiving the complete package of documents. The validity of Expert Opinions registered in Rospotrebnadzor is not limited in time.

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