Significance and Strategies for Compliance with Mandatory Certification of Portable Electronic Device Batteries in China
Contributed by Lee Siyoung, Subsidiary Manager of KTC China
Starting from August 1st, China has enforced mandatory CCC certification for batteries. Specifically, this certification targets the cells and packs of lithium-ion batteries used in portable electronic devices. From August 1st, 2024, manufacturing, importing, and selling of devices without certification will be prohibited.
Previously, portable batteries were subject to voluntary certification, but now they are suddenly under mandatory certification in China. This decision has led to confusion within the related industries as they scramble to prepare for the sudden shift. This measure applies not only to Chinese companies but also to all companies exporting and selling to China. Therefore, it's crucial for our companies to understand and thoroughly prepare for this measure.
According to the Safety Technical Standard for Lithium-ion Batteries and Battery Packs for Portable Electronic Products (GB 31241:2022), portable electronic devices falling under this standard are products that weigh 18kg or less, which users can carry at all times. Examples include:
a) Portable office equipment: laptops, tablets, etc.
b) Mobile communication products: mobile phones, wireless phones, radios, etc.
c) Portable audio/video products: portable TVs, portable audio/video players, cameras, camcorders, recording pens, Bluetooth earphones, portable speakers, etc.
d) Other portable products: electronic navigators, digital photo frames, gaming consoles, e-books, mobile power sources, portable energy storage power sources, portable projectors, wearable devices, etc.
Therefore, to sell these products in China, they must be certified for the lithium-ion batteries inside them or have certified batteries installed before selling.
The Chinese government has designated 20 testing agencies for battery CCC certification. Manufacturers can obtain certification after testing at these designated agencies.
Battery CCC Certification Timeline:
· September 17, 2022: Preliminary Announcement (State Council)
· March 16, 2023: Detailed Information and Implementation Date Announcement (State Administration for Market Regulation)
· June 7, 2023: Designated Testing Agencies Announcement (20 agencies)
· August 1, 2023: Implementation of the System, Certification Application Begins
· August 1, 2024: Mandatory CCC Application - Shipment, import, and sale of non-certified products will be prohibited
<Battery CCC Testing Institutions (First Announcement of 20 Institutions)>
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| | 中家院（北京）检测认证有限公司（中国家用电器检测所） |
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| Beijing Zungguan Technology | |
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| | 江苏省电子信息产品质量监督检验研究院（江苏省信息安全测评中心） |
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For battery CCC certification, China utilizes its own standard, "GB 31241:2022 - Safety Technical Regulations for Lithium-ion Batteries and Battery Packs for Portable Electronic Products," instead of the internationally applied IEC 62133. GB 31241 differs from IEC 62133 in requirements for overcurrent, overvoltage protection, and conditions for overcharging, making it more stringent in various aspects.
This situation highlights how essential certifications demanded by different countries in international trade can become technical barriers hindering smooth exports. Despite overcoming tariff barriers through FTAs, technical obstacles often impede companies, making certifications practically obstructive for exports. Our government and testing certification agencies are continuously striving to reduce such technical barriers for our companies entering foreign markets. When facing new regulations like the mandatory battery CCC certification in China, we are committed to minimizing challenges for our companies through prompt understanding of the regulations and robust support.
KTC China has set up a battery testing center in Shenzhen and holds qualifications from the Chinese National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) as a CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL). Within KTC's Shenzhen Testing Center in China, there is a Battery Testing Center with extensive expertise gained from conducting numerous tests according to Chinese GB standards. To facilitate Chinese battery CCC certification, we assist our companies by proactively reviewing their compliance with Chinese GB standards, ensuring a smoother CCC certification process. If any non-compliance issues arise during testing, our local debugging procedures are in place to expedite the certification process.
