I believe that most cross-border e-commerce sellers who want to enter Amazon's European and American markets have caused trouble with product certification. There are many cases of returns due to product standards not meeting the standards of the destination country. Today, we will introduce the main responsibilities of US customs and several common product certification marks in the United States to help sellers who want to enter the US market and avoid detours.

The US Customs is divided into two parts, namely the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which are responsible for border enforcement and case investigation, respectively. They were established on March 1, 2003, with the primary mission of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States.

To this end, CBP will focus on enhancing the security of US borders and ports, and expanding the US security zone beyond its geographical borders, thereby transforming the US border from the first line of defense to the last line of defense. The main responsibilities of CBP include: arresting illegal immigrants and banning drugs and other prohibited items, protecting agriculture and economic interests from harmful flora, fauna and diseases, protecting US business from intellectual property infringement, regulating and facilitating international trade, imposing import tariffs, and enforcing US trade laws.

1、 FDA testing

The Food and Drug Administration, abbreviated as FDA, is one of the executive agencies established by the US government within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Department of Public Health (PHS). As a scientific regulatory agency, the FDA's responsibility is to ensure the safety of food, cosmetics, drugs, biologics, medical devices, and radiation products produced or imported into the United States. It is one of the earliest federal agencies whose main function was to protect consumers. Food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices tested by the FDA are safe and effective for the human body.

In nearly a hundred countries, including the United States, only materials, devices, and technologies that have been approved by the FDA can be commercialized for clinical use. "Automatic detention" is a major measure implemented by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage imported food. In short, goods declared as "automatic detention" by the FDA must be inspected and qualified by US laboratories before being allowed to enter the United States for sale.

What does the US FDA mean?

1. When exporting products to the United States, FDA is a mandatory requirement, and companies must complete FDA registration or testing before they can export to the United States;

2. Some small countries, as they do not have their own regulatory requirements, will rely on the regulations of major countries to regulate exporters;

3. Enhance product competitiveness among products in the same industry.

The FDA, as we often refer to it, usually includes the following types:

1. FDA testing of food contact materials 2. FDA registration of laser products 3. FDA registration of medical devices 4. FDA testing reports for cosmetics and daily necessities 5. FDA registration of food, drugs, cosmetics and daily necessities

2、 CPSC testing

CPSC is an important consumer rights protection organization in the United States, abbreviated as the Consumer Product Safety Committee, also known as the Consumer Product Safety Association. Its responsibility is to protect the interests of consumers, establish mandatory standards or prohibitions for consumer goods without standards to follow, and conduct inspections on products with potential hazards.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of the United States has joined US customs agencies and become a participant in US government agencies, on an equal footing with government censorship. The CPSC of the United States will be reformed starting from March 22, 2021, and all products under their jurisdiction will be marked for review. If there are any related products, please prepare relevant documents in advance, such as CPC test reports, certifications, etc., for customs review at the destination port. And add regulations: Even if imported goods pass the declaration, if CPSC does not release them, they cannot be sold and can only be stored in the warehouse.

Applicable products: household appliances, children's toys, fireworks and firecrackers, and other consumer goods used in households, sports, entertainment, and schools.

3、 UL certification

UL (Underwriter Laboratories Inc.) Safety Testing Institute is the most authoritative organization in the United States and one of the largest private organizations in the world engaged in safety testing and identification. UL certification is a non mandatory certification in the United States, mainly for testing and certification of product safety performance, and its certification scope does not include the EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) characteristics of products.

The significance of UL certification mark for enterprises:

1. The entire US market places great emphasis on product safety; When consumers and purchasing units choose products, they will choose products with UL certification marks.

2. UL has a history of over 100 years, and the image of safety is deeply rooted in consumers and governments. If you do not sell products directly to consumers, intermediaries will also require products to have UL certification marks to make them popular.

3. American consumers and purchasing units have more confidence in a company's products.

4. More than 40000 federal, state, county, and municipal governments in the United States recognize the UL certification mark.

Applicable products: lighting fixtures, household appliances, communication, electric tools, wires and cables, etc.

4、 FCC certification

The full name of FCC is the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. FCC is the abbreviation of the Federal Communication Commission in the United States. FCC certification is a mandatory EMC certification in the United States, and many wireless application products, communication products, and digital products require FCC approval to enter the US market.

Applicable products: Electronic products, such as computers and computer accessories, household appliances, power tools, lighting fixtures, toys, security, and so on.

5、 EPA certification

The EPA is the abbreviation for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Its main task is to protect human health and the natural environment. The main purpose of the EPA is to protect people's health and the ecological environment - the air, water, and land - which we rely on for survival.

EPA certification is aimed at environmental certification of emission performance; The EPA tests the engine emissions of locomotives to confirm whether they meet the minimum environmental protection standards based on their durability and emission values. EPA certification is mandatory in the United States, and from January 1, 2006, the US EPA will implement new environmental regulations. Cars and motorcycles exported to the United States must pass EPA certification, obtain an EPA certificate, and be labeled before entering the US market. After March 22, 2019, regulated composite material products and finished products manufactured or imported in the United States must be certified by a third-party certification body recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to demonstrate that their products meet the EPA's formaldehyde emission standards.

Applicable products: inspection and certification of diesel/gasoline engine equipment, retail automotive components, gas and water treatment equipment, drinking water, pesticides, etc.

Most of the products exported from China involve the certification requirements of the United States, and understanding the relevant certifications required for one's own products is essential knowledge for sellers. Chinese sellers who want to open up the US market must follow relevant rules.