The GOST R certificate of conformity is the oldest permissive document in Russia testifying that the concerned product complies with Russian GOST and GOST R standards. It is valid on the territory of the Russian Federation only. This certificate is progressively replaced by new certificates, declarations or registrations as the new Technical Regulations of Russian Federation and of the Customs Union are replacing GOST/GOST R standards. Following are the types of certifications available to exporters: 1. Mandatory Certification Products requiring mandatory certification are defined in the official Nomenclature of products subject to compulsory certification (Government Decree No 982 by December 1, 2009 and its updates). However, this list is subject to periodic review. Mandatory Certificate of Conformity is a pre-requisite for the placement of products on the Russian market and is required for customs clearance. The certified product should be marked by the registered GOST R Mark of Conformity with identification number of certification body, which clearly demonstrates product compliance to the applicable Russian standards. 2. Voluntary Certification For products not subject to mandatory certification or declaration (refer to chapter below) according to the Russian law, voluntary certification scheme may be applied. Voluntary GOST R certificate cannot be used for customs clearance. Exporters or importers initiate voluntary certification with the aim to formally prove the conformity of their products to the applicable Russian standards and to use it as marketing advantage. The following sign demonstrates that product passed certification in voluntary GOST R system. 3. Validity period of GOST R certificates Depending on the annual export volume, there are two different types of GOST R Certificates of Conformity which can be issued. These are: a. Single shipment certificate Certificate of Conformity issued in this case is a trade document valid for one consignment only, i.e. for a certain quantity and type of product. This kind of certificate is advisable if the export to Russia is not so frequent. It can be issued only if the exporter is able to prove who will be the customer/importer in Russia by means of a contract or an invoice. b. Certificate for serial production (multiple shipments) Serial production Certificate of Conformity is a trade document which can be valid between 1 to 3 years depending on the nature of the products and applied procedure. Such a document enables the exporter to ship consignment an unlimited number of times and unlimited quantities of goods produced during the certificate validity period. The advantage of serial GOST R certificate of conformity is that it is issued on the name of a foreign manufacturer or exporter and can consequently be used by any Russian importer. Both, single shipment and serial GOST R certificates are issued per type (category) of products. That means that each shipment or a range of heterogeneous products may require several certificates.