Principles

The CENELEC Certification Agreement (CCA) is an European agreement on mutual recognition of test results and aims to facilitate trade between the participating countries. The purpose of the agreement is to ensure that the results of a test in the individual country will be accepted in the other CCA countries.

The CCA Agreement is for electrical products which are tested according to harmonized standards (EN-European Standard or HD-Harmonization Document) and any national deviations that might exist. A primary condition for the application of the agreement is that the product has been manufactured in one of the member countries.

In short, the agreement implies that a manufacturer or importer in a member country submits his product for full testing to an accepted testing laboratory in a country adhering to the CCA. When it has been verified that the product conforms with the requirements of current standards and when national approval has been granted, a "Notification of Test Results" (NTR) is issued together with a Test Report.

On the basis of this testing the manufacturer can apply for national approval in any of the member countries. These applications are given high priority to guarantee the applicant short handling times and avoid duplicate testing when the product is electrically, mechanically and otherwise fully in conformity with the specimen which has been tested in the country where the CCA documents have been issued and this has to be declared in writing (Identity Declaration). The product will be approved if it also complies with national particular requirements, if any. The National Certification Bodies are, however, not obliged to accept NTR´s older than 3 years.

Products covered

Lowvoltage equipment (in the scope of the Low Voltage Directive) mainly electrodomestic appliances and components, electronic appliances, luminaires and accessories, electrical installation material or equipment (e.g. electromedical) or aspects of equipment other than safety (EMC) within the scope of the signatories, for which HD/EN exist.

Membership

CCA-Members:

Application for a CCA- Notification of Test Results

A primary condition for the application of the agreement is that the product has been manufactured in one of the member countries.

• The applicant submits:
• Application form (available on request / download Application Form)
• Product documentation
• Test samples
  (The applicant should contact OVE before sending a specimen)
• OVE arranges testing of the relevant product in an accepted Testing Laboratory
• Upon testing is completed a Test Report will be issued
• When testing is successfully carried out, OVE will issue the CCA-Notification of Test Results (NTR) together with the National Approval

The NTR attached by the Test Report may be submitted to any other member countries to obtain their national certification marks.

The applicant may request testing to cover national differences in countries in which the NTR is to be used. If additional tests have been carried out, a report of the results may be attached to, and considered to be a part of, the Test Report.

Procedure for recognition of Notification of Test Results through OVE to obtain the Austrian Safety Mark

When an applicant applies to OVE for national certification to obtain the Austrian Safety Mark for a product on the basis of a NTR the following should be submitted:

• Application form (available on request / download Application Form)
• Application letter giving name and address
• Notification of Test Results
• Test Report
• EMC Test Report including disturbances in supply systems
• Identity Declaration
• Specimen of the product

We are prepared to recognize annexes to the NTR and Test Report covering our national deviations.Incoming OVE applications based on CCA procedure will be dealt with priority before testing assignments provided the need for retesting is small.

Pre-licence factory inspection and routine inspections according to CCA 201 are required.

Factory inspection reports issued by Member NCB´s and not older than 3 years are accepted in general.

Further information on national certification may be obtained in section:

Accelerated CCA Procedure

The European certification system CCA gives quicker access to the market, since the testing is performed in one place for certification in many countries. In order to shorten the processing time further, an alternative procedure has been drawn up, the so-called Accelerated CCA Procedure.

This procedure means

• only one application for several certification bodies
• only one testing which observes the various national requirements
• only one test sample for several certificates
• short processing times
• that additional certificates from other NCB´s will be obtained within 20 days after the testing has been finished.

The Accelerated CCA Procedure is based on a series of mutual agreements between OVE and certifying bodies within the CCA.

With these countries OVE has agreed bilaterally on a simpler procedure. The applicant needs therefore only to send his application to OVE indicating the other countries from which he wants to obtain their marks. Correspondence is then made directly between OVE and the relevant certification bodies.