Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 413/2

20 July 2010

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 329/2010

Brazil : Updates on Testing and Certification Requirements for Imported Toys

The Brazilian National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO) has issued Ministerial Act (MA) No. 321/2009 allowing imported toys to be tested and certified using "System 5" (Quality Management System Assessment Certification in association with product testing). 
 

DETAILS

1.  

2. The trade was informed via Commercial Information Circular No. 520/2007 of 19 December 2007 that the Brazilian Government required all imported toys to be certified in accordance with "System 7" (Batch Certification) within the scope of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) Toy Safety Technical Regulations. Under System 7, samples of every lot of toy imports are required to be tested. Moreover, testing shall be performed by a certification body accredited by the INMETRO while those performed by overseas laboratories are not accepted. The INMETRO subsequently issued MA No. 321/2009 to relax the requirements by allowing overseas laboratories accredited by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) signatories to test toys for conformity under "System 5". The website of the ILAC is at http://www.ilac.org/.
    

3. Companies wishing to be certified in accordance with "System 5" should submit an application to the product certification body with information on the manufacturing plant identified for assessment, the name of the toy and its technical description, the intended age group of the toy and the documentation on the manufacturing plant’s quality management system. Toys must be tested in laboratories accredited by the INMETRO or laboratories accredited by ILAC signatories, provided that such accreditation is within the scope of the MERCOSUR Standard NM 300:2002 and, where applicable, in the methodologies described in INMETRO Ordinance No. 369/2007. Testing reports conducted by overseas laboratories must be submitted to the product certification body with a sworn translation into Portuguese, which may be performed in the country of origin or Brazil. The product certification body will examine the application, conduct an assessment of the manufacturing plant’s quality management system as well as collect samples from the factory or warehouse for proof/counter-proof/witness testing. If no non-conformities are found in the assessment and tests, a certificate of conformity will be issued by the product certification body.
    

4. According to MA No. 321/2009, the certificate of conformity must at least include the following information:

1. the company's name, address and tax identification;

2. complete information on the product certification body (such as name, address, tax identification, email address, website, telephone or fax numbers); 

3. the conformity certification number and its issue date; 

4. lot information; 

5. the System used to certify toys; 
    

6. information on the laboratory which is responsible for testing and the date of completion of testing; and
    

7. a complete identification of the toys subject to the certification. 

5. After obtaining the certification, a Conformity Assessment Seal in accordance with Annex A of MA No. 321/2009 must be affixed to the imported toys or their packaging. 
    

6. For details of the Brazilian testing and certification requirements on imported toys, traders are advised to consult their importers in Brazil and/or the relevant Brazilian MAs from the following websites:
   
   MA No. 321/2009: http://www.inmetro.gov.br/legislacao/rtac/pdf/RTAC001508.pdf 
   MA No. 152/2010: http://www.inmetro.gov.br/legislacao/rtac/pdf/RTAC001550.pdf 

ENQUIRIES

7. For enquiries about the content of this circular, please contact Miss S Y TANG at telephone number 2398 5405.

Yours faithfully,

 

(Miss Bonny CHAO)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry



Note :

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.