Brazilian Inmetro Certification

INMETRO is short for The National Institute for Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality, controls INMETRO certification which covers safety and energy efficiency. INMETRO is not only Brazilian mandatory certification mark, but also Brazil's national certification body, which is responsible for certification body authorization and lab surveillance, as well as the implementation and development of the Brazilian standard and certification scheme.

At first, the certification does not include household products. But with the increase in import volume of household appliances, the Brazilian government issued 371 on December 29, 2009 and add a variety of household products in the mandatory products list. According to the requirements of the ordinance, since July 1, 2011 start, relevant categories of household appliances sold in Brazil (such as kettles, irons, vacuum cleaners, etc.) must apply mandatory certification from INMETRO.

When Factories and traders submit application to the certification body in Brazil, they must provide the Brazilian importer or agent, as local legal representative legal representative INMETRO certification. The representative will be responsible for the product entering into the Brazilian market, provide consumers with after-sales service and handle consumers’ complaints.

According to Ordinance 371 Dec29, 2009, household appliances sold in Brazil and applicable to standards IEC60335-1 & IEC 60335-2-x must meet the requirements of the Ordinance. For manufacturers and importers, the Ordinance three phases for specific implementation timetable as below.

Currently, Brazil product certification has compulsory and voluntary certification scheme. Products for compulsory certification include household appliances and similar use products, pumps, fluorescent lamps, toys, wire and cable, switches, plugs and sockets, circuit breakers and electronic ballast etc; voluntary products include IT / AV products, power tools and other products. Till December 2014, mandatory certification covers 113 kinds of products.

Product that meet standards and other technical requirements, must be affixed with mandatory INMETRO mark and logo of third-party accredited certification body, together with agency Code (OCP) on the product nameplate or packaging, then can enter into Brazilian market. Mark as follows:

Brazil ANATEL Certification

ANATEL is Brazilian control agency for telecommunications and radio equipment, headquartered in Brasilia. Mainly for telecommunication products, ANATEL certification divides products into three categories, while control for products of category 1 is the most rigorous. In addition to test by accredited lab, it must accept requirement for factory inspection (ISO9000 certificate is acceptable).

Before achieved type approval from ANATEL, the applicant must apply with ANATEL recognized certification assessment bodies (CABs) for COC (Declaration of Conformity), based on the test reports and product data. After corresponding files are ready by CABs, then can obtain a certificate issued by ANATEL. Attention should be paid to the specification and the nameplate that only accept Portuguese.

Brazilian Noise Level Declaration（SELO RUIDO）

Inmetro105 Ordinance May 31, 2004 implements mandatory SELO RUÍDO for the following products that easily produce noise. SELO RUÍDO aims to release noise information of household appliance for consumers so that consumer will choose quieter products under same circumstance and encourage manufacturers to produce products with low noise level.

Brazilian Energy Efficiency Certificate PBE/ PROCEL

1. Energy Efficiency scheme PCB

Programa Brasileiro de Etiquetagem (PBE) is originated in the agreement in 1984 under the intervention by the Brazilian Mines Energy Ministry signed by Brazilian Department of Industry and Trade and Association Brazilian Industry of Electronics and Electricity (ABINEE). According to the " Energy Ordinance of National Energy Conservation and Rational Use " released in Oct 2001 and Ordincance No. 4059 released in December the same year, the program becomes a mandatory energy efficiency label scheme

Similar to the EU's energy label, in addition to energy efficiency rating (energy efficiency from the highest level A to the lowest energy level G), Brazil PBE energy efficiency label also includes the manufacturer's name, trademark, product model, power or water consumption, product characteristics and other information. Test must be done by Brazilian local lab authorized by INMETRO and can not be done in China. Besides, application must be done with INMETRO by Brazil legitimate representative or real importer.

2. National Electric Power Saving Scheme PROCEL

PROCEL mark is part of the PBE mark. In 1985, Brazil adopted Resolution No. 1877, launching national electric power saving program PROCEL. Followed by presidential decree December 8, 1993 PROCEL plan was officially launched. PROCEL plan is propose by the Department of Mines and Energy (MME). INMETRO is responsible for coordinating. Now Brazilian Power Company (ELETROBRÁS) takes the management.

PROCEL Program is a branch of PBE plan. PROCEL is a mark for energy-saving certification. Electrical products with this mark means that electrical equipment achieve optimum energy efficiency level, consuming less energy. As part of PBE mark, it is awarded annually to electrical products that achieve higher energy efficiency level and meet the statutory requirements.

PROCEL plan is voluntary to participate. Institutions and manufacturers involved in must proceed energy efficiency testing for product. After product testing, regulatory agencies will develop a standard based on the results, then according to the standard make classification of the device. These tests would be conducted regularly, and the standard will be updated thereafter. According to the current best-performing products in the energy standards, through testing and judged to be the best performance of these products in electrical appliances, such products will obtain PROCEL certification mark. After a period of time to implement or verification, each category will have as much as 25% or more energy-efficient products.Therefore PROCEL plan contributes to the implementation of energy-efficiency label program through the establishment of methodology basis. Validity of the PROCEL plan is from date issue a certificate till December 31 that year. It does not need to re-do product testing after the certificate expires, as long as renew the certificate. But for some devices, validity is 365 days from the date of authorization. Based on requirements of "Law for National Energy-saving and Rational Use of Energy", PROCEL sign is voluntary certification program and began to transform into a compulsory certification

1. PBE program controlled products include:

cold closet, cabinet freezer, ceiling fans, air conditioners, washing machines, gas stoves, gas water heaters, electric shower, incandescent and fluorescent lamps, ballasts, centrifugal pumps and other products

2. PROCEL mark controlled products includes:

solar bath appliances, window / split air conditioners, freezers, fluorescent lamps, sodium lamps, sodium lamp ballast, full / semi-automatic washing machines, high-performance / standard three-phase induction motor, single door / double door / frost-free refrigerator, low / high voltage solar storage tank, TV, ceiling fan and other products.

Left is PBE mark，right is PROCEL mark