All companies exporting consumer goods and industrial equipment to Russia will soon be required to include Global Location Number (GLN) and Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) codes for the EAC Declaration of Conformity registration procedure in the Russian national database.
While the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) of the Russian Federation first announced this requirement according to order No. 478 on July 31, 2020, proposals drafted could come into effect soon, making it mandatory for manufacturers outside of the Eurasian Union to comply as soon as 1 July 2021. These Russian regulations move to prevent the influx of counterfeit goods as the EAEU-China Free Trade Agreement draws closer.
These requirements were initially met with strong opposition from the Russian business community — so much so that the Russian Ministry of Economic Development moved to modify the initial text of the order in the last hour, specifying that the GTIN code must only be included if available. They also postponed the date for including the GLN code to 1 September 2021, giving manufacturers additional time to prepare.
The impact of this new requirement is significant: it will affect every second imported product sold throughout the country.
What are GTIN and GLN Numbers?
Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN) are barcodes that can be found on consumer good packaging that has been distributed to the public via large retailers. The 13-digit Global Location Number (GLN) identifies the manufacturer, its registered office, production plants, and other locations.
GLN and GTIN codes are two of the many global identification systems utilized by international organization, GS1. GS1 holds more than a dozen different identification numbers that are used to establish transnational business partnerships across the globe.
Now, manufacturers must join this national organization in order to work with these identification numbers, which are becoming mandatory for certification.
GLONASS Requirements
GLONASS is a Russian space-based satellite navigation system, providing an alternative to GPS as a second navigational system that operates with global coverage and equal precision. GLONASS coordinates can be used as alternatives to GLNs.
With these GLONASS coordinates, the system will automatically confirm whether or not the specific production site has successfully passed all verification procedures on the Russian side.
How can Nemko help?
The consequences for not complying with these new directives could be substantial, which is why many international manufacturers turn to a third-party like Nemko to ensure that their products are complying with all regulatory requirements. Nemko can assist your organization in preparing for this upcoming requirement, advising on how to best find GLN and GTIN codes, as well as GLONASS coordinates.
Don’t delay — start preparing for this and other upcoming regulatory requirements, today. Send us an email at info@nemko.com for more information.