ASTM, CE & UL: What These Marks Mean
What CE, UL and ASTM each do — and do not — prove, the OSHA NRTL layer most importers miss, and the document checklist and verification steps for each claim.
Read the guide →Certification & Compliance
Certification and compliance questions are where sourcing projects go wrong. This section translates the marks and cost structures that come up in import projects — in plain English, with no invented clauses and no figures published before they are verified.
Tariffs & Landed Cost: Budgeting for Import
HS classification, duty rates, Incoterms, freight, insurance, and fees — and why published rates must always be re-checked before a purchase order.
Read the guide →REACH & RoHS: What EU Buyers Should Ask For
The 0.1% SVHC threshold, the 45-day consumer reply, the SCIP duty and the ten RoHS-restricted substances with their Annex II limits — quoted from EUR-Lex and the European Commission.
Read the guide →China RoHS vs EU RoHS: Which Regime Is Your Supplier's Certificate About?
Two RoHS regimes, not one: EU Directive 2011/65/EU and its Annex II limits, against China's product-catalogue conformity-assessment system run by MIIT and SAMR — and why a report headed RoHS does not say which one it satisfies.
Read the guide →China Compulsory Certification (CCC): What the Mark Covers and How to Check It
CCC is the conformity mark required for products placed on China’s domestic market: who issues it, the reporting and certificate-query rules that take effect on 30 September 2026, the scope codes the regulator can withdraw, and what to ask a supplier who claims it.
Read the guide →GB, GB/T and GB/Z: What a Standard Code Means on a Chinese Drawing
China’s national standards come in three tiers and only one binds a supplier by itself: which prefix is mandatory, why a standard carries a publication date and a separate implementation date, and where a buyer can verify a code for free.
Read the guide →ISPM 15 Wood Packaging: What the Stamp on a Crate Means
Which wood packaging is regulated and which is exempt, what each part of the IPPC mark encodes, and the treatment parameters behind the codes HT, MB, DH and SF.
Read the guide →Common marks at a glance
| Mark | Where commonly referenced | Status |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM | Technical standards developed by ASTM International, frequently referenced in US-market purchase specifications. | Covered in the ASTM, CE & UL guide above |
| CE | Conformity marking for regulated products placed on the market in the European Economic Area. | Covered in the ASTM, CE & UL guide above |
| UL | Product safety certification widely referenced for electrical and fire-safety-related products in North America. | Covered in the ASTM, CE & UL guide above |
How to read this section. A mark on a product is evidence within a specific legal or contractual framework — it is not a universal guarantee. The detailed guides will explain each framework, what documentation to request (such as certificates and test reports), and how to check claims. No tariff figures, standard clauses, or certification details are published until they are verified against a primary source and dated.
Legal & compliance note. ChinaCustomParts is an information resource — not a law firm, customs broker, certification body, or test laboratory. Always confirm requirements with qualified professionals before committing to a product specification or a purchase order.
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