What is the IECEE CB Scheme?

The IECEE CB Scheme is the largest international certification scheme for electrical and electronic products and components (including IoT products).

Its goal is to facilitate the international trade of manufacturers in more than 50 member countries. This is achieved through the IECEE multilateral certificate recognition system based on international standards. Its members use the principle of mutual recognition of test results to obtain certification or approval at national levels around the world.

This global concept reduces trade barriers caused by different certification criteria in different countries and helps the industry to access new markets. The CB scheme removes the significant delays and costs of multiple testing and approval and it allows the industry to market its products faster. That’s why the CB Certificate can be called an international product passport.

How does the multilateral recognition of IECEE the CB Scheme work?

The CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) of the National Certification Body (NCB) carries out the relevant tests based on the applicable international standards and completes the CB Test Report. This will be reviewed and validated by the NCB, which will subsequently issue a CB Test Certificate.

When wishing to sell his/her products in other countries, the applicant sends the CB Test Certificate and associated CB Test Report to the participating NCBs located in countries of the target markets.

After an administrative review of the CB Test Certificate and CB Test Report, the relevant Certification Bodies will issue their national certification, normally without any re-testing of the product, because they recognize and have confidence in the testing and assessment that have already been done.

How can I obtain a IECEE CB Certificate and Test Report?

Our parent company QIMA is a German National Certification Body in the IECEE CB Scheme. CCLab is authorized to issue the necessary Test Reports as a CB Testing Laboratory and QIMA will issue the CB Certificates.

Only safe products can be placed on the EU market. Products using radio telecommunication shall comply with the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU. It is supplemented by the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 that extends the application of RED to internet-connected radio equipment to cover the related cybersecurity risks.

Manufacturers have to perform conformity assessments of such devices before drawing up the EU Declaration of Conformity and affixing the CE Marking. The assessment shall involve the necessary tests to verify if the device is appropriately protected against cybersecurity threats.

The lack of the necessary competencies and capabilities to perform cybersecurity tests, the manufacturer may request an accredited testing laboratory to carry out these tests in a competent manner. The Manufacturer shall put the test reports and certificates into its technical file to prove that all the necessary tests were performed to ensure compliance with the essential requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive.

After leaving the European Union the United Kingdom (UK) independently determines its cybersecurity regulations and has exited the cybersecurity framework of the European Union (EU). The UK has its national laws and standards for addressing cybersecurity issues and is not obligated to automatically adopt EU regulations or directives in this area.

The PSTI, or Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure, is a regulatory system applicable in the United Kingdom.The PSTI Act received Royal Assent in December 2022, and the draft of the PSTI (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) Regulations was published in April 2023. These regulations were officially enacted on September 14, 2023. The relevant part of PSTI Act regulating consumer connectable product security will become effective on April 29, 2024.

Starting from that date, manufacturers of consumer connectable products in the UK will be obligated to meet the prescribed minimum security requirements.

These requirements are derived from the UK’s Code of Practice for Consumer IoT security, the globally recognized standard ETSI EN 303 645 for consumer IoT security, and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre, the UK’s technical authority for cyber threats. The regulatory framework also ensures that other entities within the supply chains of these products fulfill their responsibilities in preventing the sale of insecure consumer products to UK consumers and businesses.

CCLab is an accredited testing laboratory that is capable of performing the applicable cybersecurity tests of IoT devices according to the European standard ETSI EN 303 645 and UK PSTI requirements for both the EU and UK markets depending on the needs. Furthermore, CCLab can provide a non-accredited certificate of conformity on the cybersecurity conformance of connectable devices. Based on our test reports, as a recognized laboratory of the QIMA certification body, we can provide CoC (Certificate of Conformity) for connected (wired and wireless) devices.

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape of the industrial sector, the need for heightened cybersecurity in Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) stands paramount.

For developers and manufacturers of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems and industrial control components cybersecurity testing and certification is crucial in the high-risk industrial environment. Compliance with the international standard IEC 62443-4-2 through comprehensive evaluation ensures that their industrial control systems and components are reliably safeguarded against cybersecurity threats.

The product development life-cycle is a significant element of the conformity assessment process according to IEC 62443-4-1. Under the umbrella of security management, besides the secure-by-design principles and defense-in-depth strategy, the evaluation also includes the management of security-related issues and updates.

CCLab as a CB testing laboratory within the IECEE CB Scheme is capable of performing the applicable cybersecurity evaluations of IIoT devices’ development life-cycle according to the ISA/IEC 62443-4-1 and the component’s security capabilities according to ISA/IEC 62443-4-2. CCLab is a recognized laboratory of the QIMA national certification body under the IECEE CB Scheme. Based on our test reports we can provide CB certificate for industrial automation and control systems, IIoT devices.