What is the IECEE CB Scheme, how does it work, and what does a CB Certificate actually mean for global market access?

For manufacturers of electrical and electronic products, entering multiple international markets can quickly become complicated. Different countries may require different certifications, national approvals, testing procedures, or additional requirements—even when the underlying technical requirements are based on the same IEC standards.

The IECEE CB Scheme was created to simplify this process.

The basic idea is straightforward: instead of having to repeat essentially the same safety testing separately for every country, a manufacturer can use internationally recognized test results and certification documents as the basis for national certification in participating markets.

However, the CB Scheme is often misunderstood.

A CB Test Certificate is not a worldwide product approval, and it does not automatically mean that a product is fully compliant with every requirement in every target market. National Differences, additional national requirements, EMC, radio requirements, and other regulatory obligations may still need to be addressed.

Understanding what the CB Scheme actually covers—and what it does not—is therefore essential when developing a global compliance strategy.

1. What Is the IECEE CB Scheme?

The IECEE CB Scheme is an international conformity assessment system for electrical and electronic equipment and components. IECEE stands for the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components.

The CB Scheme operates as a multilateral system in which participating organizations recognize relevant test results and certification documents produced within the scheme. The objective is to facilitate international acceptance of products by reducing unnecessary duplication of testing.

In practical terms, the concept is:

Test once → document the results → use those results to support certification in multiple markets.

The IEC describes its conformity assessment systems as being designed to facilitate global product acceptance, where possible, through approaches such as one test and one certification. For the IECEE system specifically, test certificates are mutually recognized among members, provided the relevant requirements—including applicable National Differences—have been taken into account.

This does not mean that one CB Certificate replaces every national certification.

Instead, the CB Scheme provides a common technical foundation that national certification bodies can use when evaluating a product for their own market.

Why was the CB Scheme created?

Without a system such as the CB Scheme, a manufacturer selling the same electrical product in several countries could face repeated testing against substantially similar technical requirements.

For example, a manufacturer might need to:

• submit the same product to several laboratories,
• repeat similar safety tests,
• provide largely identical technical documentation,
• resolve the same technical issues multiple times, and
• maintain several separate certification files.

The CB Scheme is intended to reduce this duplication by establishing a common international framework for testing and recognition.

The IEC describes the IECEE CB Scheme as a multilateral international agreement for the acceptance of test reports on electrical products tested to IEC standards.

What makes the CB Scheme different?

The important point is that the CB Scheme is based on internationally agreed IEC standards and common conformity-assessment procedures.

A manufacturer therefore does not simply obtain a generic “international certificate.” Instead, the product is evaluated against defined technical requirements, and the resulting documentation can then be used within the CB system and, where applicable, as the basis for national certification.

This distinction becomes particularly important when looking at National Differences.

A product may comply with the relevant IEC standard but still require additional consideration for a particular country because that country applies deviations or additional requirements.

Therefore, the real value of a CB Certificate is not that it eliminates national certification. Its value is that it can provide a recognized technical foundation for multiple national certification routes.

The CB Scheme in One Sentence

The IECEE CB Scheme is best understood as an international system that allows electrical and electronic products to be tested and documented against applicable IEC standards so that the resulting test and certification documents can support product certification in multiple participating markets.

And that distinction is important:

CB facilitates global market access—it does not automatically grant it.

2. What Is a CB Test Certificate?

One term that is particularly often misunderstood in connection with the CB Scheme is the CB Test Certificate. It is sometimes described as an “international certificate” or even as a worldwide product approval. Neither is correct.

To understand how the CB Scheme works, three things need to be distinguished:

• CB Test Report – the technical test report documenting the test results
• CB Test Certificate – the certificate issued by a National Certification Body (NCB) based on the relevant testing and documentation
• National certification or approval – the national conformity assessment required for a specific target market

These documents are closely related, but they serve different purposes.

CB Test Report

The CB Test Report documents the technical assessment of the product. It contains, among other things, information about the product under test, the standards applied, the tests performed, and the results obtained.

The IECEE system uses standardized Test Report Forms (TRFs) to document testing. The IEC describes a TRF as a document used by a testing laboratory to record the evidence and results of tests and analyses performed on a product. TRFs follow a common structure adapted to the relevant IEC or ISO standard.

The test report is therefore primarily the technical record showing that the specific product was assessed against the relevant requirements.

CB Test Certificate

The CB Test Certificate is based on the corresponding test report and is issued by an authorized National Certification Body (NCB) within the IECEE system.

This does not simply confirm that “the product is internationally approved.” Rather, the certificate confirms the conformity of the tested product with the requirements specified in the certificate and makes this information available within the CB system for further use.

This distinction is important.

A CB Test Certificate is therefore best understood as an internationally recognized certification document within the IECEE system—not as a universal market approval.

What Happens Next?

The main benefit of the CB Scheme often becomes apparent when the CB Test Report and Certificate are used for additional markets.

A manufacturer can submit the existing documentation to a national certification body and use it to support national certification. The national body may take the existing test results into account instead of requiring all testing to be repeated from scratch.

Whether and to what extent this is possible depends on the country, the relevant certification body, the product, and the applicable national requirements.

In particular, National Differences may result in additional testing or assessment being required.

The typical relationship can therefore be simplified as follows:

Product → IEC Standard → Testing → CB Test Report → CB Test Certificate → National Certification / Market Access

The CB Certificate is therefore an important building block in a global certification strategy—but not automatically its final step.

What a CB Certificate Does Not Automatically Mean

In particular, a CB Test Certificate does not automatically mean that:

• the product can be sold in every country without further certification,
• all national requirements have been fulfilled,
• EMC requirements for every target market are covered,
• radio requirements are covered,
• national deviations have already been taken into account, or
• no further testing or documentation is required.

For complex products in particular, an overall assessment is therefore necessary.

For example, an electrical product may have a valid CB Certificate covering its safety requirements and still need to meet additional requirements for EMC, radio, cybersecurity, energy efficiency, or other regulatory areas.

The CB Scheme should therefore not be considered in isolation. The key question is always:

Which requirements apply to this product in the specific target markets—and which of them are actually covered by the CB Scheme?

This question becomes particularly important as soon as EMC or radio technologies are part of the product.

3. When Is the CB Scheme Relevant?

The CB Scheme can be particularly valuable when a manufacturer plans to sell the same electrical or electronic product in multiple international markets and wants to avoid repeating equivalent safety testing wherever possible.

However, the right question is not simply “Do I need a CB Certificate?”. The more useful question is:

Can a CB-based certification strategy reduce the amount of duplicated testing and certification required for my target markets?

That depends on the product, the applicable IEC standards, the target countries, and the way those countries recognize CB documentation.

Products Covered by the CB Scheme

The IECEE CB Scheme covers a broad range of electrical and electronic products and components. The approved IECEE categories include areas such as household equipment, information technology and audio/video equipment, lighting, medical electrical equipment, industrial automation, batteries, photovoltaics, portable tools, and other electrical equipment. The current IECEE rules define the approved categories and the standards that may be used within the system.

This means that determining whether the CB Scheme is relevant starts with identifying the correct product category and applicable IEC standard.

That step should not be underestimated. Selecting a standard simply because it appears to be commonly used for similar products can lead to an incorrect test program and problems later in the certification process.

When a CB Certificate Can Be Particularly Useful

A CB Certificate can be especially useful when:

• the product is intended for several countries,
• the target markets have certification systems that recognize CB documentation,
• the applicable product safety requirements are based on IEC standards,
• the same product configuration will be supplied to multiple markets, and
• reducing repeated safety testing is commercially important.

For a manufacturer with only one target market, a CB Certificate may provide less practical value. If the local certification route does not make meaningful use of CB documentation, obtaining a CB Certificate solely for that market may add cost and complexity without providing a corresponding benefit.

The decision should therefore be made as part of the overall market-access strategy, rather than as an isolated certification decision.

Start With the Standard, Not the Certificate

One of the most important steps is identifying the applicable IEC safety standard before deciding on the certification route.

The IECEE system maintains an approved set of standards and product categories for its conformity assessment activities.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can be used as a practical starting point for this step. The database currently contains more than 1,700 IEC safety-standard records, and the listed standards link directly to the corresponding information on the IECEE website. This allows manufacturers to move from identifying an applicable safety standard toward the relevant IECEE/CB context rather than treating the standard and certification process as separate topics.

This is particularly useful during the early scoping phase: before samples are sent to a laboratory, the manufacturer should already have a clear understanding of which standard applies, which edition is relevant, whether the standard is within the CB Scheme, and which target markets are intended.

When a CB Certificate May Not Be Enough

The CB Scheme should not be viewed as a substitute for the complete compliance assessment of a product.

A product may require additional assessment for:

• EMC,
• radio/RF requirements,
• cybersecurity,
• energy efficiency,
• environmental requirements, or
• other country- or market-specific regulations.

In addition, National Differences may require additional evaluation even when the product has already been tested to the applicable IEC standard.

For this reason, the CB decision should be made together with the wider compliance scope. A manufacturer should first determine the requirements for each target market and then identify where CB testing can be reused within that overall strategy.

A Practical Decision Path

A useful way to approach the decision is:

Product → Applicable IEC Standard → CB Scheme Eligibility → Target Markets → National Differences → Additional Requirements → Certification Strategy

This approach avoids a common mistake: obtaining a CB Certificate first and only afterwards discovering that the target markets require additional testing, national deviations, or completely separate approval routes.

The CB Scheme is most valuable when it is planned before testing begins and integrated into the overall market-access strategy.

4. How the IECEE CB Scheme Works

The CB Scheme is built around a defined sequence of testing, technical review, and certification activities. Understanding this process is important because the CB Certificate is not the starting point of the project—it is the result of a structured conformity assessment process.

At a high level, the process can be summarized as:

Product definition → Applicable IEC standard → Application → Testing → Technical review → CB Test Report → CB Test Certificate

The exact workflow can vary depending on the product, the applicable standard, and the organizations involved, but the underlying principle remains the same.

Step 1: Define the Product and Its Scope

Before testing begins, the product needs to be clearly defined.

This includes information such as:

• product type and intended use,
• model and variant information,
• electrical ratings,
• construction and enclosure,
• critical components,
• power supply arrangements,
• relevant accessories,
• intended operating conditions, and
• manufacturing locations.

This information matters because the certification is tied to a specific product configuration. Changes to critical components, construction, ratings, or other relevant characteristics can affect the validity or applicability of the existing certification.

For manufacturers with several variants, defining the product family correctly at the beginning can also be important for avoiding unnecessary testing while ensuring that all covered variants are properly represented.

Step 2: Identify the Applicable IEC Standard

The next step is determining which IEC standard applies to the product.

This is one of the most important parts of the entire process. The CB Scheme does not determine the product’s standard automatically. The manufacturer, certification body, and testing laboratory need to establish the appropriate technical basis for the assessment.

The selected standard also determines the relevant testing methodology and the structure of the applicable IECEE Test Report Form (TRF).

IECEE maintains a large set of standardized TRFs for the standards used within its conformity assessment activities. The IEC notes that there are more than 2,300 TRFs available, primarily covering electrical safety standards.

This is another reason why standard selection should happen before laboratory testing starts. The wrong standard can result in the wrong test program, additional work, or a certification route that does not properly support the intended markets.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can support this initial scoping step by helping manufacturers identify relevant IEC safety standards and access the corresponding IECEE information directly from the standard entry.

Step 3: Select the Certification Body and Testing Laboratory

The CB Scheme involves different roles that should not be confused.

An NCB (National Certification Body) is responsible for certification activities within the IECEE system. Testing is performed by an approved CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) operating within the scheme.

Depending on the organization and project structure, the NCB and CBTL may be part of the same organization or may be separate organizations.

The choice of certification body and laboratory can matter strategically. Manufacturers should consider not only laboratory capability, but also the target markets, applicable standards, technical expertise, experience with the specific product category, and the intended use of the resulting CB documentation.

Step 4: Prepare the Documentation and Samples

Before testing, the manufacturer normally needs to provide the technical information required to evaluate the product.

Depending on the product and standard, this can include:

• product specifications,
• schematics,
• drawings,
• photographs,
• component information,
• critical component documentation,
• user instructions,
• ratings and markings,
• construction details, and
• representative test samples.

The quality of this preparation can have a significant effect on the project timeline. Missing information or unclear construction details can result in questions, additional evidence requests, or delays during the technical review.

Step 5: Perform the Testing

The CBTL performs the applicable tests according to the relevant IEC standard and the associated IECEE procedures.

Testing is documented using the applicable Test Report Form. The TRF provides a standardized structure for recording the evidence and results required by the relevant standard. The IEC explains that TRFs are aligned with the structure of the corresponding IEC or ISO standard and are intended to support the issuance of certification.

This standardization is an important part of the CB Scheme. It means that the technical results are not simply recorded in an arbitrary laboratory format; they are documented using a common framework intended for use within the conformity assessment system.

Step 6: Resolve Non-Conformities

If the product does not meet one or more requirements during testing, the manufacturer must address the identified non-conformities.

This can involve:

• modifying the product,
• changing a component,
• providing additional technical evidence,
• correcting documentation,
• performing additional testing, or
• documenting an acceptable resolution with the certification body and laboratory.

Any product change made during this stage should be carefully controlled. A change that appears minor from a design perspective can potentially affect other requirements or the scope of the assessment.

Step 7: Technical Review and Certification

Once the testing and documentation are complete, the results are reviewed within the CB certification process.

The final documentation needs to demonstrate the conformity of the product against the applicable requirements. The resulting test documentation forms the technical basis for the CB certification.

Importantly, a document is not considered a valid CB Test Report merely because it uses an IECEE Test Report Form. The IEC explicitly states that such reports are valid as CB Test Reports only when signed by an approved CB Testing Laboratory and appended to a CB Test Certificate issued by an NCB.

The process therefore connects the laboratory testing and the certification activity:

CBTL → Test Report → NCB review/certification → CB Test Certificate

Step 8: Use the CB Documentation for Target Markets

Once the CB Test Certificate has been issued, the manufacturer can use the CB documentation as part of the certification strategy for relevant target markets.

This is where the international value of the CB Scheme becomes particularly important. Participating national certification bodies can recognize relevant CB deliverables according to the rules of the system and their applicable national requirements. IECEE membership rules require active member countries to have a mechanism for recognizing IECEE deliverables based on testing and assessment work carried out by other members.

However, recognition does not mean that every national certification process becomes identical. National Differences, local requirements, application procedures, documentation requirements, and other market-specific conditions can still apply.

The Complete Process at a Glance

For a manufacturer, the CB process can therefore be viewed as:

1. Define the product
↓
2. Identify the applicable IEC standard
↓
3. Check CB Scheme applicability and target markets
↓
4. Identify National Differences and additional requirements
↓
5. Select NCB / CBTL
↓
6. Prepare documentation and samples
↓
7. Perform testing
↓
8. Resolve non-conformities
↓
9. Complete technical review
↓
10. Issue CB Test Report / CB Test Certificate
↓
11. Use CB documentation for national certification and market access

The important takeaway is that the CB Certificate is the output of the process, not the process itself. The quality of the result depends heavily on decisions made much earlier—especially the correct product scope, applicable IEC standard, target markets, and identification of National Differences.

5. What Is Actually Covered by a CB Certificate?

A CB Certificate should always be read in the context of the specific product, standard, edition, and scope stated in the certificate and its associated CB Test Report.

The certificate is not a general statement that the product complies with every applicable requirement. It provides evidence that representative samples of the identified product have been assessed against the relevant IEC requirements within the scope of the CB Scheme. The associated test report contains the detailed technical evidence behind that certification.

This makes the exact scope of the certification important. A manufacturer should not look only at the existence of a CB Certificate, but also at what standard was used, which product configuration was tested, which requirements were covered, and whether national differences were addressed.

Product Safety Requirements

For the traditional CB Scheme, the core purpose is the assessment of electrical safety against applicable IEC standards accepted within the IECEE system.

Depending on the product and applicable standard, this can include requirements relating to:

• protection against electric shock,
• insulation and dielectric strength,
• abnormal operation,
• temperature and heating,
• mechanical hazards,
• fire and enclosure requirements,
• creepage and clearance distances,
• component safety,
• construction and accessibility, and
• markings, instructions, and other required product information.

The exact requirements are always determined by the applicable product standard. A CB Certificate should therefore never be interpreted independently of that standard.

The Applicable IEC Standard

The standard is one of the most important pieces of information on a CB Certificate.

It identifies the technical basis against which the product was assessed. The edition and applicable amendments also matter because requirements can change between editions.

For manufacturers, this means that finding the correct standard is not simply a preparatory administrative step. It directly determines what the subsequent CB assessment is intended to demonstrate.

This is why the first question should always be:

Which IEC standard applies to this product?

The ScopeRight Safety Standards Database can be used during this stage to identify relevant IEC safety standards and access the corresponding IECEE information directly from the standard entry.

Construction and Critical Components

A CB assessment also considers the construction of the product and, where relevant, components that are critical to safety.

Depending on the applicable standard, the assessment may therefore involve items such as:

• power supplies,
• transformers,
• fuses and protective devices,
• switches,
• connectors,
• insulation systems,
• enclosures,
• motors,
• batteries, or
• other safety-critical components.

The importance of these components is not only relevant during the initial certification. A later change to a critical component can affect the continued applicability of the existing certification and may require additional evaluation.

Manufacturers should therefore treat the certified product configuration as a controlled configuration rather than assuming that every later design change is automatically covered by the original CB Certificate.

National Differences

One of the most important limitations of a CB Certificate is that the underlying IEC standard does not necessarily represent the complete national requirement in every market.

The IECEE system allows National Differences to be taken into account. These are national requirements or test parameters that differ from the corresponding IEC requirements and could otherwise result in non-compliance with the relevant national standard.

Where required, evidence relating to National Differences can be included in supplementary documentation associated with the CB Test Report. This can then support the national certification process in the relevant market.

This is one of the reasons why a manufacturer should define its target countries before testing, wherever possible. If the target markets are known early enough, applicable national differences can be incorporated into the testing strategy rather than discovered later during national certification.

What Is Not Automatically Covered?

Perhaps the most important point is what a CB Certificate does not automatically cover.

A CB Certificate for a product safety standard does not automatically demonstrate compliance with every other regulatory requirement applicable to the product.

Depending on the product and target markets, separate assessment may still be required for areas such as:

• EMC / electromagnetic compatibility,
• radio and RF requirements,
• cybersecurity,
• energy efficiency,
• environmental requirements, or
• other national or regional regulatory requirements.

This distinction becomes particularly important for modern connected products. A device may have a valid safety CB Certificate while still requiring separate EMC and radio compliance work before it can be legally placed on a particular market.

The CB Certificate should therefore be treated as one part of the product’s compliance architecture, not as a complete market-access certificate.

Safety, EMC and Radio Must Be Scoped Separately

For a simple electrical product without radio functionality, the CB safety assessment may represent a major part of the technical compliance work.

For a connected product, however, the compliance scope can look very different:

Safety → IEC product safety standard / CB Scheme

EMC → applicable EMC requirements and standards

Radio → applicable radio requirements and standards

Other regulations → market-specific requirements

The manufacturer therefore needs to understand not only whether a CB Certificate can be obtained, but also what additional compliance work remains after the CB assessment.

That distinction is essential when estimating the actual time, cost, and documentation required to bring a product to market.

6. What About EMC?

EMC is one of the areas where the CB Scheme is often misunderstood. A manufacturer may hear that a product has a CB Certificate and assume that this automatically covers electromagnetic compatibility. That conclusion is too broad.

The important point is that EMC can be part of the IECEE conformity assessment scope, but it is not automatically included simply because a product has a CB Certificate for a safety standard.

The current IECEE system explicitly includes Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) as an approved category. There are also IECEE Test Report Forms for specific EMC standards, demonstrating that EMC assessments can be performed within the IECEE framework.

Therefore, the correct question is not:

“Does my product have a CB Certificate?”

but rather:

“What type of CB assessment was performed, against which standard, and does it cover the EMC requirements relevant to my target markets?”

Safety CB and EMC CB Are Not the Same Thing

A CB Certificate is always tied to a defined scope, including the applicable standard or standards and the product that was assessed.

For example, a manufacturer may obtain a CB Certificate based on a product safety standard such as an IEC 62368-1, IEC 60335-1, or IEC 61010-1 assessment. That certificate demonstrates conformity within the scope stated in the certificate. It does not, simply by existing, demonstrate that the product has also been assessed against the applicable EMC requirements.

EMC has its own technical requirements, test methods, and standards. Depending on the product, these may include product-specific EMC standards, product-family standards, or applicable generic EMC standards from the IEC 61000 series.

The IECEE system contains EMC categories and corresponding EMC Test Report Forms for applicable standards. For example, the IEC Webstore lists IECEE TRFs for IEC 61326-2-1 and other EMC standards used for specific types of equipment.

The result is an important distinction:

A Safety CB Certificate does not automatically equal an EMC CB assessment.

If EMC is relevant to the product, it needs to be explicitly included in the certification and testing scope.

What Is Tested for EMC?

The exact EMC assessment depends on the applicable product or product-family standard. EMC requirements generally address two fundamental aspects:

• Emissions – whether the equipment generates electromagnetic disturbances that could adversely affect other equipment or systems.
• Immunity – whether the equipment can continue to operate as intended when exposed to relevant electromagnetic disturbances.

The applicable standard determines which phenomena, limits, test methods, operating conditions, and performance criteria apply.

For example, IEC 61326-1 specifies EMC requirements concerning immunity and emissions for electrical equipment used for measurement, control, and laboratory applications.

Other products may be assessed against different product-specific EMC standards or generic standards. There is therefore no single universal “EMC test” that applies to every electrical product.

EMC Test Report and EMC CB Certification

Where an EMC assessment is performed within the IECEE framework, the testing is documented using the applicable IECEE Test Report Form. The TRF provides a standardized structure for recording the required evidence and results.

The IEC currently lists more than 2,300 IECEE Test Report Forms, primarily covering electrical safety standards, while the IECEE approved categories also explicitly include EMC.

This means that manufacturers should look at the specific test report and certificate scope, rather than assuming that all aspects of compliance are bundled into one document.

What Does This Mean for a Manufacturer?

Consider a connected electrical product with a mains power supply and an integrated wireless module.

Its compliance scope may include:

Safety

→ Applicable IEC product safety standard

→ CB Safety assessment

EMC

→ Applicable EMC standard

→ Emissions and immunity testing

→ EMC assessment within the appropriate certification route

Radio

→ Applicable radio standards

→ Radio-specific regulatory requirements for each target market

The three areas can interact technically, but they should not be treated as one certification scope simply because the product has a CB Certificate.

Why EMC Should Be Considered Before Testing

EMC is particularly important when the CB strategy is being developed for multiple markets.

If the manufacturer knows the target markets and applicable EMC standards before testing begins, the test program can potentially be structured so that the resulting documentation is useful for more than one certification route.

This can be especially valuable for products that require both safety and EMC assessments. Testing the product without first understanding the complete market-access strategy can result in duplicated tests, additional samples, or reports that do not provide the evidence required by a particular national certification route.

The same principle therefore applies to EMC as to safety:

Define the compliance scope before testing—not after the test report has already been issued.

For manufacturers, this means identifying the applicable safety and EMC standards, target markets, National Differences, and any additional regulatory requirements as early as possible.

The Key Takeaway

The IECEE CB Scheme can support both safety and EMC conformity assessment, but a CB Certificate is not a generic statement covering every aspect of a product’s compliance.

Always check:

1. Which IECEE category is being assessed?
2. Which IEC standard or standards are covered?
3. Does the CB documentation explicitly include EMC?
4. Which National Differences apply?
5. What additional EMC or national requirements remain for the target market?

For a global certification strategy, this distinction can make the difference between genuinely reusable test results and a certification package that still requires significant additional work in each market.

7. Safety, EMC and Radio: Three Different Compliance Areas

Modern electrical and electronic products rarely fit into a single compliance category. A product may have electrical safety requirements, EMC requirements, and—if wireless functionality is included—radio requirements at the same time.

The fact that several of these areas may involve IEC standards does not mean that they are covered by the same certification.

This distinction is particularly important when using the IECEE system because Safety and EMC are separate approved IECEE categories, while radio compliance generally follows the regulatory framework applicable to the radio equipment and target market. The current IECEE Basic Rules explicitly list both SAFE and EMC among the approved IECEE categories.

Safety

Safety addresses whether the product can be operated without creating unacceptable electrical, mechanical, thermal, fire, or other safety hazards within the scope of the applicable product standard.

For products covered by the IECEE CB Scheme, this is commonly where the CB certification strategy begins. The applicable IEC safety standard defines the technical requirements, the tests to be performed, and the evidence that needs to be documented.

A Safety CB Certificate can therefore provide a strong technical basis for national safety certification in participating markets.

However, the certificate remains tied to the specific standard and product scope stated in the certification documents.

EMC

EMC addresses a different question:

Can the product operate correctly in its electromagnetic environment without causing unacceptable interference to other equipment?

This includes both emissions and immunity requirements, depending on the applicable standard.

EMC is itself an approved IECEE category. This means that EMC conformity assessment can be performed within the IECEE framework where the relevant standard and certification scope are covered.

But an EMC assessment does not become part of a Safety CB Certificate simply because both assessments concern the same product.

The manufacturer therefore needs to establish whether EMC is covered by a separate IECEE certification activity, another conformity assessment route, or a market-specific regulatory process.

Radio / RF

Radio compliance is different again.

A product containing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular connectivity, UWB, radar, or another radio technology may be subject to specific radio regulations in each target market. These requirements can include:

• permitted frequency bands,
• output power and other transmitter limits,
• occupied bandwidth,
• unwanted emissions,
• receiver requirements,
• spectrum access mechanisms,
• antenna configurations,
• radio-specific EMC requirements, and
• national approval or registration procedures.

Radio requirements are therefore not automatically covered by a Safety CB Certificate. Even where a radio module itself has already been tested or certified, the final host product may still require additional assessment depending on the market and the applicable rules.

One Product, Multiple Compliance Scopes

Consider a connected industrial device with a mains power supply, a digital control system, and an integrated Wi-Fi module.

Its compliance strategy could look like this:

Safety
→ Applicable IEC product safety standard
→ IECEE CB Safety assessment

EMC
→ Applicable EMC standard
→ Emissions and immunity assessment

Radio
→ Applicable radio standards and national requirements
→ Market-specific radio approval or conformity assessment

The three scopes are related, but they answer different regulatory questions.

This is why a manufacturer should not ask only “Does this product have a CB Certificate?” The more useful question is:

“Which parts of the product’s compliance scope are actually covered by the certification documents I have?”

Why This Matters for Global Market Access

The CB Scheme can significantly reduce duplicated work, but only when the certification strategy is designed around the complete product and target-market scope.

The IECEE itself describes the CB Scheme as a system for the mutual recognition of CB Test Certificates and associated documents. The CB process can therefore provide a common technical foundation for national certification, but the national certification process may still include country-specific requirements.

For manufacturers, the practical sequence should therefore be:

Product → Safety → EMC → Radio → Target Markets → National Differences → Additional Requirements → Certification Strategy

This approach makes it much easier to determine what should be tested once, what can potentially be reused, and what must still be addressed separately in each market.

The ScopeRight Perspective

This is also where early compliance scoping becomes valuable.

Before selecting a laboratory or requesting a CB Certificate, manufacturers should identify the applicable safety standards and understand how those standards fit into the IECEE framework. ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a practical starting point for this work by connecting IEC safety standards with the corresponding IECEE information.

The objective is not simply to find a certificate. It is to understand the complete compliance scope before testing begins.

8. National Differences: The Key to Understanding CB

One of the most important concepts in the CB Scheme is the idea of National Differences.

The CB Scheme is based on IEC standards, but national requirements are not always identical to the corresponding IEC requirements. A country may have requirements or test parameters that differ from the IEC standard used within the CB Scheme. These differences can affect the testing, documentation, and certification route for that market.

This is why a manufacturer should never look at a CB Certificate in isolation from the countries in which the product will be sold.

What Are National Differences?

National Differences are requirements or test parameters in a country’s national standard that differ from the corresponding IEC requirements used within the CB Scheme and could otherwise result in non-compliance with the national standard.

They can arise for different reasons, including differences in:

• electrical supply systems,
• rated voltage or frequency,
• installation conditions,
• national safety requirements,
• component requirements,
• markings and instructions,
• environmental conditions, or
• other nationally applicable technical requirements.

The important point is that compliance with the IEC standard does not automatically mean compliance with every national standard based on that IEC standard.

Why Do National Differences Matter?

The CB Scheme is designed to reduce duplicated testing. To achieve that objective, the relevant national differences should be identified as early as possible.

If a manufacturer tests only against the base IEC requirements and later discovers that a target country has additional national requirements, additional testing or technical evaluation may be necessary.

This can lead to:

• additional laboratory work,
• additional samples,
• longer certification timelines,
• additional technical documentation, and
• unexpected certification costs.

The IECEE’s own CB Scheme documentation shows the intended workflow: testing can be performed against the applicable IEC standard including declared national differences, and supplementary documentation can provide evidence of compliance with those differences for subsequent national certification or approval.

National Differences Should Be Identified Before Testing

This is one of the strongest arguments for defining the target markets at the beginning of a certification project.

Consider a manufacturer planning to sell the same product in Germany, the United States, Japan, and Australia.

The manufacturer should not simply ask:

Which IEC standard applies to my product?

The more useful question is:

Which IEC standard applies, which countries recognize the resulting CB documentation, and what National Differences apply in each target market?

The answers can influence the test program before the first sample is tested.

How Are National Differences Handled?

There are different ways in which National Differences can be addressed within the CB process.

Where possible, the applicable differences can be incorporated into the original testing and documented in the CB Test Report or an associated supplementary report. This is particularly useful when the manufacturer already knows the target countries.

The advantage is straightforward: the resulting technical documentation can contain evidence that is already relevant to the national certification process.

The alternative is to discover the differences only when the CB documentation is submitted to another country’s NCB. In that case, the recognizing NCB may require additional evaluation or testing before issuing its national certification.

The IECEE process therefore supports a simple principle:

Identify the target markets early → identify the National Differences → include them in the testing strategy where possible.

CB Certificate vs. National Certification

This distinction is essential.

A CB Test Certificate demonstrates conformity within the scope of the CB Scheme. A national certification body can then use the CB Certificate and associated test report as a basis for its own national certification or approval, subject to its applicable rules and requirements.

The IEC’s description of the CB Scheme illustrates this process: the manufacturer can submit the CB Certificate and Test Report to other participating NCBs, which may then issue their national certification.

However, the national certification remains a national certification. The CB Certificate does not transform into a universal certificate simply because another NCB recognizes it.

National Differences and Product Changes

National Differences are also relevant when a product changes after certification.

If a manufacturer changes a power supply, component, enclosure, operating range, construction, or another safety-relevant characteristic, the impact should be evaluated not only against the original IEC requirements but also against any applicable national differences.

A change that is acceptable for one market may require additional consideration for another market.

This is another reason why manufacturers should maintain a clear link between:

Product configuration → IEC standard → CB Certificate → National Differences → National certifications

A Practical Example

Imagine a manufacturer has obtained a CB Certificate for an electrical product based on the applicable IEC safety standard.

The manufacturer then wants to enter five additional countries.

The efficient approach is not necessarily to submit the same certificate five times and wait for each authority to identify any gaps.

Instead, the manufacturer should first determine:

1. Which of the five countries recognize CB documentation for the relevant standard.
2. Which edition and amendments of the standard are recognized.
3. Which National Differences have been declared.
4. Whether those differences have already been covered by the existing CB testing.
5. Whether additional national requirements exist outside the CB scope.
6. Whether additional samples, testing, documentation, or local representation are required.

Only after this assessment can the manufacturer reliably estimate the remaining certification effort.

The ScopeRight Perspective

This is where early standards and market scoping becomes particularly valuable.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a starting point for identifying the relevant IEC safety standard and connecting it directly with the corresponding IECEE information.

The database should not be viewed as a replacement for the official IECEE certification process. Its value is in helping manufacturers identify the relevant standard and IECEE context before the certification project moves into laboratory testing.

For a global certification strategy, the goal is therefore not simply:

“Get a CB Certificate.”

It is:

“Build a CB test program that is useful for the markets we actually intend to enter.”

That distinction can have a significant impact on the amount of additional testing, time, and cost required after the initial CB assessment.

9. From CB Certificate to National Certification

The CB Scheme is designed to make international certification more efficient, but the CB Test Certificate is not itself a national approval for every market.

The next step is therefore to understand how a manufacturer can use the CB documentation when applying for certification in individual countries.

How National Certification Uses CB Documentation

The basic principle is straightforward.

After receiving a CB Test Certificate and the associated CB Test Report, the manufacturer can submit these documents to an NCB in another participating country where the relevant CB deliverables are recognized.

The recognizing NCB reviews the documentation against the requirements applicable to its national certification scheme. Where the CB documentation provides the required evidence and the applicable national requirements have been addressed, the NCB can use the existing test results as the basis for its national certification rather than starting the technical assessment from scratch.

This is the central mechanism that gives the CB Scheme its practical value for global market access. The German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies of DIN and VDE (DKE) describes the process in similar terms: manufacturers can submit the CB Certificate and associated Test Report to participating certification bodies in other countries, which can then issue their national certification, generally without repeating the product testing.

CB Recognition Is Not the Same as Automatic Approval

It is important to distinguish between recognition of CB documentation and automatic approval of the product.

An NCB may recognize CB Test Certificates for specific standards and product categories, but that recognition is tied to the scope declared within the IECEE system and to the requirements of the national certification scheme.

The IECEE framework specifically provides for NCBs to declare the standards for which they recognize CB Test Certificates, as well as applicable National Differences and other national requirements.

As a result, manufacturers should never assume that because a country participates in the CB Scheme, every CB Certificate will automatically be accepted for every product.

The relevant questions are:

• Does the national NCB recognize the applicable IEC standard?
• Does it recognize the relevant edition of that standard?
• Does it recognize CB Test Certificates for the product category?
• Have the country’s National Differences been addressed?
• Are there additional national requirements outside the CB scope?
• Are local application, marking, registration, or documentation requirements applicable?

The Role of National Differences

National Differences are particularly important when moving from the international CB assessment to national certification.

If the applicable National Differences have already been included in the CB testing and documented appropriately, the recognizing NCB may be able to use that evidence directly in its national certification process.

The IECEE’s own description of the CB process explicitly provides for testing against the IEC standard together with applicable National Differences. A supplementary report can provide evidence of compliance with declared National Differences for the purpose of obtaining national certification or approval.

If a required National Difference has not been addressed, the recognizing NCB may require additional evidence, testing, or evaluation before national certification can be issued.

This is why National Differences should ideally be identified before the initial CB testing begins.

What the National Certification Body May Still Check

Even when a CB Test Report is available, the recognizing NCB does not simply have to accept the document without review.

Depending on the national certification scheme, the NCB may review:

• the identity and configuration of the product,
• the applicable IEC standard and edition,
• the scope of the CB Certificate,
• the completeness of the CB Test Report,
• declared National Differences,
• additional national requirements,
• critical components and construction details, and
• national administrative or marking requirements.

The exact process depends on the country and certification scheme. The objective, however, is to determine whether the existing CB evidence provides a sufficient basis for the national certification being requested.

Why Re-Testing Is Often Avoided

The major advantage of the CB Scheme is that the technical work can be reused.

Without CB recognition, a manufacturer might have to repeat substantially similar safety testing for each national certification route. With a recognized CB Test Certificate and Test Report, the recognizing NCB can use the existing technical evidence where its rules allow this.

This does not mean that additional testing is impossible. It means that duplicated testing is reduced where the existing evidence is acceptable for the national certification route.

The difference is important from a project-management perspective. A manufacturer should therefore think of the CB Test Report as a reusable technical asset, rather than simply as documentation that is filed away after the first certification.

A Practical Multi-Market Example

Consider a manufacturer that has completed a CB assessment for an electrical product and now wants to enter four additional markets.

The inefficient approach would be:

CB Certificate → Apply separately in each country → Discover requirements during each application → Perform additional testing as requested

The more strategic approach is:

Product → IEC standard → Target markets → National Differences → CB test program → CB Test Report / Certificate → National certification

Before the first test sample is submitted, the manufacturer identifies the countries of interest and determines how the CB documentation can be used in each one.

Where possible, the relevant National Differences are incorporated into the test program. The resulting CB documentation can then contain evidence that is useful for the subsequent national certification applications.

This can significantly reduce surprises later in the project.

CB as a Global Certification Foundation

The most useful way to think about the CB Scheme is therefore not as a single global certificate, but as a common technical foundation for multiple national certification routes.

The process can be visualized as:

IEC Standard + National Differences → CB Testing → CB Test Report → CB Test Certificate → Recognizing NCBs → National Certification / Market Access

The CB documentation sits in the middle of the process. It connects the technical assessment of the product with the national certification systems that recognize the relevant CB deliverables.

What Manufacturers Should Check Before Applying

Before using an existing CB Certificate for another country, manufacturers should verify at least the following:

1. Product scope – Is the exact product or product family covered?
2. Standard – Is the correct IEC standard covered?
3. Edition – Is the relevant edition and amendment level accepted?
4. CB recognition – Does the target NCB recognize the CB Certificate for that standard and product category?
5. National Differences – Have the target country’s differences been addressed?
6. Additional requirements – Are there requirements outside the CB scope?
7. Documentation – Are the CB Certificate, Test Report, supplements, and supporting documents complete?
8. Administrative requirements – Are local registration, marking, representative, or application requirements applicable?

This check should be performed before assuming that the existing CB Certificate is sufficient for the new market.

The ScopeRight Perspective

This is also where standards and market-access information need to come together.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a starting point for identifying the relevant IEC safety standard and linking directly to the corresponding IECEE information.

For a manufacturer, the important step is not simply identifying a standard. It is connecting the standard to the intended certification strategy:

Which standard applies? → Is it covered by IECEE? → Which target markets recognize the CB documentation? → What National Differences apply? → What additional requirements remain?

That is the point at which a CB Certificate becomes strategically useful: when it is planned as part of a broader market-access strategy rather than treated as a standalone certificate.

10. Who Is Involved in the CB Scheme?

The IECEE CB Scheme involves several different organizations, and understanding their roles is important when planning a certification project. The terms NCB and CBTL are often used together, but they do not describe the same function.

At a high level, the main parties are:

• IECEE – the international conformity assessment system and framework
• National Certification Bodies (NCBs) – organizations responsible for issuing and/or recognizing CB Test Certificates within their accepted scopes
• CB Testing Laboratories (CBTLs) – laboratories accepted within the IECEE system to perform testing within defined scopes
• Manufacturers / Applicants – the companies responsible for the product, application, documentation, and samples

IECEE

The IECEE provides the international framework under which the CB Scheme operates. It defines the rules, procedures, accepted product categories, standards, and organizational requirements used within the system.

The purpose is to create a common conformity-assessment framework so that test results and CB certification documents can be used across participating certification systems.

IECEE itself is therefore not the laboratory that tests an individual manufacturer’s product and does not act as the manufacturer’s certification body for a particular application. The actual testing and certification activities are performed by organizations accepted within the scheme.

National Certification Bodies (NCBs)

An NCB, or National Certification Body, is the organization responsible for certification activities within the CB Scheme.

An NCB can have two relevant functions:

Issuing NCB

An issuing NCB can issue CB Test Certificates for the standards and product categories within its accepted scope.

It reviews and validates the relevant testing documentation and, when the requirements are met, issues the CB Test Certificate together with the associated CB Test Report.

Recognizing NCB

A recognizing NCB accepts CB Test Certificates as a basis for national certification or approval for the standards and product categories within its declared scope.

An NCB can therefore be both an issuing and recognizing NCB, but the scope for issuing certificates and the scope for recognizing certificates are defined within the IECEE system.

This distinction matters when selecting an NCB for a global certification project. The relevant question is not simply whether an organization is an NCB, but which standards and product categories it is accepted for and which CB Certificates it recognizes.

CB Testing Laboratories (CBTLs)

A CBTL, or CB Testing Laboratory, performs the technical testing required for the CB assessment within its accepted scope.

The laboratory tests the product against the applicable IEC requirements and documents the results using the relevant IECEE Test Report Form (TRF).

The CBTL is therefore primarily responsible for the technical testing and test documentation, while the NCB is responsible for the certification function.

Depending on the organization and project structure, the NCB and CBTL may be part of the same organization or may be separate entities. What matters is that the laboratory and certification body operate within their accepted IECEE scopes.

The Manufacturer / Applicant

The manufacturer or applicant is responsible for providing the product and the information needed for the assessment.

This normally includes:

• product specifications,
• technical documentation,
• representative samples,
• construction and component information,
• product identification and ratings,
• relevant drawings and photographs, and
• information required to determine the intended certification scope.

The manufacturer also needs to define the target markets if National Differences or additional national requirements are to be incorporated into the test program.

This is particularly important for global projects. The better the target-market scope is defined before testing, the more useful the resulting CB documentation can become for subsequent national certification.

How the Organizations Work Together

The relationship can be simplified as follows:

Manufacturer / Applicant
↓
NCB
↓
CBTL – Testing
↓
Test Report / TRF
↓
NCB – Review and Certification
↓
CB Test Certificate + CB Test Report
↓
Recognizing NCBs in Target Markets
↓
National Certification / Market Access

The IECEE framework sits above this process and defines the rules under which the participating organizations operate.

Why the Choice of NCB and CBTL Matters

Not every NCB or CBTL has the same technical scope.

Manufacturers should therefore consider:

• the applicable IEC standard,
• the relevant product category,
• the NCB’s accepted scope,
• the CBTL’s testing scope,
• experience with the specific product technology,
• target-market requirements, and
• the ability to address relevant National Differences.

A laboratory may have extensive experience with one product category but not the exact standard required for another product. Similarly, an NCB may recognize a broad range of CB Certificates while having a narrower scope for issuing them.

The certification strategy should therefore be established before selecting the laboratory solely on price or availability.

A Practical Manufacturer Question

Instead of asking:

“Which laboratory can test my product?”

the better question is:

“Which NCB and CBTL combination can generate CB documentation that is useful for the markets I intend to enter?”

That shift in perspective is important because the value of the CB Scheme is not simply the completion of a test. The value lies in producing recognized technical evidence that can support multiple certification routes.

For manufacturers, the certification body and laboratory should therefore be selected as part of the overall market-access strategy—not as an isolated testing decision.

11. What Does a CB Test Report Contain?

A CB Test Certificate is only as useful as the technical evidence behind it. That evidence is contained primarily in the CB Test Report.

The CB Test Report documents how the product was assessed against the applicable requirements. Within the IECEE system, this documentation is structured using standardized Test Report Forms (TRFs). The IEC explains that TRFs provide a common structure aligned with the corresponding IEC or ISO standard and contain the information needed to document the tests and analyses performed on a product.

For a manufacturer, the test report is therefore much more than a list of pass/fail results. It is the detailed technical record that defines what was tested, how it was tested, and which product configuration was assessed.

Product Identification

The report identifies the product that was evaluated. Depending on the applicable standard and certification documentation, this can include information such as:

• manufacturer and applicant,
• product name and description,
• model or type references,
• ratings and principal characteristics,
• manufacturing locations,
• variants or configurations covered, and
• relevant construction information.

This information is important because the CB documentation is tied to the product configuration that was actually assessed. The IECEE’s certificate data structure, for example, includes fields for the applicant, manufacturer, factory, product, ratings, model/type reference, and test report reference.

Applicable Standards

The report identifies the IEC standard or standards used as the basis for the assessment.

The edition of the standard is particularly important. A newer edition can introduce new requirements or change existing test methods, meaning that an older CB Test Report cannot simply be assumed to demonstrate compliance with a later edition.

This is also why standard selection should be completed before testing begins. Current IECEE TRFs are tied to specific standards and editions. The IEC Webstore, for example, currently lists IECEE TRFs for recent editions such as IEC 61008-2-1:2024 and IEC 60335-2-24:2025.

Test Results and Technical Evidence

The core of the CB Test Report is the evidence generated during testing.

Depending on the applicable standard, this can include results relating to:

• electrical safety,
• insulation and dielectric strength,
• temperature rise,
• abnormal operation,
• mechanical requirements,
• protection against electric shock,
• fire and enclosure requirements,
• component requirements, and
• other product-specific tests.

The report records the applicable requirements and the corresponding evidence so that the certification body and subsequent recognizing bodies can understand the technical basis of the certification.

Construction Details and Critical Components

The report can also contain information needed to demonstrate that the tested construction meets the applicable requirements.

This can include details of:

• power supplies,
• transformers,
• protective components,
• insulation systems,
• switches and connectors,
• enclosures,
• motors,
• batteries, and
• other safety-critical components.

The exact information depends on the applicable standard. The purpose is to provide enough technical evidence to establish conformity of the assessed product configuration.

This becomes particularly important when a product is modified after certification. If a critical component or construction detail changes, the manufacturer should not assume that the original CB Test Report automatically remains applicable. The change may need to be reviewed against the relevant requirements.

Photographs, Drawings and Supporting Documentation

CB Test Reports can also contain supporting evidence such as photographs, drawings, schematics, construction details, and other documentation needed to demonstrate compliance.

These elements help establish exactly what was evaluated. They are particularly useful when a later NCB needs to determine whether the product presented for national certification corresponds to the product covered by the existing CB documentation.

National Differences and Supplementary Evidence

Where National Differences apply, the CB documentation can also contain evidence addressing those national requirements.

This can be particularly valuable for global certification because the manufacturer can use one technical assessment to support multiple national certification routes where the applicable requirements have been properly addressed.

However, the presence of a National Difference in a report does not mean that every country requirement has automatically been covered. The manufacturer still needs to verify the requirements applicable to the specific target market and certification scheme.

The TRF Is Not the Certificate

One distinction is especially important:

A Test Report Form is not itself a CB Test Report or CB Certificate.

The IEC states that a TRF is used to document test evidence and results, but it is not valid as a CB Test Report unless it is signed by an approved CB Testing Laboratory and appended to a CB Test Certificate issued by an NCB.

The relationship is therefore:

IEC Standard → TRF → Testing → Completed CB Test Report → NCB Certification → CB Test Certificate

This is an important distinction for manufacturers reviewing laboratory documentation. A laboratory report that merely follows the structure of an IECEE TRF is not automatically a valid CB Test Report.

Why the CB Test Report Matters for Global Certification

The CB Test Report is often the most technically valuable document in the entire certification package because it contains the detailed evidence behind the certificate.

When a manufacturer approaches another NCB for national certification, the NCB needs to understand what was actually assessed. The CB Test Report provides that technical foundation.

This is also why manufacturers should preserve the complete certification package and maintain clear control over:

• the certified product configuration,
• the applicable standard and edition,
• the CB Test Report,
• the CB Test Certificate,
• National Differences and supplements, and
• subsequent product changes.

The ScopeRight Perspective

For manufacturers, the process starts well before the test report is issued. The correct standard needs to be identified first, and the relationship between the standard and the IECEE system should be understood before testing begins.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a practical starting point for this process by connecting IEC safety standards with the corresponding IECEE information.

The objective is to move from “Which standard applies?” to a much more useful question:

“What test and certification documentation do I need so that the results can actually support my target markets?”

That is where the CB Test Report becomes strategically important: it is not merely evidence that a laboratory performed tests. It is the technical foundation that can support further certification and market access.

12. CB Scheme and Components

Components can play a critical role in the CB assessment of an electrical or electronic product. A product may contain power supplies, transformers, switches, protective devices, connectors, batteries, motors, insulation systems, or other components that are relevant to the applicable safety requirements.

However, the existence of a separate component certificate does not automatically mean that the component is accepted in every application or that the final product no longer needs to be assessed.

Why Components Matter

Many product safety standards contain requirements that depend on the characteristics of individual components used in the final product.

For example, a safety assessment may need to consider:

• insulation systems,
• fuses and protective devices,
• transformers,
• power supplies,
• switches,
• connectors,
• batteries,
• motors, or
• other safety-critical components.

The component can therefore become part of the evidence supporting the safety of the complete product.

Existing Component Certification Can Help

Where an appropriate component certification or test evidence already exists, it may provide useful technical evidence during the assessment of the end product.

This can reduce the amount of work required to establish certain component characteristics, provided that the existing documentation is applicable to the specific component, its ratings, its intended use, and the requirements of the product standard.

The key point is that component certification supports the product assessment; it does not automatically replace it.

The Component Must Match the Application

A common mistake is to assume that a component certificate is sufficient simply because the component has been certified to a relevant standard.

The certification body and laboratory may still need to verify factors such as:

• exact component type and model,
• ratings,
• operating conditions,
• electrical and thermal loading,
• insulation characteristics,
• installation method,
• surrounding components, and
• the way the component is used in the final product.

A component that is acceptable in one application may not automatically be acceptable in another if the conditions of use differ.

Critical Components and Product Changes

Components become particularly important when a certified product is modified after the CB assessment.

Changing a critical component can affect the original safety assessment even when the replacement appears to be functionally equivalent.

Examples include changing:

• a power supply,
• transformer,
• fuse,
• switch,
• connector,
• insulation material, or
• safety-critical protective device.

The manufacturer should therefore assess the impact of a component change before assuming that the existing CB documentation remains fully applicable.

The relevant question is not simply:

“Does the replacement component have its own certificate?”

It is:

“Does the replacement component meet the requirements of the certified product in the way it is actually used?”

Components and the CB Test Report

The CB Test Report provides the technical context in which components were assessed. Depending on the applicable product standard, the report may identify relevant components, their characteristics, and the evidence used to demonstrate compliance.

This is one reason why the complete CB documentation should be retained rather than relying only on the certificate itself. The detailed report provides the technical basis needed when evaluating later product changes or when another certification body reviews the existing assessment.

Component Standards and the Broader Certification Strategy

Component selection should also be considered during the initial product scoping process.

Before testing begins, manufacturers should identify which components are likely to be safety-critical and determine what existing certifications or technical evidence are available for them.

This can help to:

• reduce unnecessary testing,
• identify potential certification gaps early,
• avoid selecting components that create additional compliance work,
• improve the accuracy of the initial test plan, and
• make later product changes easier to manage.

For manufacturers working across several product families, this can become particularly valuable. A controlled component strategy can reduce repeated compliance work across multiple products.

The ScopeRight Perspective

The same principle applies to the selection of the applicable product safety standard. Before testing starts, manufacturers should understand not only the product standard but also the technical requirements that will drive the component assessment.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can be used as an initial reference for identifying applicable IEC safety standards and accessing the corresponding IECEE information.

The goal is to establish the compliance architecture before testing begins:

Product → Safety Standard → Critical Components → Test Requirements → CB Assessment → Target Markets

That approach makes it easier to identify potential problems before they become expensive certification changes later in the project.

13. CB Scheme vs. Other Compliance Routes

The CB Scheme is often mentioned alongside CE marking, EMC compliance, UL certification, and national product approvals. These terms are sometimes used as if they described the same thing. They do not.

The key difference is that each route has a different purpose, scope, legal basis, and recognition mechanism. Understanding those differences is essential when deciding how a product should be tested and certified for its target markets.

CB Scheme vs. CE Marking

The IECEE CB Scheme and CE marking serve fundamentally different purposes.

The CB Scheme is an international conformity assessment system based primarily on IEC standards and the mutual recognition of relevant CB Test Certificates and associated documents within the IECEE framework.

CE marking, by contrast, is the manufacturer’s declaration that a product complies with all applicable EU legislation requiring CE marking. Depending on the product, this can involve requirements arising from legislation such as the Low Voltage Directive, EMC Directive, Radio Equipment Directive, or other applicable EU legislation.

A CB Certificate may therefore be useful evidence within the technical compliance strategy for an EU product, but it does not replace the applicable EU conformity assessment procedure or the manufacturer’s Declaration of Conformity.

In simple terms:

CB Certificate ≠ CE marking

CB Scheme vs. EMC Compliance

EMC is another area where the distinction matters.

The IECEE system includes EMC as an approved category, alongside safety and other conformity assessment categories.

However, having a Safety CB Certificate does not automatically demonstrate EMC compliance. The manufacturer must determine which EMC requirements apply to the product and target markets and whether EMC has been assessed within an appropriate IECEE scope or through another conformity assessment route.

The important question is therefore not simply whether the product has a CB Certificate, but what the certificate and associated test documentation actually cover.

CB Scheme vs. UL Certification

The CB Scheme and UL certification are also not interchangeable.

The CB Scheme is an international system operated under the IECEE framework, while UL certification is a certification route provided by UL under its own certification programs and applicable standards.

A CB Test Report or Certificate may be useful when pursuing certification in a market or certification program that accepts the relevant CB documentation. However, manufacturers should not assume that a CB Certificate automatically results in UL certification, or vice versa.

The applicable certification body determines which existing test evidence it can accept and what additional evaluation is required.

CB Certificate vs. National Certification

A national certification is issued under the rules of a particular country’s certification system. A CB Certificate can serve as a technical basis for such certification where the relevant national body recognizes the CB documentation.

This is precisely where the CB Scheme creates value: the same technical assessment can potentially support several national certification routes.

But the national certification remains separate. The target country may still impose National Differences, administrative requirements, local registration, marking requirements, or additional testing.

CB Certificate vs. Declaration of Conformity

A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is also fundamentally different from a CB Certificate.

A DoC is a formal declaration by the responsible manufacturer or other economic operator that the product complies with the applicable legislation and requirements identified in the declaration.

A CB Certificate, in contrast, is issued within the IECEE third-party conformity assessment framework by an NCB based on the relevant assessment and documentation.

They may form part of the same overall compliance strategy, but they are not interchangeable documents.

Why These Distinctions Matter

The easiest way to avoid confusion is to look at compliance as a set of separate but connected layers:

Safety
→ IEC safety standard
→ CB assessment where applicable
→ National safety certification where required

EMC
→ Applicable EMC standard
→ EMC testing / certification
→ Market-specific EMC requirements

Radio
→ Applicable radio standards
→ Market-specific radio approval or conformity assessment

EU Market Access
→ Applicable EU legislation
→ Conformity assessment
→ Declaration of Conformity
→ CE marking

The CB Scheme can therefore be a powerful part of a global compliance strategy, but it should not be treated as a replacement for the other layers.

The ScopeRight Perspective

This is also why the first step should be compliance scoping, not simply selecting a certification label.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database helps manufacturers identify the relevant IEC safety standards and access the corresponding IECEE information directly. This provides a useful starting point for determining whether a CB-based approach makes sense before the wider Safety, EMC, Radio, and market-specific requirements are mapped.

The objective is to answer four questions before testing begins:

1. Which requirements apply to the product?
2. Which IEC standards provide the technical basis?
3. Which certification routes can reuse the resulting test evidence?
4. What additional requirements remain for each target market?

That is the difference between simply obtaining a certificate and building an efficient global certification strategy.

14. Common Mistakes Manufacturers Make

The CB Scheme can significantly simplify international certification, but only when it is used as part of a well-defined compliance strategy. Many of the problems manufacturers encounter are not caused by the CB Scheme itself. They result from decisions made before the CB project starts or from incorrect assumptions about what the resulting certificate actually covers.

Mistake 1: Assuming a CB Certificate Is a Worldwide Approval

This is probably the most common misunderstanding.

A CB Test Certificate is not a universal authorization to sell a product in every country. It is a certification document within the IECEE framework that can support national certification in participating markets, subject to the applicable scope and national requirements.

The IEC describes the CB Scheme as a system intended to facilitate global product acceptance, with national certification being greatly facilitated when relevant National Differences have been taken into account.

The correct mindset is therefore:

CB facilitates national certification—it does not replace it automatically.

Mistake 2: Assuming EMC Is Automatically Covered

A manufacturer may have a Safety CB Certificate and assume that EMC has therefore also been demonstrated.

That is not necessarily the case.

The IECEE system has separate conformity assessment categories, including Safety and EMC. Whether EMC is covered depends on the actual certification scope, applicable standards, and documentation.

The certificate and associated test report should therefore be checked explicitly for EMC coverage rather than treating EMC as an automatic part of a Safety CB Certificate.

For products with wireless functionality, the same principle applies to radio requirements. A Safety CB Certificate does not automatically demonstrate compliance with the radio regulations applicable in the target markets.

Mistake 3: Choosing the Standard After Testing Has Started

The applicable IEC standard is one of the foundations of the entire CB assessment. It determines the technical requirements, testing methodology, and applicable TRF.

Trying to determine the standard only after laboratory testing has already started can result in:

• additional testing,
• changes to the test program,
• delays,
• additional samples, or
• documentation that does not support the intended certification route.

The IEC maintains more than 2,300 TRFs, primarily covering electrical safety standards, and current TRFs are tied to specific standards and editions.

The standard should therefore be established before the test program is finalized.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can be used as an initial scoping tool to identify relevant IEC safety standards and access the corresponding IECEE information directly from the standard entry.

Mistake 4: Ignoring National Differences Until the End

Another common mistake is to complete the IEC-based CB testing first and only then determine what the target countries require.

This can undermine one of the main benefits of the CB Scheme.

The IEC explains that products tested in one member market do not have to be retested in another when the relevant National Differences have been taken into account.

If those differences are identified only after the initial test program has been completed, additional testing or evaluation may become necessary.

The target countries should therefore be identified before testing wherever possible.

Mistake 5: Selecting a Laboratory Based Only on Price

The cheapest laboratory is not necessarily the most efficient choice for a global certification project.

Manufacturers should also consider:

• the CBTL’s scope for the applicable standard,
• technical experience with the product category,
• experience with the relevant technology,
• ability to address National Differences,
• relationship with the intended NCB, and
• relevance of the resulting documentation to the target markets.

A laboratory that is inexpensive but cannot efficiently support the intended certification strategy can ultimately cost more through additional testing and project delays.

Mistake 6: Treating the CB Certificate as the Only Important Document

The certificate is important, but the CB Test Report contains the detailed technical evidence behind it.

The report documents the product configuration, applicable standards, tests, results, and other technical evidence. This information can be essential when another NCB evaluates the existing certification for a national approval.

The IEC explicitly states that a TRF-based report is not valid as a CB Test Report unless it has been signed by an approved CBTL and appended to a CB Test Certificate issued by an NCB.

Manufacturers should therefore retain the complete CB certification package, not just a PDF of the certificate.

Mistake 7: Changing Components Without Reviewing the Certification Impact

A product can change significantly from a compliance perspective even when the change appears minor from an engineering perspective.

Examples include replacing:

• a power supply,
• transformer,
• fuse,
• switch,
• connector,
• insulation material, or
• another safety-critical component.

The manufacturer should assess whether the change affects the existing CB certification and whether additional evaluation is required.

Having a separate certificate for the replacement component does not automatically mean that the changed end product remains covered by the original CB Certificate.

Mistake 8: Treating Product Variants as Automatically Covered

Manufacturers often want one CB Certificate to cover as many models or variants as possible. This can be efficient, but the variants need to fall within the defined certification scope.

Differences in ratings, construction, components, enclosure, power supply, operating conditions, or functionality can affect the assessment.

Product families should therefore be defined carefully before testing begins. A broader certificate scope is useful only when the technical differences between the covered variants have been properly evaluated.

Mistake 9: Starting Testing Before Defining the Target Markets

The CB Scheme is most valuable when the resulting test evidence can be reused for multiple markets.

If the target countries are not known before testing, the manufacturer may miss the opportunity to include relevant National Differences or other requirements in the original test program.

This can turn a potentially efficient strategy into a sequence of additional country-by-country assessments.

A better approach is:

Target Markets → Applicable Standards → National Differences → Test Program → CB Assessment → National Certification

Mistake 10: Assuming an Existing CB Report Is Always Reusable

An existing CB Test Report can be extremely valuable, but it should not be treated as permanently reusable evidence without checking its applicability.

Before relying on an older report, manufacturers should verify:

• the product configuration,
• the model and variants,
• the applicable IEC standard,
• the edition and amendments,
• the certification scope,
• relevant National Differences, and
• the requirements of the new target market.

Standards and national requirements can change over time. A report that was appropriate for one certification project may therefore require additional evaluation for a later project.

The Common Pattern Behind These Mistakes

Most of these mistakes have the same underlying cause:

Testing is started before the compliance strategy has been defined.

The more effective approach is to work backwards from the intended market access:

Target Markets → Regulatory Requirements → IEC Standards → National Differences → Test Strategy → CB Certification → National Approvals

This approach allows the manufacturer to understand what the CB assessment should achieve before samples enter the laboratory.

It also makes it easier to identify what the CB Certificate will cover—and what will remain outside its scope.

The ScopeRight Perspective

The CB Scheme is most effective when it is treated as part of the product’s overall compliance architecture.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a practical starting point by connecting IEC safety standards with the corresponding IECEE information. This helps manufacturers move from the initial question—”Which safety standard applies?”—toward the broader question of “How can this standard and the resulting test evidence support my target markets?”

The objective is simple:

Do the scoping before the testing.

That is where much of the potential time and cost saving of the CB Scheme is created.

15. How to Use the CB Scheme Strategically for Global Market Access

The greatest value of the CB Scheme is not simply obtaining a certificate. It is using the CB assessment as part of a global certification strategy so that the resulting technical evidence can support as many target markets as possible.

This requires manufacturers to think about market access before testing begins.

Start With the Target Markets

A CB project should ideally begin with a clear list of intended markets.

The reason is simple: the value of the CB documentation depends on what the manufacturer wants to do with it afterwards.

Before testing, identify:

• the countries where the product will be sold,
• the national certification bodies involved,
• the applicable IEC standard and edition,
• whether the relevant CB documentation is recognized,
• applicable National Differences, and
• requirements that fall outside the CB scope.

The IECEE framework is specifically designed to facilitate recognition of its deliverables between participating members. The IEC states that products tested in one member market do not have to be retested in another when the relevant National Differences have been taken into account.

That makes target-market planning one of the most important steps in determining the potential value of a CB project.

Build the Test Program Around Multiple Markets

Once the target markets are known, the manufacturer can determine which requirements can be addressed through a common test program.

For example:

Common IEC requirements
→ included in the core CB assessment

National Differences
→ addressed where required

Additional national requirements
→ assessed separately where necessary

EMC / Radio / other regulatory requirements
→ incorporated into the wider compliance strategy

This approach is much more efficient than treating every country as a completely separate certification project.

Choose the Standard Carefully

The applicable IEC standard is the foundation of the CB assessment. It determines the technical requirements, test methods, and applicable Test Report Form.

The IEC currently provides more than 2,300 IECEE Test Report Forms, primarily covering electrical safety standards. Valid TRFs are maintained through the IECEE process and are tied to specific standards and editions.

This makes standard selection a strategic decision rather than a laboratory formality.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can be used at this stage to identify relevant IEC safety standards and move directly from the standard information to the corresponding IECEE context.

The goal is to establish the technical basis before the laboratory test program is finalized.

Use National Differences to Your Advantage

National Differences are often viewed as an additional complication. Strategically, however, they can be used to make the original test program more useful.

If the relevant differences are known in advance, the manufacturer can investigate whether they can be addressed during the initial assessment rather than through separate testing later.

This can improve:

• test efficiency,
• documentation quality,
• certification timelines,
• predictability of project costs, and
• reuse of the resulting test evidence.

The objective is not necessarily to test every possible national requirement. It is to identify the specific markets that matter and build the most efficient technical program for those markets.

Think About Safety, EMC and Radio Together

For many modern products, the CB safety assessment is only one part of the compliance project.

A connected product may require:

Safety
→ IEC product safety standard
→ CB assessment

EMC
→ applicable EMC standards
→ emissions and immunity assessment

Radio
→ applicable radio standards and national requirements
→ market-specific approval or conformity assessment

These areas should be scoped together even though they are not necessarily covered by the same certificate.

Doing so can reveal opportunities to reuse samples, coordinate testing, and avoid incompatible or duplicated test programs.

Consider the Product Configuration Early

The value of a CB Test Report depends heavily on the product configuration that was actually assessed.

Manufacturers should therefore define early:

• which models belong to the product family,
• which variants are electrically equivalent,
• which components are critical,
• which power supplies are used,
• which radio modules or antennas are included, and
• which configurations will actually be sold in each market.

A well-defined product family can make the certification strategy considerably more efficient. Conversely, uncontrolled product variation can result in additional testing or certification work later.

Treat the CB Test Report as a Reusable Technical Asset

The CB Test Report should not be treated as documentation that becomes irrelevant after the first certificate is issued.

It contains the technical evidence behind the certification and can be important when applying for national certification in additional markets.

The IEC specifically notes that the CB Scheme is intended to support mutual recognition of test certificates and related documents.

Manufacturers should therefore maintain the complete certification package and keep it aligned with the actual product configuration.

This becomes particularly important when:

• the product is modified,
• components are replaced,
• a new model is introduced,
• a new country is added, or
• a newer edition of the standard becomes relevant.

A Strategic CB Workflow

For manufacturers targeting several markets, the process can be structured as follows:

1. Define the product
↓
2. Identify the applicable IEC safety standard
↓
3. Identify all target markets
↓
4. Check CB recognition in those markets
↓
5. Identify National Differences
↓
6. Map EMC, Radio and other requirements
↓
7. Define the common test program
↓
8. Select the NCB / CBTL
↓
9. Perform testing and document the results
↓
10. Obtain the CB Test Report and Certificate
↓
11. Use the documentation for national certification

This sequence helps ensure that the CB assessment is designed around the manufacturer’s actual market-access objectives.

What the Manufacturer Should Aim For

The objective of a global CB strategy should not be:

“Get a CB Certificate.”

It should be:

“Generate technical evidence that can be reused efficiently across the markets we intend to enter.”

That difference in mindset can have a direct impact on testing effort, project timelines, and certification costs.

The ScopeRight Perspective

This is exactly where compliance scoping can create value before laboratory testing begins.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a starting point for identifying IEC safety standards and linking them directly to the relevant IECEE information.

From there, manufacturers can build the wider compliance picture:

Applicable Safety Standard → IECEE / CB → National Differences → Target Markets → EMC → Radio → Additional Requirements

The CB Scheme works best when it is treated as part of this larger strategy rather than as an isolated certification exercise.

The Bottom Line

The CB Scheme can be one of the most effective tools for reducing duplicated safety testing across international markets—but its value depends on how it is planned.

The earlier the manufacturer identifies the applicable standard, target markets, National Differences, and additional compliance requirements, the greater the opportunity to create a test program whose results can be reused across multiple certification routes.

The certificate is the result. The strategy comes first.

16. A Practical Example: From Product to Global Certification

The best way to understand the value of the CB Scheme is to look at a realistic product certification project.

Consider a manufacturer developing a connected electrical device that will be sold in several international markets. The product has a mains power supply, electronic control circuitry, and an integrated wireless module.

At first glance, the manufacturer might think the project is simply a matter of obtaining a CB Certificate.

In reality, the certification strategy needs to address several separate compliance areas.

Step 1: Define the Product

The manufacturer first defines the product and its intended configuration.

This includes:

• electrical ratings,
• intended use,
• enclosure and construction,
• power supply,
• critical components,
• wireless technology and module,
• antenna configuration, and
• product variants that are intended to be covered.

This step establishes what is actually going to be assessed. It also prevents a common problem: starting certification with an unstable product configuration and discovering later that design changes affect the test results or certification scope.

Step 2: Identify the Applicable Safety Standard

The next question is which IEC safety standard applies to the product.

This should be determined before the laboratory test program is finalized. The selected standard defines the technical safety requirements and determines whether the product falls within an applicable IECEE CB category and certification scope.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can be used as an initial reference during this step. The database helps manufacturers identify relevant IEC safety standards and links the standards directly to the corresponding IECEE information.

The important point is that the database is a starting point for scoping. The final certification scope remains determined by the applicable IECEE rules, NCB, CBTL, standard, and product assessment.

Step 3: Identify the Target Markets

The manufacturer then defines where the product is intended to be sold.

For example:

Europe → United States → Canada → Japan → Australia

This list is critical because the value of the CB assessment depends on how the resulting documentation can be used in those markets.

The manufacturer should determine for each country:

• whether the relevant CB documentation is recognized,
• which NCB is involved,
• which standard and edition are accepted,
• which National Differences apply, and
• what additional national requirements exist outside the CB scope.

Step 4: Separate Safety, EMC and Radio

Because the example product contains both electronics and wireless functionality, the manufacturer should not treat the entire project as one certification.

The compliance scope may look like this:

Safety
Applicable IEC product safety standard → CB assessment

EMC
Applicable EMC standards → emissions and immunity assessment

Radio
Applicable radio standards and national spectrum requirements → market-specific radio approval or conformity assessment

This separation is important because the Safety CB Certificate does not automatically cover EMC or radio requirements.

Step 5: Map National Differences

The manufacturer now identifies the National Differences applicable to the selected target markets.

If the differences are known before testing, the manufacturer can determine whether they can be incorporated into the original CB test program.

This is one of the most important opportunities for efficiency in the CB process.

Instead of:

CB testing → discover national differences later → additional testing

the manufacturer can aim for:

IEC requirements + relevant National Differences → one coordinated test program

The IECEE process supports testing to the applicable IEC standard together with declared National Differences, with supplementary documentation available where needed to demonstrate compliance for subsequent national certification.

Step 6: Select the NCB and CBTL

The manufacturer selects an appropriate NCB and CBTL based on the applicable product category, standards, technical scope, and target markets.

The key question is not simply which laboratory can perform the tests. It is:

Which certification and testing setup can produce documentation that is useful for the markets we actually want to enter?

The NCB and CBTL should therefore be selected as part of the overall market-access strategy.

Step 7: Perform the Testing

The product is tested against the applicable IEC requirements and, where planned, the relevant National Differences.

The CBTL documents the results using the applicable IECEE Test Report Form. The NCB reviews and validates the resulting documentation and issues the CB Test Certificate when the certification requirements are met.

The result is not simply a certificate. The manufacturer now has a technical evidence package consisting of the CB Test Report, CB Test Certificate, and any relevant supplementary documentation.

Step 8: Use the CB Documentation for National Certification

The manufacturer can then submit the CB documentation to the relevant certification bodies in the target markets.

Where the relevant CB deliverables are recognized and the applicable national requirements have been addressed, the national certification body can use the existing technical evidence rather than automatically repeating the complete product testing.

The German DKE describes this as the practical purpose of the scheme: manufacturers can submit the CB Certificate and associated Test Report to participating certification bodies in other countries, which can generally issue their national certification without repeating the product testing.

However, the national certification remains a separate certification process. Additional national requirements or differences may still need to be addressed.

Step 9: Complete the Remaining Compliance Work

The CB process does not necessarily finish the entire product compliance project.

For the example connected product, the manufacturer may still need to complete:

• EMC compliance,
• radio approvals,
• national registration,
• market-specific documentation,
• cybersecurity requirements, or
• other regulatory requirements.

The final compliance package therefore needs to be viewed as a combination of several workstreams rather than a single certificate.

The Complete Example

The project can now be summarized as:

Product definition
↓
Applicable IEC safety standard
↓
CB Scheme eligibility
↓
Target markets
↓
National Differences
↓
Safety + EMC + Radio scope
↓
NCB / CBTL selection
↓
Testing
↓
CB Test Report + CB Test Certificate
↓
National certification
↓
Remaining market-specific requirements
↓
Market access

This is the practical role of the CB Scheme: it creates a common technical foundation that can be reused across national certification routes, while leaving the manufacturer responsible for understanding the complete requirements of each target market.

Why the Strategy Should Come First

The example also shows why the most important CB decisions are often made before the first product is tested.

If the manufacturer identifies the applicable standard, target markets, National Differences, EMC requirements, radio requirements, and product configuration early, the test program can be designed around the actual market-access objective.

If these questions are left until after testing, the manufacturer may discover that the existing documentation does not cover a target market as efficiently as expected.

The CB Scheme can therefore reduce duplicated testing—but only when the certification strategy is designed before the testing begins.

17. How ScopeRight Can Help

The CB Scheme can simplify international certification, but only when the certification strategy is defined before testing begins. This is where ScopeRight can support manufacturers.

ScopeRight is not a testing laboratory, NCB, or certification body. The role is different: help manufacturers understand and structure the compliance scope before they engage the laboratory or certification body.

Start With the Applicable Standard

The first step in a CB project is often identifying the correct IEC safety standard.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a searchable reference for IEC safety standards and links the relevant standard entries directly to the corresponding IECEE information.

This helps manufacturers move from:

Product → Applicable IEC Standard → IECEE / CB Context

before a certification project is started.

Build the Compliance Scope Before Testing

A CB Certificate is only one part of the compliance picture. Depending on the product, manufacturers may also need to address EMC, radio, cybersecurity, or other regulatory requirements.

ScopeRight’s compliance scoping approach is designed to identify the applicable Safety, EMC, RF and Cybersecurity requirements from product information and target markets before testing begins. The platform can also identify mandatory and optional tests and help structure the overall test strategy.

For a CB project, this means the manufacturer can establish the wider compliance scope before deciding which testing and certification activities are required.

Connect Standards With Target Markets

The real value of a CB Certificate depends on what the manufacturer wants to do with it afterwards.

ScopeRight therefore focuses not only on the applicable standard, but also on the relationship between:

Product → Standard → Target Markets → National Differences → Testing → Certification

This helps manufacturers identify potential gaps before they become additional testing or certification work later in the project.

Support for Safety, EMC and RF Scoping

For products that combine electrical safety, EMC and wireless functionality, ScopeRight can help structure these compliance areas separately rather than treating them as one generic certification requirement.

The platform supports product-specific compliance scoping across RF, EMC, Safety and Cybersecurity, while additional tools and databases provide access to regulatory and standards information.

This is particularly relevant for connected products where a Safety CB Certificate may cover only one part of the overall compliance scope.

From Scoping to Certification Strategy

For more complex projects, ScopeRight also supports the steps that follow initial scoping. This can include compliance guidance, gap analysis, laboratory selection, quotation comparison, report review, and certification project management. ScopeRight describes its project-management service as covering the process from product and requirements review through testing, report review, and worldwide approvals.

The objective is not to replace the NCB or CBTL. Testing and formal certification remain the responsibility of the appropriate independent organizations.

Instead, ScopeRight helps the manufacturer arrive at those organizations with a clearer understanding of:

• which standards apply,
• which markets are relevant,
• which compliance areas need to be addressed,
• what testing is likely to be required, and
• what certification strategy makes sense before testing begins.

Why This Matters for CB Projects

The CB Scheme is designed to reduce duplicated testing. To take advantage of that, the manufacturer needs to know what the test results should ultimately support.

That means defining the target markets, applicable standards, National Differences, and additional compliance requirements before the test program is finalized.

ScopeRight’s role is to help make those decisions earlier and with more structure.

Define the scope. Understand the requirements. Then test.

18. CB Scheme FAQs

Is a CB Certificate mandatory?

Not generally. Whether a CB Certificate is required depends on the product, the target market, the applicable national certification scheme, and the requirements imposed by the relevant authorities or certification bodies.

In many cases, a CB Certificate is valuable because it can reduce duplicated testing and support national certification in multiple markets. It should therefore be evaluated as part of the market-access strategy rather than treated as a universally mandatory document.

Is CB certification the same as CE marking?

No.

The IECEE CB Scheme is an international conformity assessment system for electrical and electronic equipment and components. CE marking is part of the European Union’s product compliance framework and indicates that the manufacturer has completed the applicable conformity assessment and accepts responsibility for compliance with the relevant EU legislation.

A CB Certificate may provide useful technical evidence for a product placed on the European market, but it does not replace the applicable EU conformity assessment, Declaration of Conformity, or CE marking requirements.

Is a CB Certificate valid worldwide?

No. A CB Certificate is not a universal market approval.

The IECEE system is designed to facilitate mutual recognition of relevant test certificates and associated documents among participating members. The IEC explains that products tested in one member market do not have to be retested in another when the relevant National Differences have been taken into account.

The actual national certification or approval process can still involve additional requirements, National Differences, administrative procedures, or other market-specific conditions.

Does a CB Certificate include EMC?

Not automatically.

EMC is an approved IECEE conformity assessment category, and EMC assessments can be performed within the IECEE framework for applicable standards. However, a CB Certificate issued for a product safety standard does not automatically demonstrate EMC compliance.

The manufacturer should check the exact scope of the CB Certificate and associated test documentation to determine whether EMC has been assessed and which EMC standards are covered.

What is the IECEE EMC Scheme?

The IECEE system includes EMC as an approved conformity assessment category. It provides a framework for applicable EMC assessments and associated certification documentation within the IECEE system.

This should be distinguished from a Safety CB assessment. For a product requiring both safety and EMC compliance, the manufacturer should determine the applicable standards and certification scope for each area rather than assuming that one certificate covers both.

Does a CB Certificate cover radio compliance?

Not automatically.

Products containing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, UWB, radar, or other radio technologies can be subject to separate radio requirements in each target market. These may include frequency, power, spectrum-access, unwanted-emission, receiver, antenna, and approval requirements.

A Safety CB Certificate should therefore not be treated as evidence of radio compliance unless the specific assessment and applicable requirements explicitly cover that scope.

Can one CB Certificate cover multiple models?

Potentially, yes, if the models or variants fall within the defined certification scope and the applicable standard permits them to be covered together.

The exact scope depends on the product configuration, ratings, construction, components, variants, and requirements of the applicable standard. Manufacturers should define product families carefully before testing rather than assuming that functionally similar models can automatically be grouped under one certificate.

Can an existing CB Test Report be reused?

Often, yes—but its applicability needs to be verified.

An existing CB Test Report can provide valuable technical evidence for additional national certification. However, the manufacturer should check the product configuration, standard and edition, certification scope, National Differences, and requirements of the new target market.

An older report should not automatically be assumed to demonstrate compliance with a newer edition of a standard or with additional national requirements.

What happens if the product changes after CB certification?

The change should be assessed to determine whether it affects the existing certification.

Changes to critical components, power supplies, insulation systems, enclosures, ratings, construction, or other safety-relevant characteristics can affect the technical basis of the original assessment.

The manufacturer should therefore consult the relevant NCB or certification process before assuming that an existing CB Certificate remains fully applicable after a product change.

How long is a CB Certificate valid?

There is no single universal answer that applies to every CB Certificate in every situation. The status and continued applicability of a certificate depend on the certificate itself, the applicable IECEE rules, the product, the standard, and any subsequent changes or certification actions.

Manufacturers should therefore check the current status and scope of the specific certificate rather than relying on a generic validity period.

Who can issue a CB Certificate?

A CB Test Certificate is issued by an IECEE-recognized National Certification Body (NCB) within its accepted scope.

The technical testing is performed by an approved CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) within its scope. The laboratory’s test documentation forms the technical basis for the certification process.

Who performs the CB testing?

Testing is performed by an IECEE-approved CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) operating within the relevant technical scope.

The CBTL documents the testing using the applicable IECEE Test Report Form. The NCB then performs the certification function within its scope.

Does every country accept CB results?

No. Participation in the IECEE system does not mean that every CB document is automatically accepted for every product and every national certification route.

The manufacturer should verify whether the relevant NCB recognizes the applicable CB Test Certificate and whether the product, standard, edition, National Differences, and other national requirements fall within the accepted scope.

Where can I find the applicable IEC safety standard?

The first step is to identify the correct IEC safety standard for the product and then verify its applicability within the IECEE framework.

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database provides a practical starting point by listing IEC safety standards and linking the relevant entries directly to the corresponding IECEE information.

The database is intended to support early scoping. The final certification scope is determined by the applicable IEC/IECEE requirements and the relevant NCB/CBTL.

19. Conclusion

The IECEE CB Scheme can be a powerful tool for manufacturers that need to certify electrical and electronic products across multiple international markets. Its main value is not the certificate itself, but the ability to create a common, internationally recognized technical basis that can support multiple national certification routes.

At the same time, a CB Certificate should never be treated as a universal market approval. The certificate is tied to a defined product, standard, edition, and certification scope. National Differences, national certification requirements, EMC, radio, cybersecurity, and other regulatory requirements may still need to be addressed separately.

The most effective CB projects therefore start long before the product reaches the laboratory.

The manufacturer should first determine:

1. Which product requirements apply?
2. Which IEC safety standard is applicable?
3. Is the standard and product within the IECEE CB Scheme?
4. Which target markets should the certification support?
5. Which National Differences apply?
6. Which EMC, radio, and other requirements remain outside the CB scope?
7. How can the test program be structured so that the resulting evidence is reusable?

ScopeRight’s Safety Standards Database can support the first part of this process by helping manufacturers identify relevant IEC safety standards and connecting those standards directly with the corresponding IECEE information.

The key principle is simple:

The certificate is the result. The compliance strategy comes first.

When the standard, target markets, National Differences, and wider compliance scope are defined before testing begins, the CB Scheme can do what it was designed to do: reduce unnecessary duplication and provide a stronger technical foundation for international market access.