A certificate of conformity, or CoC, (also called Type Approval) is issued by an authorized party (sometimes the manufacturer, sometimes an independent laboratory such as ABS, TÜV, UL, CSA, KIWA) and states that the product meets the required standards or specification. Compliance to CoC or Type Approval can also be issued by a type-approval certificate obtained by a manufacturer and kept on file. Generally, type approval is required before a product is allowed to be sold in a particular country, so the requirements for a given product will vary around the world. Processes and certifications known as type approval in English are generally called homologation, or some cognate expression, in other European languages. The CoC can either be requested by a buyer to ensure the product being manufactured has been tested and passes the set criteria within a specification and meets both technical and safety requirements, or it would be a mandatory requirement as stated by country regulations and law for certain products, such as Bluetooth devices being sold in the USA. Note that the CE mark found on the back of many electronic devices does not mean that the product has obtained type approval in the European Union. The CE mark is the manufacturer’s declaration that the system/assembly meets the minimum safety requirements of all the directives (laws) applicable to it, and of itself, does not signify any third party involvement in the design or testing of a system/assembly. Disclaimer Our content is not in any way legal advice or binding. The information provided by might not be the official legal or full definition. Also when pursuing a specific transaction you are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence and to consult legal counsel as appropriate.