India Extends the Mandatory Certification for Additional Chemical Products
The Government of India has on 29 September 2022, extended the date of enforcement of the existing Quality Control Order for Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymers, Maleic Anhydride, Styrene (Vinyl Benzene), Acrylonitrile, Polyethylene Material, Linear Alkyl Benzene, and Polyester yarns. Producers of this product will now have additional time to obtain Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for their products.
The date of entry into force of the existing Quality Control Order for the following chemicals has been extended:
| Product | Date of Entry into force |
| Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymers | 3 April 2023 |
| Maleic Anhydride | 24 April 2023 |
| Styrene (Vinyl Benzene) | 24 April 2023 |
| Acrylonitrile | 24 April 2023 |
| Polyethylene Material for moulding and extrusion (i) Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) (ii) Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) (iii) High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) | 3 April 2023 |
| Linear Alkyl Benzene | 3 April 2023 |
| Polyester Continuous Filament Fully Drawn Yarn (FDY) | 3 April 2023 |
| Polyester Partially Oriented Yarn (POY) | 3 April 2023 |
| Polyester Staple Fibres (PSF) | 3 April 2023 |
| Polyester Industrial Yarn (IDY) | 3 April 2023 |
| 100 Percent Polyester Spun Grey and White Yarn (PSY) | 3 April 2023 |
| Synthetic Micro-Fibres for use in Cement Based Matrix | 3 April 2023 |
As per the notifications, producers of these chemicals will now have additional time to secure BIS certification before these Orders come into force. Once these Orders come into force, both domestic and foreign manufacturers of these products will only be able to export/sell in India with a valid BIS license in place.
To obtain such license, both foreign producers and domestic manufacturers of these products will need to submit an application to the BIS seeking certification. Furthermore, the process of certification will also require physical testing and inspection of the relevant chemicals at the factory premises as well as parallel testing by a BIS-authorized laboratory in India to verify the same. BIS certification is a time-consuming process and therefore it is recommended that interested producers make applications for certification at the earliest in cases wherein Quality Control Orders have been issued and are pending enforcement.
