On 20 March 2025, the National Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) issued the General Implementation Rules for Product Carbon Footprint Labeling Certification (Trial), the country’s first regulatory framework dedicated to product carbon footprint labeling certification. The rules took effect immediately upon release.

The General Implementation Rules apply to products listed in the Catalogue of Product Carbon Footprint Labeling Certification Pilot Program, published by CNCA in 2024. The Catalogue covers the following product categories:

·        lithium batteries,

·        photovoltaic products,

·        steel,

·        textile products,

·        tires,

·        electrolytic aluminum,

·        ammonium phosphate,

·        electronic and electrical products (electronic devices and components),

·        electronic and electrical products (motors, generators, power generation equipment, and transformers),

·        cement, and

·        wood products.

For other products outside the Catalogue, these Rules may be voluntarily referred to guide their certification activities.

The General Implementation Rules set out the basic qualification requirements for certification bodies and personnel. They also specify the certification model, which consists of an initial inspection + product carbon footprint verification + post-certification supervision. The product carbon footprint verification shall be conducted in accordance with the principles and procedures outlined in Annex 2 of this document Guidelines for Product Carbon Footprint Verification, and based on the requirements of GB/T 24067 Greenhouse gases—Carbon footprint of products—Requirements and guidelines for quantification (adoption of ISO 14067:2018, MOD) as well as applicable future product-specific standards.

In addition, the Rules define the principles for determining certification units and outline the general certification procedures.

Importantly, the document specifies the standard mark for the certification, as below.

The mark will display the quantified product carbon footprint result in Arabic numerals (in kgCO₂e). A QR code will be placed below the mark, linking to detailed product certification information.

Overall, the issuance of this document is regarded as a key step in completing China’s product carbon footprint certification system. It sets out the basic requirements and general procedures for certification bodies and enterprises conducting certification, providing the foundation for the development of product-specific implementation rules in the future.

As China moves toward its carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets, product carbon footprint labeling is expected to play an increasingly important role in product procurement and market access. Manufacturers, particularly overseas exporters to China, are advised to monitor the development of this certification scheme and consider early participation to better position themselves in an evolving, low-carbon market environment.

The full text (Chinese) of the document can be accessed via the link below:

https://www.cnca.gov.cn/zwxx/gg/2025/art/2025/art_5fc5d46ee1fc4ae7bbfbd55b11572496.html