🌐From EMC Standards to E-Commerce: Compliance Shifts in Korea, China, and the EU
- Charlene
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
Three critical compliance updates are now active across South Korea, China, and the European Union—affecting everything from electromagnetic compatibility testing to e-commerce platform liability and digital product passports. Here's what changed and how manufacturers must respond.
🇰🇷 Notice on the Partial Amendment of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Methods in South Korea
The Administrative Notice of Partial Change of EMC Test Methods is a government-issued notice that revises certain aspects of the EMC testing procedures required for electrical and electronic products introduced into the Korean market.
The changes generally reflect updates to international EMC standards (e.g., CISPR, IEC, ISO), ensuring that Korean requirements remain consistent with global practices. Manufacturers and Importers should ensure that their products comply with the updated EMC test methods.
This may require retesting or updating of technical documentation. Products that do not meet the revised EMC requirements may face delays in the certification process or may be subject to restrictions on entry into the Korean market.
Status: In effect - It specifies which product categories are affected, such as information technology equipment, household appliances, industrial devices, or wireless communications equipment.
🏭 What This Means for Manufacturers
Conduct a product portfolio audit to verify which SKUs fall under the revised EMC categories.
Initiate retesting workflows where older reports or legacy documentation no longer meet current Korean EMC requirements.
Assign market-specific technical compliance leads to manage Korea certification timelines and third-party lab coordination.
🇨🇳 Public Consultation on New Administration Regulation for Major E-commerce Products
China has drafted a new regulation aimed at enhancing the supervision and management standards for products sold through e-commerce.
This regulation specifically applies to the online sale of products that require production licenses, compulsory product certification, or adherence to national safety standards. E-commerce platforms are obligated to verify that the products listed by sellers possess the necessary certificates and licenses.
Additionally, these platforms must conduct regular inspections to ensure product quality and safety, as well as monitor any associated risks. The inspection processes will integrate both online and physical sales channels. The draft regulation was made available for public comment on May 28, 2025, and the consultation period concluded on June 28, 2025.
Status: Active enforcement - The new draft regulation regulating e-commerce sales in China only covers certain categories of products. These products are identified by the officially published and constantly updated “Positive List”. You should review the current positive list.
🏭 What This Means for Manufacturers
Check the most recent version of China’s “Positive List” to confirm if your product line is impacted.
Strengthen cooperation with online distributors to ensure real-time certificate verification protocols are in place.
Implement internal monitoring mechanisms to prepare for both remote and on-site inspection requests by platform operators.
🇪🇺 The European Commission is discussing the Digital Policy Proposal (DPP)
The Digital Product Passport is a key innovation under the 2024 Eco-Design Directive for Sustainable Products. The Digital Product Passport will be available to consumers, businesses, and relevant public institutions to store and share relevant data on a product's sustainability, durability, and other environmental aspects.
The Digital Product Passport can also include additional information such as product instructions or conformity certificates. To this end, the Commission launched a consultation from April 8, 2025, to July 1, 2025.
The Commission announced that it is preparing secondary legislation that will define the operating principles and certification requirements for DPP service providers. Priority sectors include electronics, textiles, batteries, furniture, and building materials.
Status: Active enforcement - Integrating Digital Product Passport (DPP) technology will enable AI systems to optimize complex processes related to data collection, management, sustainability analysis, and automation. This AI integration will increase regulatory compliance while also promoting transparency, efficiency, and sustainability throughout the entire product lifecycle.
🏭 What This Means for Manufacturers
Start developing product data architectures that can support DPP integration, especially for priority sectors.
Evaluate potential DPP service partners early—future secondary legislation may require formal certification.
Incorporate DPP-readiness into your sustainability and ESG reporting processes to stay ahead of regulatory and investor expectations.
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