What is RGCP?
RGCP – General Requirements for Products Certification
This document, attached to Inmetro Ordinance No. 200/2021, establishes the requirements common to all Conformity Assessment Requirements (RAC) that use the Product Certification mechanism. The particularities of each scope will be established in the object-specific RAC of the conformity assessment.
So common requirements:
- certification request,
- critical analysis of the request,
- audit of the Quality Management System – QMS and assessment of the production process,
- preparation of the initial test plan,
- sampling,
- definition of testing laboratories,
- treatment of non-conformities in the step of initial assessment,
- critical analysis and decision of certification,
- issuance of the certificate,
- supervision/maintenance of certification,
- recertification,
- treatment of complaints,
- activities carried out by foreign bodies,
- certification transfer,
- termination of certification,
- stamp of identification of conformity and authorization of use,
- responsibilities and obligations of the parties involved in the object of certification,
- market surveillance,
- penalties, claims, complaints, and suggestions, and also,
- requirements for assessing of non-accredited laboratories – carried out by product certification body,
- criteria for certification of sets (kit),
- criteria for data information in the certified products database – Prodcert
The RGCP is an essential document for assessing the conformity of products, as it allows the specific regulations of each object of assessment to be more concise and less prescriptive, making the reading and understanding of these regulations more effective.
The document can be found at: http://www.inmetro.gov.br/legislacao/rtac/pdf/RTAC002753.pdf