Open Innovations Discuss Possibility of International Certification for Local Start-Ups

The third day of the Open Innovations Forum saw the conduct of the expert session dedicated issues around certification of local products in the European system.

The discussion was attended by Mauro De Angiolini , Director for International Services of IMQ S.p.A. International Certification Holding (Italy), Oleg Poilov Director of IMQ S.p.A. Representative Office in Russia and CIS, Sergey Krzhanovsky, Vice President for Grants, Expertise and Tenders at the Skolkovo Fund, and Denis Nikitin, Director of Skolkovo Certification and Standardisation Center.

At the session, Mauro De Angiolini Director for International Services of IMQ S.p.A. International Certification Holding (Italy), presented the European system for certifying innovation products and the certification procedure, including for Russian and international companies:

"Certification in the European system is conducted to confirm that the requirements of the EU Directives governing the CE certification are met. The right to apply the CE marking means that the product has been admitted for free circulation in the EU territory."

Oleg Poilov, Director of IMQ S.p.A. Representative Office in Russia and CIS, shared his experience of certifying local products in the European certification system, and explained specifics of preparing technical documents, conducting product tests, and lab accreditation:

"The European system only acknowledges those test certificates that have been issued in the local certification process by the labs accredited in the European system according to the requirements of the international standard of lab accreditation ISO/IEC 17025."

Sergey Krzhanovsky, Vice President for Grants, Expertise and Tenders of the Skolkovo Fund, presented various methods of supporting innovative start-ups in conducting certification procedures, including as part of international certification:

"We are ready to support project participants in their conduct of both national and international certification through reimbursing expenses on conducting certification procedures."

Denis Nikitin, Director of Skolkovo Certification and Standardisation Center, informed about the services available to innovation start-ups and businesses involved in high technologies:

"Our Certification and Standardisation Center renders the full range of certification services under the 'one-shop' principle, including the organization of development and analysis of technical documentation, assessment of the entire production life-cycle, and conducting product research and tests. As of today, conformity assessment is the only proof of products' stable correspondence to claimed characteristics. It enables the speedy taking of innovative products to the market."