1- Why did CSA International sign this new Agreement on Acceptance of Components?
2- How does the Agreement on Acceptance of Components benefit electrical manufacturers?
3- What products and components are covered under the new Acceptance of Components Agreement?
4- What products and components will not be accepted by UL?
5- What about Annex A components that are used in end products not listed in Annex B - will UL accept those CSA certified components?
6- What about electrical components that have been certified by an agency other than UL or CSA International-will they be accepted by CSA?
7- When does the new Agreement take effect?
8- How long will the Agreement remain in effect?
9- Why should electrical product and component manufacturers be concerned about component acceptance?
10- What process will be used by certification organizations to confirm that components have been properly tested and certified against applicable UL standards?
11- How did the Agreement on Acceptance of Components come into being?
12- Will this Agreement provide an opportunity to include all electrical components?
13- Will this Agreement compromise product safety?
14- Why don't testing & certification laboratories accept CSA certified components?
15- Are there precedents for components acceptance between CSA and UL?
16- What can I do if my application for electrical component certification is not covered under the component acceptance Agreement?
17- What makes the expanded 1996 data exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) different from the previous MoU with UL?
18- Is the 1996 MoU still in effect?
19- Can UL issue the CSA mark as a result of the MOU? Or CSA issue the UL mark as a result of the MOU?
20- Does a client need two marks on a product? Does s/he need UL for the US and CSA for Canada?
21- Who can I contact to express my support or voice my concerns on this issue?

1- Why did CSA International sign this new Agreement on Acceptance of Components?
CSA International listens to its customers. CSA customers have consistently communicated their frustrations over past several years with difficulties related to component acceptance by UL of CSA-certified components used in end-use electrical products. The Agreement on Acceptance of Components signed on November 10th, 2003, represents a significant advance of CSA International's campaign to gain UL's acceptance of CSA certified components and address the concerns of our customers.

2- How does the Agreement on Acceptance of Components benefit electrical manufacturers?
The Agreement on Acceptance of Components establishes a collaborative process leading to acceptance of specified components. UL will no longer re-evaluate CSA-certified electrical components used in Low Voltage Distribution and Control Equipment. Previously, UL had required UL re-evaluation and follow-up inspection at the components manufacturer's facility of CSA certified components, leading to delays in certification and increasing the component manufacturer's testing and certification expenses. The Agreement does not apply to these or other components used in other types of electrical products.

3- What products and components are covered under the new Acceptance of Components Agreement?
Under this Agreement, UL has agreed to accept selected CSA-certified electrical components when these components are used in Low Voltage Distribution and Control Equipment certified by UL. Refer to Annex A for a list of selected components and related class numbers and standards. Refer to Annex B for a list of end products. CSA International, will as general practice continue, as it has since 1994, to accept UL-certified components in all electrical products.

4- What products and components will not be accepted by UL?
UL will only accept CSA certified components described in Annex A, which are used in end-products (Annex B) or as components within other Annex A listed components.

5- What about Annex A components that are used in end products not listed in Annex B - will UL accept those CSA certified components?
No. UL has limited the Agreement to those end products described in Annex B. However, CSA International will continue, as it has since 1994, to accept those components in other applications. UL will continue to require retesting and re-certification of previously certified components when those same components are used in products other than Low Voltage Distribution and Control Equipment.

6- What about electrical components that have been certified by an agency other than UL or CSA International-will they be accepted by CSA?
CSA International established a general practice in 1994 to accept electrical components certified by other accredited agencies. The practice was established based on discussions with our customers as they began to face the issues of global expansion and efficiency. CSA International will continue its leadership on this issue and accept components certified by other accredited agencies.

7- When does the new Agreement take effect?
CSA International and UL have worked to develop timelines related to component acceptance. It will be implemented in three phases with a target start on February 28, 2004.

8- How long will the Agreement remain in effect?
The Agreement on Acceptance of Components will be re-assessed after 18 months to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of customers and the two participating organizations.

9- Why should electrical product and component manufacturers be concerned about component acceptance?
If one agency doesn't accept components tested and certified by another accredited agency, the result is costly and time-consuming retesting and redundant follow-up inspections. These practices can undermine profitability and speed to market. This, in turn, can impede competitiveness among OEMs and component manufacturers. Open competition among qualified testing laboratories is also threatened, which can limit manufacturers' freedom to choose the most cost-effective supplier for each testing project.

10- What process will be used by certification organizations to confirm that components have been properly tested and certified against applicable UL standards?
CSA and UL are currently establishing cooperative work processes to support the Agreement. Possible changes involve existing certification follow-up activities (inspection and on-going testing) which are being reviewed and aligned to a common level acceptable to all organizations involved to ensure that as many components as possible will be accepted in end-products.

11- How did the Agreement on Acceptance of Components come into being?
CSA International provided leadership on this issue for several years, hosted the North American Electrical Component Forum, and championed component acceptance across all affected market sectors in cooperation with trade groups, manufacturers, and other testing laboratories. As a result and with the support of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) and their membership the Agreement was completed.

12- Will this Agreement provide an opportunity to include all electrical components?
Yes, it should hasten it. While this Agreement is limited to UL acceptance of specific electrical components in electrical end products, CSA International will continue its leadership on this issue to gain acceptance by UL of all CSA-certified components. Only with that acceptance will manufacturers be relieved of redundant testing cost and gain the fastest possible access to the marketplace. CSA International will continue to work with other industry groups including the American Lighting Association (ALA), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL), and the Electrical Equipment Manufacturers Advisory Council (EEMAC), as well as NEMA and EFC, to expand the list of components and the scope of component acceptance across the entire range of electrical products and components.

13- Will this Agreement compromise product safety?
Absolutely not! CSA and UL test products against the same published standards. The new Agreement will not take shortcuts on safety; it will eliminate redundant retesting and follow-up inspections.

14- Why don't testing & certification laboratories accept CSA certified components?
Often, they cite safety concerns or claim that previous testing was insufficient when refusing to accept previously certified components. Concerns about product safety or inadequate testing are not valid. CSA is an OSHA-accredited "Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory" (NRTL), fully qualified to test electrical components against applicable industry standards. CSA is also accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). 

15- Are there precedents for components acceptance between CSA and UL?
Yes, a successful model for component acceptance has existed between CSA and UL for the IT industry since 1994. Despite this success, CSA has been unable to obtain a similar practice with UL across all electrical component and end product categories. Some of the same CSA certified components not accepted by UL for use in electrical products are accepted by UL when used in IT products.

16- What can I do if my application for electrical component certification is not covered under the component acceptance Agreement?
Raise the issue with your trade association and other manufacturers who make the same types of products you do. Voice your concerns to UL and other testing and certification agencies. Let them know that this is an issue you care about and want resolved. And, of course, let us know how can CSA help!

17- What makes the expanded 1996 data exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) different from the previous MoU with UL?
The expanded MoU will enable manufacturers of electrical end products to obtain both CSA and UL certification/listing on the basis of a single product test program carried out by one of the two organizations. The implementation of the MoU will be in support of expressed industry needs and will be delivered following the completion of required validation activities by both organizations.

18- Is the 1996 MoU still in effect?
Yes, product categories included under the previous MoU are still in effect.

19- Can UL issue the CSA mark as a result of the MOU? Or CSA issue the UL mark as a result of the MOU?
No. Under international requirements governing certification bodies, accredited organizations can only issue their own mark. The MoU provides for a single test program and report issued by CSA or UL to be used by other organization to issue it’s mark.

20- Does a client need two marks on a product? Does s/he need UL for the US and CSA for Canada?
The cCSAus mark is the only mark client needs in end-products for both the U.S. and Canada.

21- Who can I contact to express my support or voice my concerns on this issue?
Please contact Daniel Barbini, Manager of Accreditations and Conformity Assessment at CSA International to express your concerns regarding component acceptance. You can call him at (416) 747-2515 or email daniel.barbini@csa-international.org