BSMI Discontinues Voluntary Product Certification for Two Product Categories, Including Starters for Fluorescent Lamps; Lighting Product Businesses Should Review Certificate and Mark Usage

The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Ministry of Economic Affairs, has announced the discontinuation of Voluntary Product Certification for two product categories: starters for fluorescent lamps and lampholders for tubular fluorescent lamps and starterholders. The discontinuation takes effect from the date of the announcement. Although this announcement does not add any mandatory inspection items, it will still affect existing certificate management, product labeling, catalogs and promotional materials, customer specifications, and market sales information for lighting product manufacturers, importers, agents, and retailers.

Voluntary Product Certification is primarily applied for voluntarily by businesses. Through conformity assessment procedures such as product testing, declarations of conformity to type, factory inspections, or quality management systems, businesses demonstrate that their products comply with designated standards and test items. When Voluntary Product Certification for a specific product category is discontinued by announcement, businesses should review whether the existing certification mark, certificate information, and related marketing descriptions may continue to be used for that product.

Key Points of the Announcement

The two product categories for which BSMI has discontinued Voluntary Product Certification are starters for fluorescent lamps and lampholders for tubular fluorescent lamps and starterholders. The discontinuation takes effect from the date of the announcement.

This means that the above products will no longer be processed under the Voluntary Product Certification categories covered by the announcement. If businesses previously used relevant VPC certificates, product certification marks, or catalog descriptions to explain product quality, safety, or regulatory compliance, they should confirm whether such information may continue to be used and adjust product labeling and external information in accordance with current requirements.

Discontinuation of Voluntary Product Certification Does Not Mean Product Safety Can Be Disregarded

The discontinuation of a Voluntary Product Certification category does not mean that product safety, quality management, or customer certification requirements are no longer important. Lighting products may still be subject to other commodity inspection requirements, CNS standards, customer specifications, retail listing requirements, engineering procurement specifications, or export-market regulations.

Lighting products involve electrical connections, heat resistance, insulation, flame-retardant performance, material stability, and safety during long-term use. Even if a specific Voluntary Product Certification category no longer applies, businesses should still confirm whether other safety testing, EMC testing, material testing, or conformity documentation is required based on the actual product use, sales market, and customer requirements.

Businesses Should Review Existing Certificates and Use of the VPC Mark

For businesses that have obtained relevant Voluntary Product Certification certificates, the most important matters following the discontinuation are certificate validity, use of the certification mark, products in inventory, and whether external claims remain compliant. If the product itself, outer packaging, instructions, catalogs, websites, or e-commerce pages still display the VPC mark or product certification information, businesses should confirm whether updates are required.

Failure to make timely adjustments may cause customers, retailers, or consumers to mistakenly believe that the product remains subject to the previous certification scheme. It may also affect subsequent procurement reviews, engineering document reviews, or regulatory compliance in market sales.

Certification Management Should Be More Precise as the Lighting Product Market Transforms

The lighting product market continues to change. Traditional fluorescent lamp components and newer LED lighting products differ in their construction, power-supply methods, driver modules, thermal designs, and electromagnetic compatibility requirements. Businesses that sell both traditional lighting components and newer lighting products should avoid using test reports, certificates, or labeling from different product categories interchangeably.

For example, starters for fluorescent lamps, lampholders, LED luminaires, LED drivers, power supplies, control modules, and smart lighting equipment may be subject to different testing standards and certification requirements. When developing, modifying, or transitioning products, businesses should reassess product classification and applicable regulations rather than continuing to use certification documentation from older products.

Retail and Engineering Procurement Documents Should Also Be Updated

Many lighting products are not only sold through general retail channels but may also be supplied for engineering procurement, public infrastructure, commercial office renovations, residential development projects, or system integration projects. Such projects generally require businesses to provide product specifications, test reports, certificates, photographs of labels, installation instructions, and declarations of conformity.

If business documents continue to list discontinued Voluntary Product Certification categories, customers may raise questions during their reviews, and tender documents, acceptance documentation, or subsequent allocation of responsibility may be affected. After the announcement takes effect, businesses should therefore review their internal databases, attachments to sales quotations, retail product pages, and engineering submission documents.

Product Certification Recommendations

Action Technology recommends that lighting product manufacturers, importers, agents, brand owners, and retailers review their product certification and labeling management in response to this announcement to avoid compliance risks caused by outdated certificate or certification mark information.

• Identify Affected Products: Confirm whether the company continues to sell starters for fluorescent lamps or lampholders for tubular fluorescent lamps and starterholders.
• Review the Status of Existing Certificates: If relevant Voluntary Product Certification certificates were previously obtained, confirm their validity, use of the certification mark, and the appropriate subsequent handling after the announced discontinuation.
• Update Product Labeling and Packaging: Review whether the product itself, outer packaging, instructions, labels, catalogs, and website pages continue to use the previous VPC mark or certification wording.
• Revise External Sales Information: Sales quotations, engineering submission documents, e-commerce product pages, retail listing information, and customer specifications should be updated concurrently to avoid inconsistent information.
• Confirm Alternative Certification Requirements: If the product continues to be subject to customer procurement, retail listing, or export requirements, confirm whether other test reports, safety certifications, EMC testing, or declarations of conformity are required.
• Avoid Using Certificates Interchangeably between Different Products: Testing standards and certification requirements may differ between traditional lighting components and LED lighting products and should be assessed separately for each product.

Changes to Certification Schemes Should Be Incorporated into Product Life-Cycle Management

Product certification does not occur only before a new product is placed on the market. It requires ongoing management in response to regulatory announcements, standards revisions, product discontinuation, model changes, component replacements, and market transformation. Businesses involved in lighting, electrical, electronic, and power-related products should establish a regular regulatory review mechanism to ensure consistency among product certificates, test reports, labeling, and sales information.

Action Technology Co., Ltd. will continue to monitor changes to BSMI commodity inspection and Voluntary Product Certification schemes, assisting businesses with product classification confirmation, testing requirement assessments, EMC testing, SAFETY compliance testing, BSMI certification consultation, technical documentation review, and pre-market compliance planning to help reduce product certification and market sales risks.

Sources: Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs｜Announcement Discontinuing Voluntary Product Certification for Starters for Fluorescent Lamps and Lampholders for Tubular Fluorescent Lamps and Starterholders
Laws and Regulations Retrieving System of the Ministry of Economic Affairs｜Regulations Governing the Implementation of Voluntary Product Certification