The awakening of global health awareness has driven a surge in demand for fitness equipment. In 2023, Chinas cumulative exports of other fitness equipment and rehabilitation equipment will reach US$4.134 billion, a year-on-year increase of 8.29%. Among them, the United States and the European Union have become the main destinations for Chinas fitness equipment exports.

Although the European and American markets are lucrative, the technical barriers are severe. Only by accurately grasping compliance requirements and optimizing cost structures can enterprises stand out from the competition.

List of required documents

1. Basic files

• commercial invoice: The product model, material (such as steel/aluminum alloy), and functional parameters (such as maximum load-bearing capacity) must be indicated;
• Packing List: By SKU, indicate gross weight/net weight and volume (EU charges by volume);
• Bill of Lading: The consignee address must be strictly consistent with the Amazon FBA warehouse or customer address.

2. Compliance Documents

• CE certification (EU): Covering Machinery Directive (MD), Low Voltage Directive (LVD), Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC);
• FCC certification (USA): For devices with wireless functions;
• Test report: Such as EN 957 (fitness equipment safety standard), ASTM F2216 (American fitness equipment testing standard).

3. Special files

• Certificate of Origin：FORM A (the GSP has expired, you can apply for general CO);
• Dangerous Goods Declaration: Equipment containing lithium batteries must provide a UN38.3 test report.

Core certification and regulatory policies

1. EU Market

CE certification:

• MD Directive (2006/42/EC): Mechanical structure safety test (such as anti-pinch finger design of strength equipment);
• EMC Directive (2014/30/EU): Ensure that the electromagnetic radiation of the equipment does not interfere with other products;
• RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU): Limit 6 types of harmful substances such as lead and cadmium.

REACH Regulation

A declaration of SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) content is required.

EPR registration (mandatory from 2023)

Fitness equipment needs to be registered for recycling in the target country.

2. US market

FCC certification (mandatory):

• The FCC ID：Applicable to Bluetooth/WiFi function devices, which must be tested by FCC-approved laboratories and certified by TCB (Telecommunication Certification Body);
• The FCC SDoC: Ordinary electronic devices do not require FCC-authorized laboratory testing, and suppliers can declare compliance on their own.

UL certification:

Not mandatory but required by channel partners such as Wal-Mart (such as UL 1647 standard);

California Proposition 65:

Equipment containing excessive amounts of phthalates must be labeled with a warning.

3. Common requirements

• Labels and instructions: The EU needs to include abbreviations in 28 languages, and the US needs English + Spanish;
• Environmentally friendly packaging: The relevant EU law stipulates that from November 29, 2024, the concentration of lead in PVC products shall not exceed 0.1%. The United States requires recycling labels.

Time and tariff cost control

1. Time optimization

Pre-certification services:

• Start CE/FCC certification simultaneously during the R&D phase (can shorten the cycle by 2-3 months);
• Use an EU-accredited laboratory such as TüV for pre-testing.

Modular production:

• The core components (motors, sensors) have been certified in advance, and only additional testing is required after the whole machine is assembled.

2. Utilization of Free Trade Agreements

• After transit processing in Vietnam (meeting the rules of origin), the export tariff to the EU is reduced to 0%;
• The 301 tariffs (up to 25%) imposed by the United States on some fitness equipment can be avoided or exempted by assembling them in other countries.

3. Improved logistics efficiency

• China-Europe Express: Chongqing to Hamburg takes 18 days, 10 days faster than sea transportation, and the freight is 30% lower;
• Overseas warehouse layout: Set up warehouses in Germany and Poland to achieve 24-hour delivery within the EU.

Risk Countermeasures

1. Certification non-compliance risk

• Entrust a third-party organization (such as SGS) to conduct pre-inspection;
• Purchase product liability insurance (PLI) to cover return losses.

2. Changes in tariff policies

• Diversified market layout (simultaneous development in Southeast Asia and the Middle East);
• Apply for tariff exclusions (such as the USTR Exemption List).

3. Intellectual Property Disputes

• Registered design patents in Europe and the United States;
• Use differentiated design.

4. Logistics and inventory risks

• Purchase cargo insurance (premium is approximately 0.3% of cargo value);
• We adopt mixed delivery of sea transportation + air transportation to give priority to popular products.

Conclusion

The competition for fitness equipment exports to Europe and the United States is essentially a dual game between compliance ability and cost control. Enterprises need to:

1. Pre-compliance investment: Integrate certification and testing into the product development cycle;
2. Making good use of policy tools: Reduce overall costs through free trade agreements and overseas warehouses;
3. Building a risk control system: Use insurance, legal advice, and data monitoring to protect against uncertainty.

Finally, if you have other needs in your export business or need more support from us, please feel free to contact us!