We analysed 133 Ukrainian technical regulations from the regulatory document database. Not one of them sets a fixed expiry date for declarations of conformity — not 1 year, not 3 years, not any other. This is not a gap in the law — it is a deliberate concept inherited from the EU New Legislative Framework: responsibility for keeping a declaration current rests with the manufacturer, not with a calendar date.
The "continuously updated" requirement: 16 regulations
The regulations do not merely remain silent on expiry dates — they explicitly oblige the manufacturer to keep the declaration current. 16 technical regulations contain a direct provision:
«The declaration of conformity… shall be continuously updated»
List of regulations containing the explicit update requirement:
| Regulation | Para. | Wording |
|---|---|---|
| TR Safety of Toys | para. 42 | «…and is continuously updated» |
| TR Explosives for Civil Uses | para. 45 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Electromagnetic Compatibility of Equipment | para. 41 | «…and is continuously updated» |
| TR Legally Controlled Measuring Instruments | para. 54 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Measuring Instruments | para. 52 | «…and is continuously updated» |
| TR Cryptographic Protection of Information | para. 52 | «…and shall be continuously updated» (full and simplified forms) |
| TR Cableway Installations | para. 56 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Lifts and Safety Components for Lifts | para. 58 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Machinery | para. 66 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Low-voltage Electrical Equipment | para. 38 | «…and is continuously updated» |
| TR Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (ATEX) | para. 44 | «…and is continuously updated» |
| TR Pressure Equipment | para. 57 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Gas-burning Appliances | para. 46 | «…and is continuously updated» |
| TR Simple Pressure Vessels | para. 42 | «…and shall be continuously updated» |
| TR Radio Equipment | para. 55 | «…and shall be continuously updated» (full and simplified forms) |
| TR Non-automatic Weighing Instruments | para. 40 | «…and is continuously updated» |
A declaration is a living document, not a one-off act. An "old" declaration that does not reflect current standards or certificates constitutes a breach of regulatory requirements.
Document retention periods
It is important to distinguish between the retention period of a document and its validity period. Retention periods are clearly established:
| Retention period | Scope |
|---|---|
| 10 years after placing on the market | Most regulations: toys, EMC, measuring instruments, PPE, cryptographic protection, civil protection equipment, lifts, machinery, radio equipment, etc. |
| 10 years or service life (whichever is longer) | Civil protection equipment |
| 30 years | Cableway installations (Module F1) |
| 5 years | In vitro diagnostic medical devices |
The retention period exists for market surveillance purposes — so that the manufacturer can produce the document on request. The declaration remains valid throughout this period.
When does a declaration actually become invalid?
A declaration becomes legally invalid not through the passage of time, but through a change of circumstances:
- Changes to product design or characteristics — the declaration covers a specific type/model.
- Revocation or expiry of a notified body certificate (Module B) — declarations that rely on it lose their basis.
- Market surveillance authority orders a recall — upon finding non-compliance of the product.
- Changes to applicable standards — new editions of standards referenced by the declaration may require reassessment.
Practical conclusion
Asking a manufacturer for "a declaration valid for 1 year" means imposing a requirement that does not exist in law. The right question during an audit or inspection is: "Is the declaration current?" — meaning does it reflect the present state of the product, the applicable standards, and the relevant certificates. This is precisely what the requirement to keep the declaration "continuously updated," found in 16 Ukrainian technical regulations, means in practice.
Sources: Law of Ukraine "On Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment" No. 124-VIII dated 15.01.2015, Art. 10 · TR Low-voltage Electrical Equipment, CMU Resolution No. 1067 dated 16.12.2015, para. 38 · TR Electromagnetic Compatibility, para. 41 · TR Radio Equipment, CMU Resolution No. 355 dated 24.05.2017, para. 55 · TR Safety of Toys, para. 42 · TR Machinery, para. 66 · TR Lifts, para. 58 · TR Pressure Equipment, para. 57 · TR Cableway Installations, para. 56 · TR Measuring Instruments, para. 52 · TR Simple Pressure Vessels, para. 42 · TR Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres, para. 44 · TR Gas-burning Appliances, para. 46 · TR Cryptographic Protection of Information, para. 52 · TR Non-automatic Weighing Instruments, para. 40 · TR Explosives for Civil Uses, para. 45 · DSTU EN ISO/IEC 17050-1:2015