On 5 May 2026, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) published IEC 60092-352:2025 — Electric cables for ships — Power cables with rated voltages up to and including 0.6/1 kV — and concurrently confirmed its technical equivalence with China’s GB/T 3956-2025, Fire-resistant power cables for ships. This development directly affects marine cable exporters, CE conformity assessment procedures, and supply chain stakeholders operating between China and the European Union.

Event Overview

On 5 May 2026, the IEC officially released IEC 60092-352:2025 and announced that GB/T 3956-2025 is technically equivalent to it. As of that date, Chinese shipboard cable manufacturers accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) may use GB/T 3956-2025 type test reports to apply for the EU CE marking, without repeating testing against EN 50363 series standards.

Which Subsectors Are Affected

Direct Exporters (China-based Marine Cable Manufacturers)

These companies are directly impacted because their existing GB/T 3956-2025-compliant type test reports — issued by CNAS-accredited laboratories — now serve as valid technical documentation for CE marking applications. The impact lies in reduced time-to-market, lower conformity assessment costs, and simplified documentation workflows for EU-bound shipments.

Supply Chain Certification & Testing Service Providers

Third-party testing labs and certification bodies accredited under CNAS must ensure their GB/T 3956-2025 test reports explicitly align with the scope and test requirements of IEC 60092-352:2025. Any deviation — e.g., missing fire performance criteria or voltage class coverage — could invalidate the report’s acceptability for CE submission. Their service offerings may need updating to reflect this equivalence.

EU-Based Importers & Notified Bodies

EU importers and Notified Bodies handling CE declarations for shipboard cables must now recognize GB/T 3956-2025 test reports as acceptable evidence — provided they originate from CNAS-accredited labs and cover all relevant clauses of IEC 60092-352:2025. Their internal assessment checklists and technical review protocols require revision to incorporate this new acceptance pathway.

What Relevant Enterprises or Practitioners Should Focus On and How to Respond Now

Monitor official EU guidance updates on CE marking for marine cables

While IEC has declared equivalence, EU market surveillance authorities and Notified Bodies have not yet issued formal implementation notices. Observably, national market surveillance frameworks may introduce transitional periods or supplementary verification steps. Companies should track publications from the European Commission’s NANDO database and EU Member State product safety authorities.

Verify alignment between current GB/T 3956-2025 test reports and IEC 60092-352:2025 scope

Analysis shows that equivalence applies only where GB/T 3956-2025 test reports fully cover the construction, electrical, mechanical, and fire performance requirements specified in IEC 60092-352:2025 — particularly flame propagation, smoke density, and acid gas emission tests. Manufacturers should audit existing reports for clause-by-clause compliance before submitting for CE marking.

Distinguish between policy recognition and operational readiness

The IEC announcement is a technical equivalence statement, not an automatic regulatory mandate. It does not override EU Regulation (EU) 2016/424 or Directive 2014/35/EU requirements. CE marking remains the manufacturer’s responsibility; the equivalence merely streamlines one evidentiary component. Firms should avoid assuming immediate CE eligibility without full conformity documentation.

Prepare updated technical files and communication materials for EU partners

Manufacturers should revise technical documentation templates — including Declaration of Conformity annexes, test report summaries, and EU Representative appointment letters — to reference both GB/T 3956-2025 and IEC 60092-352:2025. Proactive alignment with EU importers on terminology and reporting expectations will reduce post-submission queries.

Editorial Perspective / Industry Observation

This development is best understood as a technical enabler rather than an immediate regulatory shift. Analysis shows it reflects growing international harmonization in marine cable standardization, but its practical effect depends on adoption speed by EU Notified Bodies and national enforcement practices. From an industry perspective, it signals increasing weight given to aligned national standards in global conformity systems — yet actual market access still hinges on consistent application across the EU’s decentralized conformity assessment landscape. Continuous observation is warranted over the next 6–12 months as implementation patterns emerge.

It is more accurately interpreted as a procedural signal than a completed outcome: while the technical bridge exists, business-level impact remains contingent on local interpretation and documentation rigor.

Conclusion

This equivalence represents a meaningful reduction in technical barriers for Chinese marine cable exporters targeting the EU — but not a removal of compliance obligations. Its value lies in efficiency gains, not exemption from due diligence. Currently, it is most appropriately understood as a validated pathway requiring careful execution, not a self-executing approval mechanism.

Information Source

Main source: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), IEC 60092-352:2025 publication notice and equivalence statement, issued 5 May 2026.
Points requiring ongoing observation: Formal acknowledgment and implementation guidance from EU Notified Bodies and national market surveillance authorities.