Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) / Free Sale Certificate

Fast, practical support for preparing a Certificate of Free Sale package for exports and market entry — with careful alignment of product details, company data, and destination-country expectations.

Request CFS support Talk to an expert

What a CFS is (in practice)

A Certificate of Free Sale is a trade/market-access document used by many authorities outside the EU to confirm that a product is legally placed on the market in a reference country/region (often the EU or a specific EU Member State).

Important: there is no single global template. What counts as “CFS” differs by product type (medical devices, cosmetics, food, supplements, consumer products) and by destination country.

When a CFS is typically requested

Export to non‑EU / non‑EEA markets where local authorities require proof of marketability in the EU
Product registration dossiers (often cosmetics, food/supplements, certain medical device workflows)
Tender participation or importer requests as part of onboarding

Examples only — requirements vary. We confirm scope and destination expectations before starting.

Countries where a Free Sale Certificate is commonly requested

This list is indicative (based on archived materials and common trade practice). Requirements can change and differ by product category and authority. Always confirm with your importer / destination authority.

Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Egypt
India
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Mexico
Peru
Russia
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
United Arab Emirates

What may be required (depends on destination)

Document content

Correct product names, variants, model numbers, and intended use/category
Correct legal entities (manufacturer, exporter, EU AR/RP where applicable)
Addresses, identifiers and consistency across labels/IFU/registrations

Formalities

Issuer format rules (wording, language, stamps)
Notarisation / legalisation / apostille (if required)
Translation requirements (if required by the receiving authority)

Supporting evidence

Evidence that the product is legally marketed (varies by sector)
Regulatory references (e.g., MDR/IVDR, Cosmetics Regulation) if relevant
Label/IFU and product documentation excerpts where requested

Our CFS support (what we do)

1) Requirements check

We clarify destination-country requirements and what exactly the receiving party expects (issuer type, wording, attachments, legalisation).

2) Document pack preparation

We provide a checklist and help you prepare a clean, consistent document pack (product list, company data, labels/IFU where relevant).

3) Consistency & risk review

We review naming, addresses, variants, and cross-document consistency to reduce rejection risk (common reason for delays).

4) Coordination & tracking

We support coordination with the relevant parties (as applicable) and keep a record of inputs/versions for renewals and repeat shipments.

Note: We do not promise that a specific authority will issue a certificate — final decision and format depend on the issuer and destination rules. Our job is to minimize avoidable errors and speed up preparation.

Typical inputs we request

Destination country and purpose (registration / tender / distributor request)
Product list (names, variants, models) and product category/sector
Manufacturer and exporter details (legal names, addresses, identifiers)
Label/IFU (where relevant) and any existing registrations/approvals
Any destination-specific template or example provided by your importer

Related services

Need a CFS quickly?

Send your destination country and a product list — we’ll confirm the scope and the required inputs.

Request CFS support Contact us