EXPORT REGULATORY
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In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council we offer comprehensive guidance on the product standards and regulatory compliance requirements for Export markets and connection with Conformity Services Providers including Testing, Inspection and Certification services designed to provide you with in-depth knowledge needed to make complex decisions in your business. Up-to-date information of the Conformity requirements in your target export markets is essential to minimizing the cost to market entry and potential losses due to non-compliance

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Exporters/Importers trading with Saudi Arabia need to comply with the requirements of the Saudi Arabian government’s office, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) Product Conformity Program for their goods to clear customs. Failure to do so can result in severe delays in goods clearance, penalties or even shipments being returned.

Saudi Product Safety Programme (SALEEM) and SABER

The Saudi Product Safety Programme (also referred to as SALEEM) is facilitated by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation (SASO) which has issued Technical Regulations for certain critical products based on their nature, application, safety and performance aspects. The Technical Regulations include legal clauses that empower the Regulatory Bodies and Market Surveillance Authorities to continuously assess the Regulated Products and if found non-compliant initiate penalties, fines, etc. on those Suppliers who have placed these products in the KSA marketplace. The Technical Regulations issued by SASO include various product certification schemes in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17067 standard.

The Saudi Product Safety Programme includes a two-stage certification process namely Product Certification and Shipment Certification of Regulated Products exported to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To facilitate this certification process, SASO has approved Certification Bodies (CBs) for the various geographical regions (Asia and Australia, Europe, North and South America and Middle East and North Africa (MENA)) to issue the Product Certificate of Conformity (Product CoC) and Shipment Certificate of Conformity (Shipment CoC) for Regulated Products.

In January 2019, SABER Platform was launched to support the Saudi Product Safety Programme for certain Technical Regulations and has been progressively updated to cover all Technical Regulations in a phased manner. Technical Regulations on SABER.
SABER Platform can be accessed using the link: https://saber.sa/

Certificate of Conformity for Exports of Cosmetics to Saudi Arabia

Exporting Cosmetics and Perfumes to Saudi Arabia - a Certificate of Conformity is mandatory for Customs clearance

The Saudi Food & Drug Authority Cosmetics and Perfumery Product Certification Programme (SFDA CPPC) is a product conformity assessment scheme with the main objective of ensuring that Cosmetic and Perfumery products imported to the KSA comply with the requirements mandated by SFDA

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has appointed Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) to provide Conformity Assessment Services for exports of these products to the Kingdom. CABs are authorised to issue the mandatory Certificate of Conformity, also referred to as SASO Certificate, which is required for Customs Clearance.

Products shall demonstrate full compliance to SFDA requirements: compliance to GSO 1943, eCosma notification, tamper proof packaging for intimate and oral hygiene products, specific labeling for vials & ampoules.

Certificate of Conformity for Food Exports to Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Food & Drugs Authority (SFDA) has implemented the Food Consignment Certificate of Conformity program in order to assure Saudi consumers of the safety and quality of the imported foodstuffs they purchase.

This programme aims, under the supervision and management of the SFDA, to provide safe products to consumers as well as a speedy and direct Customs release of imported foods since the consignments will be verified and certified at the country of origin which allows their fast track clearance.

Food consignments will be subject to audit, inspection and testing prior to shipment. Exporters and importers will need to ensure that regulated food products for the Saudi Arabia market are fully compliant with Saudi Food law and regulations for quality, safety and suitability and they have obtained the Certificate of Conformity prior to shipment.

Consignments arriving to Saudi Arabia without Food Certificates of Conformity will be subject to local testing which will slow the Customs Clearance process while the ones holding Food Certificates of Conformity will follow a fast track to be released by Customs.

Importers and exporters will also have to ensure that their suppliers are informed about the quality and safety requirements for Food products and that their consignments will need to be accompanied by a Food Consignment Certificate of Conformity.

Certificate of Inspection for Used Vehicles to Saudi Arabia

Exports of Used Vehicles to Saudi Arabia require a Certificate of Inspection for Customs Clearance

The programme verifies the conformity of Used Vehicles in the respective exporting countries through a quality inspection prior to shipment. This ensures the vehicles comply with the Technical Regulations applicable assuring Saudi citizens of the quality and reliability of the used vehicles they are purchasing.

Exporters of Used Vehicles to Saudi Arabia are required to provide a Certificate of Inspection for Customs clearance in accordance with Government regulation. This certificate can only be obtained from an Approved Inspection Body and issued through the SABER platform.

Contact Supporting Conformity Assessment Exports

To engage the service of Testing, Inspection and Certification for export requirements, contact one of the following Conformity Assessment Bodies

RACS Business Point Bldg., 7th Floor, Office 703, 705, 708, Deira, Port Saeed Street, Dubai

Office Contact: +971 4 2388755, sales@racs.ae, https://racs-me.com

Conformity Services Contacts:

Rose Maher, rose.maher@racs.ae, +971 52 333 4393

Cosmetics, Textiles, Packaging, Food safety, Paints, Lubricating oils, Detergents Mohamed Elsidig Elhadi, +971 55 6775427, mohamedelhadi@racs.ae

LV Equipment, Doors/Windows, Telecommunications, PPE/Clothing, Auto spare parts, Batteries, Bricks/Tiles/Ceramics/Sanitaryware, Building Products, Gas Appliances, Lighting, Measurement Devices, Cables, Abd Alkareem Alazzam, +971 56 8189942, abdazzam@racs.ae

Intertek UAE Abu Dhabi, Airport Road, SJ Tower, 4th & 5th Floor

Office Contact: +971 2 6131000, https://Intertek.ae

Conformity Services Contacts:

KSA, GCC, MENA, UK, Europe Building Products - Ali Kilo, ali.kilo@intertek.com, +971 56 546 1720

KSA, GCC, Asia Pacific Electrical Products (Trade) – Rajani Menon, rajani.menon@intertek.com,

MENA Electrical Products (Trade and Retail) - Yasser Mohamady, yasser.mohamady@intertek.com,

KSA, GCC, Asia/Pacific Electrical Products (Retail) – Syed Faisal, syed.faisal@intertek.com,

KSA, GCC, MENA Cosmetics, Detergents – Laila Moghrabi, laila.moghrabi@intertek.com,

KSA, GCC, Textiles/Apparel – Abhijit Bhattacharya, abhijit.bhattacharya@intertek.com,

MENA Textiles/Apparel - Mohamed Ibrahim, mohamed.ibrahim@intertek.com,

Asia/Pacific Textiles/Apparel - Sharif Khawar, sharf.khawar@intertek.com,

KSA, GCC Lubricants – Shailendra Rane, shailendra.rane@intertek.com,

MENA Lubricants – Luai Abdin, luai.abdin@intertek.com,

Asia/Pacific Lubricants – Shahid Salim, Shahid.salim@intertek.com,

Geo-Chem Abu Dhabi Oil Field Services LLC, Al Salam Street, Abu Dhabi

Office Contact: +971 2 6728722, management@gccertifications.com, enquiry@basilrl.com, http://www.gccertifications.com

Conformity Services Contacts:
GCC, Europe, UK, Manish Kumar, manish.k@gccertifications.com, +971 50 624 2612

KSA, Saleh Salem Al Saiari, saleh.s.a@gccertifications.com, +966 50 988 3162

MENA, Osama Al Kilani, osama.k@gccertifications.com, +971 50 624 2612

Asia/Pacific, Manish Pathak, manish.p@gccertifications.com, +91 92059 40035

Asia/Pacific, Jerry Shen Weihua, jerry.shen@gccertifications.com, +86 18149707740

Wimpey Laboratories LLC., Store.No-82, Mussafah-34, Industrial Area, Abu Dhabi

Office Contact: +971 2 5503324, info@cotecna.ae, https://www.cotecna.com

Conformity Services Contacts:

KSA, GCC, MENA, Europe, UK, Asia/Pacific, Africa - Kamlesh Parmar, kamlesh.parmar@cotecna.ae, +971 50 4599607

MENA, Europe, UK, Asia/Pacific, Africa - Noor Ul Hassan Mirza, noorulhassan.mirza@cotecna.ae, + 971 50 290 3622

MENA, Europe, UK, Asia/Pacific, Africa - Antony Dsouza, antony.dsouza@cotecna.ae, +971 50 9524624

TUV Rheinland Middle East FZE, Office No 401, 4EA (East Wing,Block A), Dubai Airport Free Zone, Dubai

Office Contact: +971 4 233900, nb.tuv@tuv.net, https://www.tuv.com/united-arab-emirates/en/

Conformity Services Contacts:
Heavy Construction, Fire Safety, Auto Spare Parts Satheesh Kumar, satheesh.kumar@uae.tuv.com, +971 56 507 5720

Low Voltage Equipment, Measuring Instruments, Fadi Daqdouq, Fadi.Daqdouq@uae.tuv.com

Paints/Varnishes, PPE/clothing, Adhesive Materials, Tapes and Glue, Bricks, Tiles, Ceramics, Sanitaryware, Building products, Jaiwardhan Bhati, Jaiwardhan.Bhati@uae.tuv.com

Cosmetics, Personal Care, Detergents, Jewlery, Smita Saneesh, Smita.Saneesh@uae.tuv.com

Footwear and accessories, Textile/Leather Products, Mohammad Nizamuddin, Mohammad.Nizamuddin@uae.tuv.com

Packaging, Food Safety Tools and Kitchen Appliances, Dhanya Subin, Dhanya.Subin@uae.tuv.com

Lubricating Oils, Shema Ahmed, Shema.Ahmed@uae.tuv.com

Telecommunications Devices, Abdalrahman Mohammed, Abdalrahman.Mohammed@uae.tuv.com

Electrical Batteries, Cables, Nidhin Kannan, Nidhin.Kannan@uae.tuv.com

Gas Appliances and components, Athul Chandran, Athul.Chandran@uae.tuv.com

Lighting, Sreejesh Kumar, Sreejesh.Kumar@uae.tuv.com

TuV Middle East W.L.L., Office No.1, Floor M, Danat Tower A Airport Road, Abu Dhabi

Office Contact: +971 2 4411146, abudhabi@tuv-nord.com https://www.tuv-nord.com/middleeast/en/home/

Conformity Services Contact: Manisha Sahi, manishas@tuv-nord.me, +971 56 4161973

Gulftic, Office No: G02, UAE Enterprises Building, Airport Road, Garhoud, Dubai

Office Contact: +971 4 2721285, info@gulftic.com, https://www.gulftic.com

Conformity Services Contacts:
KSA – Cosmetics, Personal Care Mohammed Mahdi, mahdi@gulftic.com, +971 54 321 6332

KSA, MENA, Europe, GCC - Low Voltage Equipment, Airen Tudtud, airen@gulftic.com, +971 50 473 6456

KSA – Food safety tools, Paints/Varnishes, Lubricating oils, Detergents, Adhesives Jigs Joshua C. Longasa, marketing6@gulftic.com, +971 50 473 6562

Asia/Pacific, Paola Abejero, paola@gulftic.com, +639 1544 23021

TuV SUD Middle East L.L.C., Plot No. 129 SR, Ahl Al ‘Ilm Street, ICAD III, Mussafah, Abu Dhabi

Office Contact: +971 2 6767600, info.me@tuvsud.com, https://www.tuvsud.com/en-ae

Conformity Services Contacts:
Raghda Jammoul, raghda.jammoul@tuvsud.com, +971 52 7093145

Muhammad Amin Zammam, muhammad.Zammam@tuvsud.com, +971 50 4462927

Underwriters Laboratories Middle East FZ-LLC, Laboratory Building Unit 222 - Dubai Science Park, Dubai

Office Contact: +971 4 5585900, ul.mea@ul.com https://ul.com/

Conformity Services Contacts:
KSA, Ahmad Mohammad, ahmad.mohammad@ul.com, +966 531120893

GCC, Mahmoud El-Jechi, mahmoud.el-jechi@ul.com, +971 52 6445022

MENA, Moath Awwad, moath.awwad@ul.com, +971 52 1077027

Europe, UK, Eslam Abdelaal, eslam.abdelaal@ul.com, +39 02 92526687

Asia/Pacific, Angela Gao Angela.Gao@ul.com, 86-512-68758718

SGS Gulf Limited, Bin Sagar Tower, 2nd Floor-204, Najda Street, Abu Dhabi

Office Contact: +971 2 6589660, https://www.sgs.com/en-ae

Conformity Services Contacts:
Sutheesh Kumar, Sutheesh.Kumar@sgs.com, +971 56 253 1697

Sithara Hatim, Sithara.Hatim@sgs.com, +971 56 686 8989

Bureau Veritas Abu Dhabi, 1st Floor, Al Zubara Tower, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan St, Abu Dhabi

Office Contact: +971 2 6444920, abudhabi@bureauveritas.com, https://verigates.bureauveritas.com/ https://middle-east.bureauveritas.com/

Conformity Services Contacts:

KSA, GCC, MENA, Africa, Asia/Pacific - Nijay Das K, nijay.das@bureauveritas.com, +971 2 6444920, +971565494029

Europe, UK – Faith Mutlu, faith.mutlu@bureauveritas.com, +90 212 4943535

The Q Quality Certificates Issuing Services, Office 1304, Al Salemiyah Tower, Riggat Al Buteen, Deira, Dubai

Office Contact: +971 4 3359553, info@q-ae.com, https://q-ae.com/

Conformity Services Contacts:
KSA – Bilal Abdallah, salessupervisorksa@theqquality.com, +966 595679477

Mubarak Hussain, bd@theqquality.com, +971 58 9586268

IMQ Gulf FZCO, Office 819, Building 6WA, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Dubai Office Contact: +971 4 252 5475, info@imqgulf.com, https://www.linkedin.com/company/imq-gulf/
Conformity Services Contacts:
Harold Grecia Orona, Harold.Orona@imqgulf.com
Kavish Indoria, Kavish.Indoria@imqgulf.com
Geetika Athwani, Geetika.Athwani@imqgulf.com

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The council’s main headquarters is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) works to achieve integration and interdependence between the member states of the GCC in the areas of organizing and unifying standardization activities and following up on their implementation to ensure the safety of products, the efficiency of services, and ease of transfer in the Gulf common market.

Gulf Conformity Mark (G-Mark) for Toys and Low Voltage Electrical Equipment

The technical regulation for Gulf Conformity Marking (G-Mark) was developed to reduce the technical barriers of trade and facilitate the free movement of commodities across borders within the GCC member states. The G-Mark is not a quality mark, but rather a mark that signifies the conformity of products at least to the essential requirements of health, safety and the environment. Affixing of the G-Mark is compulsory for products categories that are the subject of GCC Technical Regulations (currently Toys and Low voltage Electrical Equipment).

The technical regulations determine the conformity assessment procedures that should be applied by the manufacturer and/or importer. A Notified Body, acts as a third-party representative of the manufacturer/importer to carry out the conformity assessment procedures

Mutabiq Conformity Certificates and Fuel Efficiency Labels for Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles and Tyres

Mutabaq is a GSO electronic platform that serves the needs consumers, manufacturers and other relevant parties by providing information and services related to the issuance of Gulf Conformity Certificates and product labels for vehicles and tyres

- Gulf Conformity Certificates for vehicles, motorcycles and tyres.
- Fuel efficiency labels for vehicles and tyres.

In addition, the website provides services for

- Accessing vehicle recall data via Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Customs clearance guide, and consumer guide for vehicles, motorcycles and tyres.

Omani Type Examination Certificate for Low Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances

The Oman Directorate General for Standards and Metrology (DGSM) of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion of the Sultanate of Oman, has implemented a Technical Regulation for Low Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances under the new Omani Conformity Scheme, which came into force on June 5th, 2022.

Products subjected to these regulations need to obtain certification from a Notified Body designated by the DGSM.

Regulated products in Stage 1 cover dishwashers, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners. Manufacturers are required to apply for the Omani Type Examination certificate from a Notified Body. These products must undergo safety and EMC tests, and the manufacturer must prepare product design and risk analysis documentation. Conformity certificates are valid for one year and subject to annual renewal.

Control of food importation, safety requirements and Halal Certification

Halal Certification confirms that products are compliant with Islamic/Shariah standards. Halal products follow specific rules for production, slaughter and other quality standards set by Islamic Sharia. The certification process includes the testing and inspection of products, quality management systems, manufacturing process, and factories to determine compliance.

Harmonized Halal Standards for the Middle East region are issued by the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), and cover a variety of aspects for Halal product/manufacturing compliance including:

- Halal Packaging - General Guideline (GSO 2652:2021)
- Halal Food - Part 1 : General Requirements (GSO 2055-1:2021)
- Halal Products – Part 4 : Requirements For Halal Cosmetics And Personal Care (GSO 2055-4:2021)
- Halal Feedstuff (GSO 2578:2021)
- Halal Medical Device – General Requirements (GSO 2680:2021)
- Additional GSO standards related to compliance with Halal manufacturing processes, management systems, retailing, warehousing and transport

There can also be GCC country-specific conformity and labelling requirements such as those issued by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT - UAE), Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO - KSA) and Saudi Halal Center – Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)