The G-CAP program is a program controlled by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and implemented to verify the conformity of goods to be imported into Ghana.

G-CAP is applied to all mandatory product shipments. Second-hand goods, except those prohibited, are also subject to the program.

The program includes the following verification steps:

1. Document review
2. Tested in an approved laboratory

ISO17025 accredited manufacturers who have the necessary test equipment for the test (list of equipment must be provided)

3. Supervision
4. Issuance of a certificate of conformity in case of positive results.

Points to note:

The shipment value for the G-CAP program must not be less than 3000 USD

Labels must include English

Used motorized vehicles must not be more than 10 years old upon arrival in Chana.

Products with a limited shelf life* must have at least three months until expiration

SNI (Indonesian National Standard) is a program that aims to verify the conformity of goods to be imported into Indonesia with quality standards. The standards SNI were enacted by the Indonesian National Standardization Agency.

Obtaining the SNI conformity certificate is mandatory for all types of goods to be sold in the Indonesian market. Apart from this, both quality standards and regulations must be taken into account.

In general, three stages can be distinguished in the SNI approval process:

– Application and submission of relevant documents

– Laboratory testing

– Factory inspection

Therefore, the conformity assessment is carried out through inspection by testing product samples and evaluating and inspecting the quality system or a combination of both.

The validity of the SNI Certificate of Conformity is 4 years, subject to at least annual factory inspection. The SNI mark applied to products as an identifier of compliance with SNI standards gives the right to sell products anywhere in the Republic of Indonesia.

The Pre-Import Inspection, Testing and Certification Program (known as ICIGI) was put into effect by the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC) on 01.01.2020 in the Republic of Iraq. The program aimed at quality control of goods imported into Iraq and protection of consumers from low-quality goods. As stated in the program, a Certificate of Conformity has been made mandatory for each shipment of goods subject to mandatory regulation in order to complete customs procedures. The list of products subject to mandatory regulation includes the following categories – toys, kitchenware, food, auto, chemicals, construction materials, hardware, tires and automobiles, household appliances, tobacco products, cosmetics and perfumery products, textiles and footwear.

The process of verifying the conformity of goods to Iraqi Standards can be described as follows: submission of an application with the requested documents, physical inspection of the goods and laboratory testing. After completing the verification process, the final invoice, BL (other shipping document) and other documents, if necessary, must be provided for the issuance of the certificate of conformity.

In case of regular shipments to Iraq, a 1-year certificate of conformity can be obtained. By having this certificate, the exporter benefits from a simplified quality control of the goods exported to Iraq. For any 10 product shipments made by the exporter with the certificate, every 6 product shipments must be unattended and 4 must be inspected before loading.

According to the current regulations in Iran, VOC (Verification of Conformity) implemented by the Iran Standards and Industrial Research Institute (ISIRI) requires the issuance of a mandatory COI (Certificate of Inspection) for the import of regulated goods into the country.

COI (Certificate of Inspection):

A certificate of conformity issued according to the shipping documents after a successful inspection in the export country.

A product shipment that does not receive a COI certificate is rejected from entering the country until the necessary conformity procedures are completed. At the same time, obtaining the certificate prevents both additional costs and delays in shipments due to verification procedures at the port.

Düzenlemeye tabi malları içeren ürün gönderilerin gümrükleme işlemleri için ithalatçı tarafından sağlanması gereken bir belgedir. Uygunluk sertifikası, doğrulama sürecini sonuçta ürünler Katar geçerli standartlarına uygun oldukları durumda verilen bir belgedir.
Uygunluk Sertifikası (COC- certificate of conformity), ürünlerin Katar kalite standartlarına ve yönetmeliklerine uygun olduğunun teyit edilmesi durumunda doğrulama işlemi yapıldıktan sonra verilen bir belgedir.
Tüm doğrulama sürecinin sevkiyattan önce gerçekleştirilmesi gerekir.
Katar Çevre Bakanlığı (MOE) Katar Standartlar ve Metroloji Genel Kuruluşu (QGOSM) tarafından değerlendirme programına tabi olan aşağıdaki ürün grupları listelenmiştir:
– araç yedek parçaları (Emniyet kemerleri, tekerlekler, jantlar, fren balataları)
– elektrikli ürünler
– oyuncaklar
– bakım ürünleri (şampuan, kına, kaş ve kirpik boyası, keratin içeren saç bakım ürünleri)
– parfümeri ürünleri
– betonda kullanılan kaynak yapılamayan çelik takviye çubukları
– agregalar, kireçtaşı, yolda kullanılan ve beton blok, duvar üniteleri ve beton parke blokları gibi beton ürünleri.
– melamin sofra ürünleri
– yiyecek ve içecek plastikten, kağıttan ve süngerden yapılmış olduğu ambalajı
Doğrulama yöntemleri arasında belgelerin değerlendirmesi, laboratuvar testleri (gerekirse) İSO 17025 akredite laboratuvar tarafından ve sevkiyat öncesi gözetimi yer alırdır.

It is a program implemented by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for the purpose of conformity assessment of product shipments entering the country. According to the program, products to be imported to Kenya are subject to verification in the export country. If the conformity with the technical regulation applied in the country is confirmed, a Certificate of Conformity (COC) is issued. The certificate of conformity is a mandatory document for customs clearance procedures, product shipments without the document are prohibited from entering the Republic of Kenya.

All goods, except those listed as prohibited (illegal drugs, plants, meat, etc.), restricted (bones, horns, processed ivory, etc.), exempted goods (raw materials imported by local producers, spare parts, etc.), are subject to the Pre-Export Conformity Verification program. The Pre-Export Conformity Verification Program (PVOC) includes one or more of the following assessment methods: – verification of documents, – testing by an accredited laboratory, – physical surveillance in the exporting country – factory surveillance – issuance of a certificate of conformity.

Today, products regulated by the legislation that will be imported to Kuwait must undergo conformity assessment. The KUCAS program, which was put into effect by the Public Authority for Industry of the State of Kuwait (PAI), undertakes/requires certain procedures to verify the conformity of both imported goods and local products with Kuwait technical regulations.

The list of products regulated by the legislation is represented by the following product groups: Children’s toys, Household and commercial electrical and gas equipment, Car group, Chemical group, Construction materials, Others.

Some products are prohibited for import into the country. For example, products of Israeli origin that are contrary to the principles of Islam, second-hand products.

KUCAS program key points:

– All shipments of imported goods that include products subject to mandatory regulations must be issued with a Technical Inspection Report (TIR) ​​and a Technical Assessment Report (TER). Reports can only be issued by an approved certification and inspection body. TER is a report that claims that the goods comply with Kuwaiti technical regulations and established international standards, while TIR proves compliance with the country’s import regulations.

– Kuwaiti authorities have the right to randomly sample the imported product shipment to verify compliance.

– TIR and TER are a prerequisite for unhindered customs clearance. TIR is mandatory for any product shipment.

In case the products arrive in Kuwait without a certificate, these products are subject to mandatory local tests and conformity assessment procedures. Accordingly, it is very important to obtain TIR and TER to avoid delays in delivery and additional costs for testing by local authorities, and to avoid the risk of the goods being banned from entering the country due to non-compliance with applicable standards.

According to the Lebanon Conformity Verification Program initiated by the Industrial Research Authority, shipments (regulated goods) arriving in the country must demonstrate compliance with relevant international and national standards.

The applicant for the conformity assessment can be both an Exporter and an Importer.

The conformity verification process includes:

-documentary assessment (marking language must be Arabic, English or French)

– testing if necessary (by an accepted laboratory)

– physical inspection (in the country of origin, container sealing is not mandatory)

– assessment result (conformity certificate or non-conformity report)

According to the decision of the Central Bank of Libya dated 10.05.2015, an inspection certificate must be obtained for all shipments to Libya in order to obtain a Letter of Credit from a commercial bank.

The list of products covered by the program was updated in 2020 (ARN 2020/68) and includes the following product groups:

*Food and Feed, *Children’s toys *Cooking utensils *Vehicle tires *Vehicle oils *Cooking gas cylinders *Medical supplies *PPE materials, especially those related to the COVID pandemic, such as gloves, plugs, face masks. * Alcohol and Sterilizers * Fertilizers and insecticides * Cosmetics and aromatic fragrances * Shampoo, soap and hair dyes * Toothpaste and shaving cream * Fabrics and clothing, especially children’s clothing * Shoes * Notebooks, books and school supplies * Manual and automatic washing power and detergents * Paints and Air fresheners * Batteries

The process of obtaining the Inspection Certificate is represented by the following steps:

1. Application to the authorized certification body with the presentation of the necessary documents (Invoice, current conformity documents, letter of credit, etc.) (if necessary)
2. Review of the documents and verification of their compliance with Libyan standards, testing (if necessary)
3. Pre-export surveillance
4. Issuance of the Inspection Certificate (COI)

SONCAP is a programme for the verification of conformity of goods to be imported to Nigerian Standards before shipment. The programme includes the following verification methods: assessment of documents, sampling and testing by accredited laboratories, and pre-shipment surveillance. The application of specific methods depends on the characteristics of the products.

All Nigerian imported goods are subject to the SONCAP programme except for the following product groups: – Military goods and equipment, – Used goods other than automobiles, – Food products, – Medical supplies other than equipment and machinery, – Pharmaceuticals, – Chemicals used as raw materials by Bonafide manufacturers, – Goods classified as contraband by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Apart from this, Bonafide Manufacturers are advised to apply to SON for a SONCAP import permit to import machinery or related spare parts for their manufactures.

There are three different ways of assessing the conformity of goods defined by SON (Standards organization of Nigeria):

1. For exporters with irregular product shipments (registered and unlicensed products)
2. For exporters with regular product shipments (registered products)
3. For exporters with regular and large product shipments (licensed products)

A product shipment subject to any SONCAP program must be accompanied by a SONCAP Certificate (SC). A Product Certificate (PC) obtained in one of the following ways is also required for products to be imported into Nigeria (unregistered, registered or licensed).

If you have any questions regarding the SONCAP program for your exports to Nigeria, please contact us.