Product Compliance
in Egypt

The formal implementation of standards in Egypt dates back to 1957 when Presidential Decree 29 of 1957 established the Egyptian Organization for Standardization (EOS). Later, in 2005, the organization underwent a name change, becoming the Egyptian Organization for Standards and Quality. Presently, Egypt boasts a repertoire of 8,500 standards, with 5,000 classified as Egyptian technical regulations or compulsory standards.

According to EOS reports, there has been a concerted effort to align mandatory standards with international benchmarks, with approximately 80 percent of these standards based on guidelines established by global institutions, such as the International Organization for Standardization headquartered in Geneva. This strategic alignment aims to integrate Egypt into international trade practices and facilitate the exchange of goods and services on a global scale.

In cases where there isn’t a specific mandatory Egyptian standard, Ministerial Decree 180 of 1996 provides importers with the flexibility to select a relevant standard from seven international systems, including ISO, European, American, Japanese, British, German standards. For food-related products, Codex standards are also considered as part of the available options, allowing for a diverse and globally recognized set of standards to guide importers in the absence of specific Egyptian requirements.

Under the prevailing import regulations, a thorough inspection of each component of a product is mandatory, irrespective of the product’s compliance history, country of origin, exporter, shipper, or importer. Before being allowed for direct sale in the Egyptian market, imported products must align with Egyptian specifications or adhere to the standards set by international organizations with which Egypt is affiliated, such as ISO, IEC, and Codex Alimentarius if there is no corresponding Egyptian standard.

Upon the entry of a new product into the country, particularly if it has not been previously imported, customs officials often require a written description or standard to validate its eligibility for importation.

Egypt has established mandatory standards that both imported and domestically produced products must meet. The General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC) is responsible for enforcing procedures to ensure conformity with these standards. Manufacturers or trademark owners looking to export regulated products to Egypt are required to register with the GOEIC.

For the Customs clearance of regulated product shipments at Egyptian ports and borders, a Certificate of Inspection (CoI) is a prerequisite. This certificate should be issued by an accredited and recognized certification body, such as Intertek, further emphasizing the commitment to quality assurance and compliance with Egyptian standards during the importation process.

The Ministerial Decrees 991 & 43 require all regulated products:

• To demonstrate compliance with required Egyptian Standards and/or International Standards in the absence of applicable Egyptian standards after taking into consideration the Egyptian essential requirements
• To have a Certificate of Inspection (CoI) to accompany each shipment of products to Egypt.

According to GOIEC, the importer, before the import, should contact an accredted inspection company in Egypt and they make an appointment with the counterpart abroad for the inspection.

For chemical products, Egypt has published a decree that requires companies to use safety data sheets (SDSs) for chemical products.  The decree makes mandatory a standard that was previously voluntary, which requires producers and importers of chemicals to comply with an international SDS standard (ISO 11014/2009).

Article 74 of the Import and Export regulations stipulates that the package should be fit for preserving the product, and the product should occupy the space of the container in full. If a container is wooden, the container itself should be accompanied by an official certificate that states it is free from wood-harmful pests and insects. Data that appears on equipment, tools and machinery should be identical to those appearing on the package. The country of origin should be indicated on each item and be non-erasable. They should be accompanied with an Arabic-language catalogue indicating the following:

• An illustrative design of the parts.
• Mode of assembly and operation.
• Maintenance procedures.
• Electrical circuits for electrical equipment.
• Safety measures.

Mandatory in the process of importing, manufacturing, or assembling any equipment featuring a communication component, Type Approval guarantees the adherence of the equipment to globally recognized standards in Egypt, encompassing Radio Frequency (RF), Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), and Safety and Health standards. The importation, manufacturing, or assembly of communication equipment that does not align with these approved standards is expressly forbidden under Communication Law No. 10/2003. This restriction is in place to mitigate potential harms and interferences with licensed communication service providers’ networks, prevent adverse effects on surrounding electrical equipment, and safeguard the health of end users of communication equipment.

Currently, there are four distinct Type Approval procedure schemes: Light, Intermediate, Tight, and Guided Schemes.

The applicable requirements may differ depending on the applicant’s/manufacturer’s country of origin. The NTRA’s regulations state four categories of approval, depending on the country of origin:

• Light Scheme (for applicants/manufacturers from Western Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan or the USA)
• Tight Scheme (for applicants/manufacturers from China or India)
• Guided Scheme (for applicants/manufacturers from Egypt)
• Intermediate Scheme (for applicants/manufacturers from any country that has not been listed)

NTRA’s compliance testing procedures must align with the standards outlined in the 2014/53/EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and/or Federal Communications Commission (FCC) test reports conducted by accredited laboratories. Consequently, there is no mandate for in-country testing. Additionally, inclusion of an EU-Type Examination Certificate or an FCC Grant is mandatory within the technical documentation submitted to the NTRA.

Upon completion of equipment type testing, applicants are required to seek approval from the NTRA by submitting the necessary documentation via the official NTRA email address. The technical dossier should encompass essential elements, including RED/FCC test reports, an EU-Type Examination Certificate/FCC Grant, comprehensive equipment specifications, a user manual, a block diagram, internal and external imagery, among others. Each scheme necessitates the presentation of an ISO 9001 Certificate or equivalent as part of the technical dossier. Notably, the Guided Scheme necessitates a factory inspection to obtain type approval.