How to get certified in the UAE

You can, of course, immerse yourself in the specifics of local legislation and try to carefully follow every letter of the law.
The Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority ESMA has launched an electronic ECAS system, where exporters select a certification scheme for their goods. After the product is registered with ESMA and the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is obtained, the UAE market opens to the supplier.

There are a number of steps to register with ECAS. Firstly, you must have a representative office or a contract with a distributor in the UAE who has a Valid UAE Trade License.

This trade license is issued for a specific type of product, it will not be possible to immediately license a line of products. For example, for cosmetics, you will have to register a separate cream, a separate milk for removing makeup, etc.

And pay attention to the cost of such a license, which starts at 17,000 dirhams (4,640 USD) and goes up to 100,000 dirhams (27,250 US). The amount depends on the requirements of the business.

Usually intermediaries come to the aid in the UAE, who cunningly issue licenses through companies that already have it.
The license is actually the "passport" of the company, confirming its onshore status and the legality of its activities in the UAE and abroad. Using the services of intermediaries, you may encounter a number of issues: possible loss of control over the license, depending on another company to which you are not related, as well as problems with inspections of government agencies. In the UAE, government agencies and contractors pay special attention to the fact that business activities are conducted strictly within the framework of the license granted and in a certain jurisdiction.

To work in the ECAS system, you must first register on the MOIAT (Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology) website. This is similar to our Public Services. This is where you will need to choose a certification body. There you will be able to determine whether your product is regulated or not. If the product is regulated, then you will also apply for a certificate there.

Some types of products require mandatory testing, some do not. For example, perfumes need to be tested. And if antibacterial substances are present in the composition, too.

For each product, you need to specify separately. By the way, cosmetics will also require an annual audit with a visit to your company.
After confirmation of compliance with the UAE national regulations for products, the applicant is granted a permit in the form of an ECAS certificate of conformity. MOIAT asks manufacturers to put ECAS marks on all ECAS certified products that are displayed on the market. Exceptions: perfumes, detergents, tobacco products.

Pay special attention to the labeling requirements. It must be either in Arabic or Arabic and English. The information should be clear and easy to read. The measurement results are only in the metric system! Be sure to indicate the country of origin of the products, the name and address of the manufacturer or packer.

The ECAS certificate is valid for one year and is subject to annual renewal.

If you encounter any problems during the certification process, we are always ready to help. Our company WWBridge has been engaged in international certification of goods for more than two years, and our rich experience and reliable contacts in the UAE certification authorities will help solve any problems. Although it is better, of course, not to bring them to them.

If you are at the beginning of the certification path, our specialists will prepare the right package of documents for certification and will undertake communication with the UAE government agencies. With us, manufacturers easily open markets not only in the UAE, but also in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman.

What should I do to get a certificate for export to the UAE?

Send us a request by email [email protected] and tell us about your product:

•  label of your product
• packaging
•  list of ingredients

We will prepare and send a commercial offer within 24 hours.