Local companies, including startups, that work in the field of import and export, have confirmed that no food product is exported outside the UAE, or the import of any food product to the country without a comprehensive examination, and subject to strict control from many of the competent authorities in the country, with the aim of implementing The highest standards of quality, especially as the UAE is a regional and global center for export and re-export.

Officials in those companies told Emirates Today that export control starts from the stage of obtaining factory licenses and the pre-production and manufacturing stage, noting that any factory in the country obtaining a production license requires compliance with strict conditions in relation to construction and equipment And devices used, and import equipment to ensure high quality.

The highest standards

In detail, Ibrahim Bin Shaheen, Vice President of the UAE Entrepreneur Association, who works in the field of import and export, said, “No food product is exported outside the UAE, or any food product is imported into the country without a thorough examination and subject to strict control from Many competent authorities in the state, with the aim of applying the highest quality standards, especially since it is known globally that the UAE is a regional and global center for export and re-export.

Bin Shaheen explained that, “With regard to exports in particular, all food exports are subject to strict control by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (Specifications), to verify the quality of the product and its conformity with UAE standards, including the contents of the product itself, and the data on the product from abroad, (Specifications) also get random samples of various food products before circulating inside the country or exporting them abroad, to ensure the maintenance of the international reputation that the Emirati product has gained at home and abroad over the past years.

license

Bin Shaheen added that “many Emirati companies export food and drinks after their production inside or outside the country, after obtaining a license from the international producing company, and therefore they are produced under the brand of the foreign company, and it is written on the product that it is imported from a specific country, and with it a certificate of origin indicating On the country in which it was produced, and on it the Emirati (barcode) ».

He indicated that it does not mean that the existence of an Emirati “barcode” is a counterfeit or adulterated commodity and that the UAE income is manufactured, as some people try to delude consumers. Export to it, in the event of a factory change, or a retail store.

High quality

For his part, said the founder and general manager of "Rakam" for scientific and technical consultancy, Dr. Hassan Bayrakdar - is a company that helps food companies to match their products with export specifications for different markets - that "export control starts from the stage of factory licensing and the pre-manufacturing stage itself" .

Perakdar, who worked in the export of many food commodities during the past years, added that "for any factory in the state to obtain a production license, requires compliance with strict conditions in relation to building the factory, production equipment and devices used, and importing equipment and machinery used in manufacturing to ensure high quality In addition to the obligation to obtain certain quality certificates, provided that these certificates are recognized by the government.

Quality control

Bayrakdar pointed out that «the UAE laws require the presence of a quality control department in the factories of food products in particular, as well as the relevant authorities to obtain samples before offering production in the local market or exporting it abroad, in addition to carrying out surprise inspection visits by the competent authorities, according to each emirate To verify conformity of production to approved specifications and applicable regulations, it also requires that manufacturing workers possess certain skills and certain educational certificates as a minimum.

He added that «the products intended for export are also registered through the relevant agencies in the country, while the export operations in particular are subject to full control from the concerned agencies, to verify the compliance of food commodities exported to the standards and requirements in the Emirates, in addition to the need to conform to the specifications in the country in which the export is Mechanism, to ensure the quality of the exported product, and to verify that no shipments of Emirati food commodities are stopped at the outlets of the importing countries.

Emirati product

Bayrakdar pointed out that the field has been opened for the existence of scientific and technical consulting firms, which are being used by some large companies, in order to introduce them to the developments of specifications in export markets, to support the quality of the UAE product and achieve the highest quality standards found in the countries imported from the UAE.

He stated that «the Emirates encourages companies to open branches in the countries to which they are exported, to ensure maximum commitment to the required specifications closely,» explaining that «the basic specifications in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are almost uniform, and there are generally no big differences between them, except that the UAE specifications in a way In particular, it is the broadest and most comprehensive, because it applies the international food constitution and European standards, which take into account the highest international standards in quality ».

He said, "The specifications in Saudi Arabia, for example, follow the Gulf specifications, and there are special specifications they have related to some products, but they are close to the UAE specifications."

Okay

In turn, the Emirati business leader, Mohammed Al Harmoodi, said that "the UAE is characterized by strict control of food products before their production and during production and before exporting, and that the export steps require obtaining many government approvals at every step," pointing out that the control is primarily targeted Achieve high quality level to obtain approvals.

Al-Harmoodi, who also works in the field of import and export, indicated that control generally includes exports, both food and non-food, as it is required before exporting to obtain certificates confirming the quality from the Emirates Authority and Specifications, as well as some other certificates of quality according to the product.

In the same context, Emirati business pioneer Hanan Faisal said that “no food product is introduced into the state’s markets, whether it is a product that will be re-exported or an imported product sold in the country’s markets, or raw materials used in production, without being subjected to a full examination and verification. Of quality and its conformity with health specifications and requirements, and certificates from the importing side clarifying the origin and components ».

Faisal added, "There are sudden periodic inspection tours from inspectors of the relevant agencies, according to each emirate, and that in case of doubt about any product, samples are taken, examined, or withdrawn from the market when any counterfeit or inconsistent goods are discovered."

Saudi requirements

Hassan Beragda, the founder and general manager of the “Rakam” company for scientific and technical consulting, said that “Saudi Arabia has requested more than two years from the exporting companies, including the Emirati companies, to be registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, so that they are monitored, and therefore any imported product From any country, including the Emirates, it is registered with the authority, in addition to the fact that the Saudi Authority visits the factories, and it is approved in the list of factories at it, and therefore it is subject to control by Saudi Arabia at the request of the authority ».

Approval of «Specifications»

Ibrahim Bin Shaheen, Vice President of the Emirati Entrepreneur Association, said that “no product can be imported from abroad, or raw materials from any country, except with the prior approval of the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (Specifications), which imposes strict control on all imports, especially Food commodities, where an official request for import is submitted for the Authority and the concerned authorities to evaluate the materials to verify their suitability, and that they conform to the highest quality specifications, whether at home or abroad, because it will be circulated in the country or re-exported abroad ».

• Any factory in the country obtaining a license that requires compliance with strict conditions to ensure high quality.