Tanzania’s Bureau of Standards (TBS) has appointed SGS to implement a Pre-Shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program with effect from January 1, 2012.
Under the PVoC program, all regulated products to be imported to Tanzania will undergo verification and testing in the country of supply and a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) will be issued to demonstrate that they meet the requirements of the applicable national standards or approved equivalents and technical regulations. The CoC will be mandatory for Customs clearance.
The TBS has introduced the PCA Program to protect the country, consumers and local manufacturers from:
- Substandard products that may endanger public health, safety or the environment
- Counterfeit or unsafe products
- Unfair competition from imported goods which do not comply with the approved standards
Products regulated under this program include:
- Toys and childcare products
- Electrical and electronic products
- Automotive products
- Chemical and household products (furniture, paper products)
- Mechanical materials and gas appliances
- Food and agricultural products
- Selected safety equipment
- Used products
There are three potential routes to PVoC certification depending on conditions including, but not exclusively: the type of product; its homogeneity; the frequency of shipments; and, the manufacturer’s quality management system.
- Route A – for unregistered products (unregistered suppliers of manufacturers of sensitive goods). Products must be tested and physically inspected to demonstrate conformity to relevant standards, essential requirements or manufacturer’s specification
- Route B – for registered suppliers or manufacturers of goods. This offers a fast track certification process for goods with reasonable and consistent levels of quality by registration of products with the PVoC contractor. Product Registration is recommended to exporters with frequent shipments of homogenous products
- Route C – licensed products. This route is only open to manufacturers who can demonstrate the existence of a quality management system in their manufacturing/production process. This route involves the audit of any QMS and licensing of products by the authorized PVoC contractor. This route is recommended for manufacturers with high frequency/volumes of shipments
With decades of experience managing conformity assessment programs around the world SGS offers exporters efficient and comprehensive solutions to ensure shipments conform to Tanzania’s requirements.