The Vital Role of PVoC Services in Zanzibar’s Developing Digital Economy

PCA NewslettersDecember 13, 2023

Zanzibar's government aims to accelerate digital transformation across the country and is partnering with SGS to bring innovation in key sectors, including imports and tourism. Collaboration is also helping to expand Zanzibar’s digital economy and its emphasis on IT and technology aligns with SGS’s moves toward harnessing digital solutions that drive economic progress and innovation.

As part of the government’s drive towards sustainability and innovation, the Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) signed a Product Verification of Conformity (PVoC) contract with SGS. PVoC is a conformity assessment process used to verify that products being imported into Zanzibar conform to applicable national standards and technical regulations, or their approved equivalents, before shipment. This cements the ongoing relationship between SGS and the ZBS, which commenced in 2016. The current contract, the third awarded to SGS, is valid from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, and includes the following key objectives:

Ensuring quality of products, and health, safety and environmental protection for Zanzibaris, as reflected in the scope of the regulated products
Minimizing the risk of unsafe and sub-standard goods entering Zanzibar to help ensure that consumers are protected from unsafe and sub-standard goods, and that Zanzibari manufacturers are not subjected to unfair competition
Prohibiting the entry of shoddy and counterfeit products
Facilitating the clearance process by eliminating bottlenecks caused by the verification performed on arrival at entry points
Applying technical requirements (i.e. standards) to foreign products and domestically manufactured products
Establishing a quality import inspection regime that is in harmony with that of member states of the East African Community

The verification process

To commence the verification process, exporters submit the following documents to SGS:

Request for certification (indicating the point of entry in Zanzibar)
Proforma invoice
Quality management system certificate(s)
Conformity documents (test reports, quality certificates, analysis reports, etc.)
Final invoice (with the exception of airfreight and courier shipments)

To obtain evidence that all applicable standards or technical requirements are met, goods must undergo one or more of these verification processes:

Inspection
Laboratory testing, either:

ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory
Recognized laboratory practicing good laboratory practices and approved by PVoC Service Provider
Manufacturers’ laboratory witnessed by PVoC provider

Factory audit
Documentary verification

After the verification process is completed and the results are found to be satisfactory, exporters must submit a final invoice for the issuance of a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). This document is required for customs clearance. Without a CoC for applicable products, importers may be issued with a penalty, and goods may be held. It is the seller’s responsibility to ensure a valid CoC or confirmed certification decision.

Available trade choices

Trade facilitation assists governments in upholding public health measures while enabling the uninterrupted flow of goods. SGS has been a pioneering service provider of PVoC services since their inception in Zanzibar, and continues to be the preferred choice for exporters, thanks to our extensive global network of specialized and cutting-edge facilities.

To provide optimal support to our valued clients, we offer three certification routes to choose from:

ROUTE A: Applicable to any goods and any trader
ROUTE B: Recommended for frequent exporters with homogeneous products (Registration is renewable annually, subject to continual compliance)
ROUTE C: For Manufacturers

If you are unsure about the ideal route for your needs, SGS can offer expert guidance to ensure your certification process is as seamless as possible.

Learn more about Zanzibar PVoC Product Conformity Assessment (PCA) Services.

This article can also be found in our PCA Newsletter (Q4/2023) – which keeps you up to date with developments in technical barriers to trade and product conformity assessment.