GCC Technical Committee for Chemical and Textile products submits 70 standards to GSO

ABU DHABI- The Technical Committee for Chemical and Textile Products has submitted 70 Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, standards' drafts related to chemical and textile products to the Secretariat-General of the GCC Standardisation Organisation, GSO, during its 25th meeting held remotely.

The standards include personal protection equipment and clothes for fire-fighting personnel and workers in the areas of safety, paint industry technology, detergents and environmental standards. It also covers the standard specifications of some plastic products, shoes, leather products and school bags.

Abdullah Al Maeeni, Director-General of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, ESMA, said that the drafts will be submitted at the next meeting of the Technical Council and the Ministerial Council of the GCC Standardisation Organisation.

The new standards will help improve the level of quality and safety of the covered products, facilitate commercial exchange between GCC countries and other countries, increase the competitiveness of GCC products in global markets, and protect GCC citizens, he added.

Al Maeeni noted that they drafted plans and programmes to develop GCC standard specifications, to fulfil the aspirations and national strategic plans of the UAE and other GCC countries.

The UAE chaired the meeting, which was attended by members of the GCC Standardisation Organisation and held via video conferencing.

ESMA, represented the country at the meeting and Khalaf Khalaf, Director of the Specifications Administration of ESMA, said that the GCC’s technical plan is being implemented, especially during the current conditions, adding that they are monitoring the progress of the implementation of the drafts and technical regulations according to the 2019-2020 plan, to continue the work of the committee.

The bi-annual meeting focused on monitoring the current work of the committee, and discussed the implementation of the Globally Harmonised System, GHS, in GCC countries, he added.

The committee approved the final draft of the GHS after considering its members’ recommendations, given its importance to the transportation and handling of hazardous chemical materials between GCC countries and other countries, he further added.

The GHS will help track the use of these products in specific locations, through monitoring import documents and documents issued by customs departments and relevant authorities in the GCC, he said in conclusion.

 

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.