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Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), through the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO), and the rest of the Arab countries through the specialized associations of the League of Arab States, are studying the UAE model as the Emirates Quality Mark (EQM), after achieving remarkable success in controlling the quality of output of the production lines, in all type of products.
According to H.E Abdulla Al-Maeeni, Director General of Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA). During the Authority’s celebrating the producers and suppliers by issuing them the "Emirates Quality Mark", in Dubai, last Thursday.
"The UAE model in implementing this system has undergone a number of bench-marking comparisons in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait in terms of system and requirements for obtaining the EQM," he said. And has proved to be an outstanding success in pushing Gulf and Arab organizations to recommend adopting the UAE model at the regional level.
His Excellency stressed the keen vision of the leadership of the UAE, which was able to anticipate the future early, and directed all national efforts to interact with the global economic changes, and that the UAE at the heart of these transformations, which works in light of the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA); a federal government, within the objectives of the national agenda 2021, and even the UAE Centennial 2071.
The number of products in the UAE market with EQM stands at around 73,000 products from 551 factories and production lines worldwide have been registered with ESMA since the introduction of the EQM system nine years ago, while 1,168 licenses were granted to factories and suppliers in five continents.
40 EQM for Juices and Dairy
ESMA has granted 40 production and manufacturing lines for juices, beverages, milk and dairy products, the Emirates Quality Mark (EQM), where "Rauch" was the most prominent of which is the first juice producer in the European Union, obtaining the EQM under the requirements of the UAE control system for juices and beverages.
In addition, the Authority granted 35 optional EQM granted to electrical appliances factories, cosmetics and perfumes sectors, out of the 108 applications received by the Authority since the beginning of this year, of which 58 are international, compared to 50 national factories. More than 70% of the factories applying for the mark are from outside the country, reflecting the capacity and efficiency of the system's output, and the consumer and producer alike are confident.
He expressed his optimism that the number of factories, production lines and suppliers will reach 200 by the end of this year. He pointed out the four main strengths of the EQM for products: ensuring a high quality product in the details of its production, transportation and storage until it reaches the consumer.
The second element is that ESMA facilitated the factories to obtain one quality mark by confirming the procedures of the factory.
The third element is that we helped the distributors to know the quality factories in order to import from them. On the other hand, we helped factory managements to accurately identify their faults, then fix them and overcome them.
He continued: "As a fourth element, we have contributed through the brand to re-export these products to major regional and international markets. We have also witnessed the arrival of foreign factories to obtain the EQM on an optional basis at the GCC and Arab countries.
He also praised the ability of the EQM to properly enhance market access of products to the Gulf and regional countries, where it facilitates producers and suppliers to introduce new products without repeating the procedures and requirements of product conformity.
"We have now more than 60% optional EQM issued to international factories, reflecting the desire of these factories to export to the UAE and the region, and they also take UAE as a fulcrum point and store for products, and the EQM helps to facilitate product access to Gulf, Arab and international markets.”
The success of the UAE model, the EQM, was not only a result of the demand of manufacturers to obtain the EQM, but also the Arab and foreign countries demanded that manufacturers obtain products with the EQM as a condition for export to these countries, including African countries and countries of the former Soviet Union, due to their confidence in the mechanisms and procedures of obtaining the EQM by those factories, according to Al-Maeeni.
He stressed that confidence in the UAE system has been widely accepted not only at the level of the institutions concerned with production, but that government institutions in the country, such as housing projects, and national companies began to impose in their official tenders and auctions provided that products of tenderers shall obtain the EQM. This is a great national support for the system, and the culture of total quality, and their recognition that the presence of the EQM represents a component of safety and trust.
Juices and Dairy Products
In response to the UAE's requirements developed by the ESMA to ensure the compatibility of food products manufactured in the country or imported from abroad, ESMA has received a strong response from the producers of juices and dairy products with the latest international standards, as well as reduce the financial costs of the food industry, and standardize and facilitate control procedures for these products in the markets.
He added that the development of control mechanisms for dairy products, juices and beverages, was aimed at supporting the concepts of quality production according to the best international practices, especially that some of these products are perishable and with short shelf life.
Emirates Quality Marks (EQM)
He also welcomed the strong demand of the suppliers to join the EQM System. The total number of products with the EQM in general reached about 73 thousand products, registered within one of the most important national conformity scheme, which guarantee the quality of production, enhance consumer confidence, and increase safety in the community.
The companies and production lines that have recently achieved the EQM belong to five continents, Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America, for companies that have international brands for the production of juices, beverages, milk, dairy products, and bottled drinking water.
He said that the ESMA is working in the light of the vision of the wise leadership, in order that our country is a symbol of regional and international levels in the transition to a knowledge - based and innovation economy. We are encouraging high value added sectors, and no doubt that raising the quality of products, with the efficiency of production lines, in line with this targets and even helps the factories to compete strongly, and win consumer satisfaction.
EQM Updates
In another context, he also informed the press that ESMA has made some updates on the mechanism of implementation of the UAE system for the control of milk and dairy products and the UAE system for the control of juices and beverages. The technical evaluation of the facility has been replaced by the acceptance of health certificates issued by countries that have adopted safety regulations food and hygiene requirements and good manufacturing practices by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in the UAE .
He confirmed that the latest updates have been made in consultation with the partners of ESMA from major suppliers and have been developed to serve smooth transactions for industry and trade, and provide time, effort and money to companies in support of the business sector and to lead our national economy .
He added that the mandatory application of juices, beverages, milk and dairy products will contribute to improving the quality of the national product and the products imported from abroad to the UAE market, thus enhancing the concepts of consumer protection.
Best standards
HE Al-Maeeni thanked the companies that have achieved the EQM for their keenness to apply the best international and local quality standards in their product lines, products and their pursuit of the EQM. He pointed out that the products that receive the EQM are distinguished products and are more confident consumers as a result of their conformity with their specifications and technical requirements.
The EQM System aims at implementing the UAE's leading practices in production, storage, transport and supply in a manner that supports the national economy through upgrading the concept of quality and conforming to approved specifications. It also enhances the competitiveness of national products at local, regional and international levels.
Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA) is the federal authority accredited by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to practice administrative responsibilities by unifying management, supervision and coordination of standards, metrology, and quality control. The Authority's policy is drawn up by a Board of Directors headed by a Minister, comprising representatives of the relevant federal and local government authorities.
The Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) established as a financially and administratively independent federal body under Federal Law No. 28 of 2001. The Board of Directors is chaired by Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansouri, Minister of Economy. The Authority provides standards, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation services in accordance with international requirements and practices. The Authority has developed the services and increased the performance to an equivalent international bodies level providing similar Standardization services.
For inquiries or further information, please contact:
Mr. Mohamed Osman
Mohamed.o@esma.gov.ae
Media@esma.gov.ae
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