United Arab Emirates · Global Market Access
Entering the UAE Market: ECAS
Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme — mandatory for products within its scope.
United Arab Emirates- Market
- United Arab Emirates
- Site
- Middle East and Africa
- Mark
- ECAS
01What is it?
ECAS (Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme) is the mandatory conformity assessment scheme for products within scope in the UAE. It requires product registration and obtaining a certificate.
02Why Does This Scheme Exist?
The United Arab Emirates' mandatory conformity arrangement ties the import and placing on the market of certain product groups to product registration and conformity assessment. The scope concentrates in groups where risk is considered high: electrical products, toys, construction materials, cosmetics and food contact products.
The function of the arrangement is to form the PRECONDITION of import: a product within scope cannot be cleared from customs without its registration and certificate of conformity. The process must therefore be placed at the very start of commercial planning; a registration begun while the shipment is under way does not solve the delay.
The evidence rests on accredited laboratory reports and the technical file; foreign test reports are as a rule accepted and this makes the arrangement one of the most flexible regimes in the region. As a result of the assessment a certificate of conformity is issued for the product.
The scope and registration platforms DIVERGE by product group: electrical products, cosmetics and food contact products may be administered through different systems. Assuming that a single registration covers all groups is incorrect.
The application is made through a party established in the country and the Arabic label requirement applies. Additional local requirements may also exist at emirate level; federal registration does not take their place.
03Whose Obligation?
The obligation lies with the party placing the product on the UAE market; registration and application are made through an importer or representative established in the UAE.
04Required Documents
- A test report to GSO or UAE national standards
- Product description and model list
- Technical file
- A sample Arabic label
- Importer registration details
05Process
- 01Scope DeterminationIt is determined which legislation and marking scope the product falls under in the target market. This step defines the entire process; getting it wrong wastes all subsequent work.
- 02Determining Applicable StandardsThe standards accepted by the market and any national deviations are identified. The same IEC standard may apply with different deviations in different markets.
- 03Establishing the Test PlanIt is assessed which part of existing test reports will be accepted; missing tests are planned. A CB Scheme report, if available, reduces retesting.
- 04Local Party and RegistrationIf the market requires an established representative, importer or applicant, this party is designated and the necessary registrations are made.
- 05Tests and Technical FileTests are conducted and the technical file is prepared. Some markets require testing to be performed within their own country.
- 06Certification or DeclarationDepending on the market's regime, a manufacturer's declaration is drawn up or a certificate is obtained from the authorised body; a factory audit is carried out if required.
- 07Marking and LabellingThe mark and label are applied according to the market's format and language rules. The language requirement is checked at customs in most markets.
- 08Shipment and CustomsIf a pre-shipment document is required, it is obtained; the document set to be presented at customs is completed.
06Points to Watch
- The scope list is updated according to product group
- ECAS is mandatory; EQM is a voluntary quality mark
- G-Mark does not take the place of ECAS
- The certificate is presented at customs
07Neighbouring Schemes and the Difference
- 01Mandatory registration and the voluntary quality markThe mandatory arrangement is a precondition of import; the quality mark is an instrument of commercial advantage and requires factory inspection. Neither satisfies the other.
- 02ECAS and G-MarkThe Gulf common mark applies to some product groups but does not take the place of national registration.
- 03Separate platforms by product groupElectrical products, cosmetics and food contact products may be administered through different registration systems; assuming a single registration is incorrect.
- 04Federal registration and emirate-level requirementsAdditional local requirements may exist at emirate level; federal registration does not remove them.
08Scheme Detail
There is no separate certification page for this mark; the scope and process are as described on this page. The roadmap specific to your product is provided in writing at the quote stage.
09Other Marks in the United Arab Emirates Market
10Frequently Asked Questions
This section's content is being prepared. The roadmap specific to your product and target market at the quote stage in writing.
The certification timeline varies with the product, the required test workload, sample shipping time and the authority's workload; for this reason, no duration in days or weeks is given on these pages. The main factors determining the timeline are: whether testing must be performed in the target country, whether a factory audit is required, the time to appoint a local representative, and the current maturity of the technical file. A realistic timeline for your product is provided in writing at the quote stage.
Market access regimes change frequently: scope lists are updated, transition periods are extended, new requirements are added. These pages describe the structure of the regime and who bears the obligation; the applicable scope and dates for your product are confirmed from the current legislative text at the quote stage.
United Arab Emirates · ECAS roadmap for
Tell us about your product; we'll share the required steps, documents and timeline in writing.