GSO Technical Council approves 107 Gulf standards
His Excellency Mr. Saud bin Nasser Al-Khusaibi, President of the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), stated that the Technical Council of GSO adopted, in its fifty-fourth meeting, a new set of Gulf standards for a number of commodities and products, which amounted to (107) Gulf standards covering different sectors.
He pointed out that the Technical Council meeting was held under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Imad bin Khamis Al Shukaili – Director General of the General Directorate of Standards and Metrology of the Ministry of Commerce and Investment Promotion in the Sultanate of Oman, Chairman of the current session of the Council.
He added that the Council reviewed a number of important projects, and discussed a number of issues related to standards, conformity, metrology etc., and concluded with a number of resolutions supporting the process of cooperation between member states in the field of standardization.
He added that the Council, which held its meeting on 28 February 2023 at the headquarters of GSO in Riyadh, approved the plans of the Gulf standards technical committees for the year 2023, and approved converting the Gulf Technical Sub-Committee for Tobacco Products Standards into a main technical committee.
His Excellency the President of GSO stated that the Council adopted the updated legal metrology guides, notably the guide to metrological supervision, the guide to control procedures for prepackaged containers, the guide to authorizing verification and inspection authorities for measuring instruments subject to metrological control, in addition to the guide for type approval procedures for measuring instruments subject to metrological control. The Council also agreed to organize the second Gulf Metrology Forum.
The Council approved a set of resolutions regarding the launch of the electronic platform for the Rapid System for the exchange of information and reports about product safety and recall procedures (Aajel), as well as studying the development of a platform to automate the procedures for implementing the unified Gulf standards, in addition to the technical procedures for the appropriate mechanisms for the implementation of the single point of entry.
It is worthwhile mentioning that the meeting was preceded by two workshops, the first of which discussed the “strategic review” of the level of progress in implementing the strategic plan for the year 2022. It also dealt with reviewing the strategic goals, performance indicators and targets for the period 2023-2025, in a way that meets the directions and aspirations of member states.
While the second workshop dealt with the “Unified Financial System for Standardization Activities” with the aim of promoting the unification of technical regulation, addressing national constraints for standardization services that hinder the completion of the remaining steps for the inauguration of the Gulf Customs Union, and reducing the gap between national standardization bodies in standardization services and supporting the quality infrastructure in Member states, benefiting from the capabilities and achievements of successful member states, keeping pace with them, supporting them, and adopting them on the Gulf level. Such a step will guarantee the sustainability of GSO’s services, hence ensuring the implementation of the decisions of the GCC Supreme Council to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade and accomplishing the requirements of the Gulf common market and economic unity 2025.
At the meeting, His Excellency the President of GSO thanked the members of GSO Technical Council and the Gulf delegations for accepting the invitation and participating effectively in the various activities of GSO, stressing the importance of the partnership with national standardization bodies to achieve the GSO mission in promoting integration and interdependence among the member states. His Excellency also extended his thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Dr. Saad Bin Othman Al-Qasabi, Governor of the Saudi Organization for Standardization, Metrology and Quality (SASO) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for chairing the last session of the Council.
The Technical Council, which consists of Their Excellencies, Heads of Standardization Bodies in the Member States, hailed the distinguished effort made by the Chairman of the current session of the Council, His Excellency Mr. Imad bin Khamis Al-Shukaili, Director General of the Directorate General of Standards and Metrology, Sultanate of Oman, for managing the meeting.
The Council also expressed its thanks and appreciation to GSO for the good preparation; appreciating the efforts exerted by GSO in implementing the resolutions of the Council, and putting them into practice to serve the standardization activities in the Member States.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Council hosted His Excellency Mr. Abdullah bin Abdul Qadir Al-Muaini, former Director General of the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). The Council thanked Mr. Al-Muaini, appreciating his distinguished efforts and active contributions to the work of the Technical Council, and standardization activities in the GCC States, during his term of office as a representative of the United Arab Emirates in the Technical Council.
