GSO Technical Council approves 461 Gulf Standards and Technical Regulations
His Excellency Mr. Saud bin Nasser Al-Khasibi, President of the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), pointed out that GSO Technical Council approved, in its fifty-fifth meeting, a new set of Gulf standards for a number of commodities and products, which amounted to (451) Gulf standards covering different sectors.
He added that the Council agreed to approve (10) Gulf Technical Regulations, and approved the translation of (30) Gulf standards.
H.E. President of GSO pointed out that the meeting of the Technical Council reviewed a number of important projects, discussed a number of issues related to standardization activity, and approved a number of decisions supporting the process of cooperation between member states in the field of standardization, including the draft Gulf technical regulation for water conservation tools, and recommended that it is submitted to the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs for endorsement, to be eventually implemented at the beginning of 2024.
His Excellency GSO President stated that the Technical Council also discussed expanding the implementation of the Gulf Technical Regulation for Low-Voltage Electrical Appliances and Equipment to include additional types of household electrical appliances; as well as the Draft Gulf Technical Regulation for Machines, Safety Components and Lifting Equipment, and the Draft Gulf Technical Regulation for the Prohibition of Hazardous Materials In Electrical And Electronic Appliances And Equipment, in addition to Draft Gulf Technical Regulations For Electromagnetic Compatibility, and decided to assign the Gulf Committee for Conformity Assessment to finalize all comments of member states on these Drafts, with a view to present them at the next meeting of the Technical Council.
H.E. expressed his happiness on Council approval of the request of the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control in the Republic of Iraq to join the membership of the Gulf Metrology Association as an Associate Member.
GSO President indicated that the Technical Council welcomed the invitation made by His Excellency Engineer Omar bin Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in the United Arab Emirates, for the participation of member states in the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP28, which is hosted by the United Arab Emirates, in the city of Dubai during the period from 30 November to 12 December 2023. The Council affirmed to render all forms of backing and support by the member states to the Conference, in a way that contributes to the success of this event.
The Technical Council also took note of the current status of the implementation of the strategic plan 2021-2025, and approved the GSO Balance Sheet for the fiscal year and recommended that it is submitted to the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs for endorsement. The Council also approved the Draft Agenda for the fifth meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs, due to be held in Muscat on 11 May, 2023.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Technical Council, represented by the Heads of the Standardization Bodies in the Member States, highly valued the great efforts made by H.E. Dr. Saleh bin Saeed bin Salim Masin, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Trade and Industry, and His Excellency Mr. Imad bin Khamis Al Shukaili – Director General of the Directorate General of Standards and Metrology in the Sultanate of Oman, for their distinguished management of the works of the meeting, and expressed thanks and appreciation to the Sultanate of Oman for the excellent hosting of the meeting, and to GSO for good coordination and preparation.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Council honored His Excellency Mr. Khamis bin Abdullah Al-Farsi, former Director General of the Directorate General of Standards and Metrology in the Sultanate of Oman, and thanked and appreciated his distinguished efforts and active contributions to the work of the Technical Council and standardization activities in the GSO Member States, during his participation as a representative of the Sultanate of Oman in the Technical Council.
The meeting was hosted by the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Directorate General of Standards and Metrology at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; on 02-03 May, 2023. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Dr. Saleh bin Saeed bin Salem Masen, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and participation of all representatives of the Member States, and with presence of H.E. GSO President and a representative of the General Secretariat of the GCC Cooperation Council.
