Imports into Egypt

• Textiles imports into Egypt

  Legal situation
  
  According to Ministry of Foreign Trade and Industry Decree 161/2004 issued on 26.09.2004, any foreign company willing to import textiles or ready-made garments into Egypt must first register its factories in a Registry established at the General Organisation for Import and Export Control (GOIEC). This Decree cancelled Ministry of Foreign Trade Decree 68/2004, which established certain labour and environmental standards to be met by factories trying to register (these standards are no longer requested).
  
  The registration request should be submitted by the legal representative of the company or by the importer supported by the following certified documents, specified in Article 2 of the said Decree:
  
  • a copy of the factory’s license;
  • a certificate specifying the legal entity of the factory and its products;
  • product trademark and trademarks used under license of the owners;
  • a certificate verifying that a quality control system is applied by the factory, provided that it is issued by any of the agencies certified by the Higher Council of Accreditation.
  
  Procedures
  
  In order to be registered at GOIEC's registry, the companies should send a request (by fax if possible) addressed to Mr. Mohamed El Bana, Chairman of GOIEC, including the name and address of the factories they want to register, in addition to the documents listed in the Decree.
  
  EU factories have been exempted by the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry from the obligation to submit the documents included in Article 2 of the Decree. EU factories located in third countries (i.e. China, India, Turkey…) should follow the whole process mentioned in the Decree and present the documents listed in Article 2.
  
  Therefore, if the company's factory is located in the EU they just have to send by fax the name and address of the factory and will be register within 24/48 hours.
  
  The fact that factories and not companies are the ones to be registered at GOIEC means that the company must register each one of its factories manufacturing textiles or ready-made garments to be exported to Egypt.
  
  The fax number of Mr. El Bana is +20 2 575 07 49.
  
  Quality control certificate
  
  Article 2 of MFTI Decree 161/2004 establishes as precondition for registration the submission of a certificate verifying that a quality control system is applied by the factory, provided that it is issued by any of the agencies certified by the Higher Council of Accreditation.
  
  On 11.05.2005 the Delegation received an official letter sent by the Chairman of the Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC) informing that it would be accepted from the factory applying for registration to submit the above mentioned certificate, issued by any of the agencies accredited by a National Accreditation Body (NAB) provided that this NAB is a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
  
  Therefore, In order to obtain the certificate verifying that a quality control system is applied by the factory, the company should proceed as follows:
  • go to the IAF-website (www.iaf.nu) to get the list of National Accreditation Bodies (NABs)
  • contact a NAB and get the list of authorised agencies to issue the quality control system certificate
  • get the certificate from the agency and present it to GOIEC
   

  • MOFT Decree 161-2004 cancelling Decree 68-2004