2011 Bahrain Country Commercial Guide - US - Export.gov

Customs Regulations and Contact Information Return to top
For more information, contact the Bahraini Directorate of Customs Affairs at:
Bahrain Customs Directorate
Customs Affairs – Ministry of Interior,
Sh. Khalifa Bin Salman Road
Hidd, Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +973 17 359 999
E-mail: info@customs.gov.bh
Website: http://www.bahraincustoms.gov.bh/
Standards Return to top
Overview
Standards Organizations
Conformity Assessment
Product Certification
Accreditation
Publication of Technical Regulations
Labeling and Marking
Contacts
Overview Return to top
As part of the GCC Customs Union, member countries are working toward unified food
standards –targeted for adoption by 2013, the project has been postponed. However,
each country currently applies either its own standard or a GCC standard, which can
cause confusion for businesses.
Bahraini standards are required to meet national requirements (safety, quality, and
fitness for purpose), as prepared by the respective technical committees. Most often,
Bahraini standards are adoptions of international or Gulf standards and the development
of standards in Bahrain is based on the following principles: a) no Bahraini standard is to
be developed if there is an identical draft Gulf standard in existence, b) developing new
Bahraini standards must not create trade barriers.
The total number of Gulf standards adopted as Bahraini standards currently stands at
1,020, out of which 520 are mandatory and 500 are voluntary. There are also
approximately 201 draft Gulf standards in the pipeline. In March 2010, GCC Finance
Ministers agreed to establish a committee to oversee and speed up the process to unify
Gulf Standards. In November of 2011, the Finance Minister declared that the GCC
Secretariat will oversee the fast tracking of the Unified Gulf Standards.
Bahrain‘s Standards and Metrology Directorate (BSMD) is a government institution
within the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. It is responsible, in accordance with
Legislative Decree No. 16 of 1985 on Standards and Metrology, as amended by
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