2011 Bahrain Country Commercial Guide - US - Export.gov

comment on proposed foreign technical regulations that can affect your access to
international markets. Register online at Internet URL: http://www.nist.gov/notifyus/
Conformity Assessment Return to top
The Standards and Metrology Directorate has established an office in Khalifa Bin
Salman Port in the Customs Department to check and approve all regulated products
before they enter the market. Currently, controlled products include the following:
1. Tires
2. Car batteries
3. Asbestos
4. Toys
5. Plastic bags
6. Tissue papers
7. Electric Appliances
8. Cosmetics, etc.
Product Certification Return to top
A product certificate is required to assure the product‘s conformity to international or
Bahrain/GCC standards.
Accreditation Return to top
In 1977 a law for measures of mass, length, and volume was published making the use
of the kilogram mandatory. In 1979, the use of the meter in the textile trade and land
registration was also made mandatory.
In 1978, Bahrain joined the Arab Organization for Standardization and Metrology
(ASMO), now the Arab Center for Standards and Metrology within the Arab Organization
for Industrial Development and Mining (AIDMO). Bahrain and the other Gulf States then
established the Standardization and Metrology Organization for GCC States (GSMO) in
1984.
At the International level, Bahrain joined the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO), and the International Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML) in
1984 as a correspondent member.
In 1985, a law for Standards and Metrology was passed giving the primary responsibility
for standards to the Ministry Of Commerce. In 1988, the Directorate of Standards and
Metrology at the Ministry of Commerce was officially established in Bahrain to act as a
national Standards body.
The Directorate has been implementing quality development activities since 1996. An
ongoing project in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO) aims to provide assistance and consulting to local companies as
they implement the ISO 9001 Standard. In 1999, the Directorate began implementing
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