GSO Board of Directors in its 10th meeting (Muscat, 24 May 2009) approved the Technical Regulation for Gulf Conformity Marking. In pursuance of reducing the technical barriers of trade and facilitating the free movement of commodities across borders within the GCC member states, the Gulf Conformity Marking has been devised as a principle mean to realize those targets. The marking is not a quality mark, but rather a marking that signifies the conformity of products at least to the essential requirements of health, safety and environment. Affixing of GCC conformity marking is compulsory for products categories that will be the subject of GCC Technical Regulations. Priority has been given to regulations pertaining to toys and low voltage devices.
Low Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances(BD-142004-01)
Generally electrical equipment means all electrical and electronic devices and appliances and fixtures that contain electrical and/or electronic components designed for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1000 V for alternating current and between 75 and 1500 V for direct current, other than the electrical equipment and phenomena listed in Annex (2). According to List No. (2): TC143307-01, the following 13 categories of electrical equipment and appliances are subjected to the CAP in Annex (4) of the GSO LV TR and require Gulf Type Examination certification by a Notified Body:
1. Domestic Electrical Fans
2. Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigerating or freezing equipment [up to 30 cubic feet = 850 liters]
3. Centrifugal clothes dryers and Clothes washing machines, including machines which both wash and dry [up to 12 kg]
4. Food grinders and mixers, fruit or vegetable juice extractors.
5. Toasters
6. Electro-thermic hair-dressing apparatus and hand dryers
7. Domestic electric heating apparatus
8. Microwave ovens
9. Other ovens; cookers, cooking plates, boiling rings, grillers and roasters
10. Electric instantaneous or storage water heaters and immersion heaters [appliances up to 200 liters]
11. Electric smoothing irons
12. Plugs, Socket outlets, Adaptors, Cord Extension Sets and chargers
13. Air conditioners
The below listed equipment and phenomena are outside the scope of this technical regulation (Annex 2):
1. Electrical equipment for use in an explosive atmosphere
2. Electrical equipment for radiology and medical purposes
3. Electrical parts for goods and passenger lifts
4. Electricity meters
5. Electric fence controllers
6. Radio-electrical interference
7. Specialized electrical equipment, for use on ships, aircraft or railways, which complies with the safety provisions drawn up by International Bodies in which the Member States participate.
GCC Technical Regulation for Children’s Toys (BD-131704-01) had been enforced in two phases: January 1st 2014 for non-chemicals and July 15th 2015, it had been fully enforced that all Children Toys products
manufactured in and/or imported to the Gulf States (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Yemen) shall have the G Marking and fulfil the applicable requirements listed under the technical regulation (BD-131704-01).
Is a symbol granted by GSO, representing the Gulf Conformity Marking along with numerals annotated underneath, being a four digit Notified Body identification number and a QR code for traceability and tracking
which is generated by the GSO certificate tracking system. On satisfactory completion of the Product Certification, Notified Body shall issue to the applicant the Product Certificate which authorizes the applicant to apply and obtain the G-Marking for the product by registering the product on GSO system.
The G-Marking shall be displayed on the main product and on the packaging by the manufacturer, his authorized representative, or the importer.
