The Kingdom of Morocco has further strengthened the requirements of the 2020 Conformity Verification Program (VOC) in which the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Green Economy and Digital (MICEVN) establishes the obligation to certify industrial products that reach its borders. In addition to the improvements to the previous standards, new additional standards and requirements have been added to the list of regulated products that will be mandatory as of June 17, 2021 and that will require certification in the country of origin or destination depending on the kind of product.
Given its strategic location, Morocco is an important and attractive destination market for the Spanish economy. It is the leading trading partner and entry point for 56% of Spanish exports to Africa, according to an ICEX report. These regulatory updates are crucial to ensure that safe products with a quality guaranteed by official bodies are imported into Morocco. Another concern of the Moroccan government is that local companies can compete with international companies ensuring that the requirements are the same for both.
The regulation standard affects a wide range of industrial products such as household appliances, electrical products, chemical products, plastic materials, construction materials, children’s toys, furniture, automotive components, among others. Currently MICEVN has updated the destination inspection list which now includes footwear, clothing and certain types of inner tubes. These products will need the certificate of conformity to enter the Moroccan market that ensures the requirements imposed by the Government.
TÜV Rheinland provides Spanish industrialists with the possibility of exporting under complex regulatory requirements. As the authorized inspection body for the Moroccan VoC program, its mission is: “to verify that the goods subject to import comply with the national standards defined by MICEVN,” said Fares Naouri, senior vice president of government inspections and international trade at TÜV Rheinland. , “The expansion of mandatory standards is in line with MICEVN’s ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of Moroccan consumers,” added Fares Naouri.