General Standards
Standards organizations
The main standardization body of Iraq is the Central Organization of Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC). COSQC is responsible for monitoring product standards in the country. The agency consists of three directorates: Directorate of Standardization, Directorate of Quality Control and Directorate of Administrative and Technical services.
COSQC's main functions are the following:
- Prepare and adopt standards
- Grant quality marks and certificates of conformity
- Monitor the quality of local and imported products
- Calibrate tools and measurement equipment
- Hall marking gold and precious metals
- Register patents and industrial samples
- Represent Iraq in the international organizations (Iraq is a member of the International Organization for Standardization)
Conformity Assessment
Product conformity assessment at the Standardization and Quality Control Administration (KSQCA) is done through SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance) and Bureau Veritas testing services. At present, KSQCA is assessing other companies from Germany, Denmark and Switzerland to implement the program.
Product Certification
Product certification is applied according to Iraqi standards. Iraq accepts other internationally recognized standards such as ASTM, ISO, ANSI, but officially the country's government requires strict compliance with Iraq standards in the import inspection regime.
Product certification takes place through a Pre-Importation Inspection, Testing, and Certification of Goods into Iraq (ICIGI). COSQC requires regulated imports to be inspected for conformity to the relevant Iraqi standards and technical requirements. Regulated goods that enter the Iraqi Kurdistan Region need a Certificate of Conformity.
A pre-importation inspection is not required, if the imported products have the original Certificate of Conformity issued by the production source.
Accreditation
The national accreditation body of Iraq is the Iraqi Accreditation Systems (IQAS). The Ministry of Planning plans to build five national laboratories within the COSQC for accreditation.
Labeling and Marking
Load entering Iraq should be well stabilized, secured and have the contents concealed. Marking should be applied directly on the box, rather than on removable tags. The country of origin should be clearly indicated.
The expiration date and the date of manufacture of canned food products has to be printed on the packaging.
The ingredients of pharmaceutical products must be clearly printed on the packaging. Pesticide labeling must be in Arabic and English.
Contacts
Central Organization of Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC's)
Website: http://cosqc.gov.iq/en/home.aspx
E-mail: cosqc@yahoo.com
Address: Ministry of Science and Technology, Street ALJadriya, IQ-Baghdad
Tel: +964 1-776-1980
Fax: +964 1-776-1981
