General Standards
JSMO is the official recognized body in Jordan for the preparation and publication of Jordanian Standards. It establishes trade standards and international standards regulations for international importers/exporters in order to protect the country’s market and rise economy.
There are two main types of trade standards which exist on the territory of Jordan. These are:
- Mandatory standards: These standards cover products, which affect consumers’ health and safety, such as food products, chemical detergents, electrical equipment and personal safety equipment.
- Optional standards: Optional for manufacturers and importers, examples include furniture products, clothes, textile and shoes.
PRODUCTS CERTIFICATION
JSMO operates product and system certification programs. The process to receive a quality mark is divided into four stages:
- application procedure;
- assessment procedure;
- certification procedure;
- surveillance procedure.
Details on the procedure can be found at www.jsmo.gov.jo
In order to sell products on the Jordan market, all the international importers and exporters are required to have a products certification whenever their product is covered by specific product legislation. Product certification legislation offers manufacturers a number of choices and requires decisions to determine which safety/health concerns need to be addressed, which conformity assessment module is best suited to the manufacturing process.
The products certification is primarily for the benefit of the national control authorities, and its use simplifies the task of essential market surveillance of regulated products.
The products certification is not intended to include detailed technical information on the product, but there must be enough information to enable the inspector to trace the product back to the manufacturer or the authorized representative. This detailed information should not appear next to the products certifice, but rather on the declaration of conformity (which the manufacturer or authorized agent must be able to provide at any time, together with the product's technical file), or the documents accompanying the product.
ACCREDITATION
Imported goods subject to mandatory standards require verification through laboratory testing in Jordan. JSMO undertakes these responsibilities by cooperating with official parties (the approved labs) such as Ministry of Health labs, JSMO’s labs, Amman Municipality labs, National Center for Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer/Ministry of Agriculture labs and Royal Scientific Society (RSS), all of which perform the inspection and testing of the delivered samples from the control department.
LABELING REQUIREMENTS
Imported products must comply with labeling and marking requirements issued by the Institute of Standards and Metrology and relevant government ministries.
There are strict requirements governing the labeling of dairy foods, baby foods, canned foods, vinegar, beverages, edible oil and fats and gourmet powder (defined as an article containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and used for food seasoning) that must be met.
Food products must be approved and registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When seeking registration importers must supply two samples of each product, details of the exact composition by percentage of each ingredient, and six labels. Foodstuffs in sealed containers are also subject to specific regulations.
Food products imported into Jordan must be labeled in Arabic and display the following information for consumers:
- name and brand of the product (both generic and trade);
- registration number;
- name and address of the manufacturer;
- name and address of the importer;
- date of manufacturing and expiry;
- net weight and volume;
- any additives used;
- health and nutritional claims (if any).
Labels for alcoholic beverages must display the percentage of alcohol content. There must also be a health warning, printed in Arabic, on the label or on a sticker, with specific government-approved wording.
Regulations also govern the labeling on cosmetic products. Generally a local agent or importer can help to register a product and ensure labeling requirements are met.
SPECIAL CERTIFICATES
The government of Jordan pays a great attention on the safety of the local market. Certain goods require pre-import clearance and additional certificates that has to be presented before the product is delivered in Jordan. The goods and the relevant issuing agency are:
- Arms and ammunitions, explosives, switch-blade knives, fuel-operated toy cars, remote control operated toy planes, electric and electronic games for commercial use, self-defense electric tools - Ministry of Interior/Public Security Directorate;
- Artesian well drills - Ministry of Water and Irrigation;
- Colour photocopiers - Central Bank of Jordan;
- Decoders and satellite receivers - Jordan Radio & Television Corporation;
- Flour and its by-products - Ministry of Industry and Trade;
- Frozen animal semen, live animals, fresh/chilled/frozen meat, embalmed wild animals, imported milk products - Ministry of Agriculture;
- Halogenous materials, Freon Gas - Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and the Environment;
- Medical drugs and antibiotics, food supplements for athletes, potassium bromide, food dyes, asbestos pipes and panels, frozen ice cream, baby food and milk, laser pens, oxygen and nitrogen oxide - Ministry of Health;
- Military clothing - Jordan Armed Forces;
- Postal clearing devices - Ministry of Information & Communication Technology;
- Potatoes, onions, garlic, fresh fruit and vegetables - Agricultural Marketing Corporation;
- Radioactive materials and uranium - Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources;
- Small monitoring cameras - Military Security;
- Wireless receivers and broadcast stations, wireless alarm devices, remote control devices (including motor, garage, window and shutter control; excluding television and video devices), site mapping equipment, wireless receivers and broadcast devices, cellular-phone equipment, wireless microphones, communication terminals, remote control toy-planes (also to be cleared by the Public Security Department of the Ministry of the Interior), mobile TV equipment - Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.
For the import of used electronic equipment (including photocopiers, refrigerators, freezers and pumps), used gas water heaters and gas ovens, the following conditions apply:
- be in suitable, usable condition;
- conform to Jordanian and international standards;
- be free of any substances, which may negatively affect the environment and the ozone layer;
- importer must supply a certificate from manufacturing company proving the equipment is under three years old, if a manufacturer's certificate cannot be produced, shipment must be accompanied by a certificate from the selling agent in the exporting country;
- new spare parts must comprise 10 per cent of shipment by value.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
- Commercial Invoice
The original commercial invoice including value, weight and other relevant details is required. If the invoice is not written in Arabic then the importer must translate the information into Arabic e.g. hand writing directly onto the invoice.
- Bill of Lading/Airway Bill
In accordance with the customs law, every customs declaration must include maritime or airway bill of lading.
- Certificate of Origin
The certificate of origin issued by the relevant authority in the exporter's local area is required. The original commercial invoice and certificate of origin must be attested by the local Chamber of Commerce in the country of origin and should be notarised by the Jordanian Diplomatic mission in the country of origin. If there is no diplomatic mission then the certification by the local chamber of commerce is sufficient.
- Insurance
Usually arranged by the importer.
- Weights and Measures
The metric system.
CONTACTS
Jordan Customs Department
P.O. Box 90, Amman, Jordan
Telephone: 962-6-462-3186/8; 462-4394/6
Fax: 962-6-464-7791
Email: customs@customs.gov.jo
Web-site: www.customs.gov.jo
