In 2019 the Government of the Republic of Ivory Coast implemented a verification of conformity (VOC) program for exports to the country. SGS, as a Certified Body awarding Certificates of Conformity (CoC), plays a vital role in helping exporters to full compliance and straightforward and speedy trading in the Ivory Coast.
By signing Decree No. 2017-567 of September 6, 2017, the Government of the Republic of Ivory Coast decided to set up a VOC program. It is a solution designed to ensure that specific products meet the requirements of technical regulations or standards set by the Regulatory Authority of Ivory Coast. This program was implemented on July 1, 2019 and currently remains in force for bills of lading (BL), air waybills (AWB) or any other transport documents (for road or train). The minimum threshold for a shipment to be subject to the VOC is XOF 1,000,000 or EUR 1,525.
In this issue of the PCA Newsletter, we will answer key and frequent questions:
As part of this program, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (MCIPPME) requires that goods imported into Ivory Coast be subject to verification of their compliance with mandatory standards. This is to ensure that these goods conform with national, international, regional standards and technical regulations approved by Ivory Coast. Regulated goods, new as well as second-hand, intended for sale on the Ivorian market are therefore subject to the VOC.
However, not all goods are subject to VOC. Therefore, the MCIPPME has published a list of goods which are included.
The program’s objectives are to:
Operationally, the process, the assessment methods (Routes) and the list of products exempted under the VOC program are as follows:
With regard to materials used by local industry, manufacturers should have them pre-registered with the VOC program Monitoring Committee, in order to be eligible for an exemption over a period of 12 months. During the operational phase of the program which began on July 1, 2019, this is mandatory for all products contained in the list of regulated products. This list is available on the official website of the Ministry of Commerce: www.commerce.gouv.ci.
The VOC is a program qualified for an “Exporting Country,” i.e., the entire conformity assessment procedure must take place in the country of departure of the goods. It is strongly recommended that exporters first obtain their CoC before shipping their goods to Ivory Coast.
For imports of goods and merchandise in the Republic of Ivory Coast, two mandatory application programs have been put in place by the government: namely the Advance Cargo Information program (ACI) and the Pre-shipment Verification of Conformity program (VOC).
The Ivorian Shipper’s Authority (OIC) has the public service concession under the decree n°95-820 dated September 29, 1995 and the ACI program is established by Ministerial order n° 340 dated November 12, 2001. SGS is the technical support for this program.
The ACI has the provision to offer online monitoring of cargoes on ships as well as the freight rate, while the VOC ensures that the goods imported into the Republic of Ivory Coast comply with the standards and technical regulations in force.
Thus, these two programs each have a specific and distinct scope.
No, fees cannot be paid in the Republic of Ivory Coast. These costs are borne by the exporter. Below is a summary of the costs:
| Route | Compliance verification fee applied to free on board (FOB) value | Minimum (EUR) | Maximum (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0.45% | 300 | 4,092 |
| B | 0.40% | 285 | 3,887 |
| C | 0.27% | 255 | 3,478 |
You need to do both. Routine physical inspections will be done on a quarterly basis for shipments benefiting from Route B, and on a semi-annual basis for shipments benefiting from Route C.
Yes, voluntary certification is allowed under the VOC program in force in Ivory Coast for goods not subject to the VOC, and for shipments below the minimum threshold.
Learn more about Ivory Coast – Verification of Conformity (VOC).
This article can also be found in our PCA Newsletter (Q3/2022) – which keeps you up to date with developments in technical barriers to trade and product conformity assessment.
Q3/2022
Q2/2022
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For more information, please contact:
Sosthene Compaore
Contract Manager
Trade Facilitation Services, SGS
t: +225 07 7874 9758
