The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosts a robust ecosystem of government platforms and entities designed to streamline import and export operations. Leading examples include the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) and the SABER platform.
SASO is a government body established to develop and implement standards and specifications aimed at ensuring the quality and safety of products, commodities, and services provided within the Kingdom. SASO plays a vital role in consumer protection, enhancing competitiveness, and supporting the national economy by drafting, developing, and approving technical regulations. Additionally, the organization verifies product safety, combats commercial fraud, and promotes quality awareness among both producers and consumers.
The GSO is a regional government organization serving the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is specialized in developing and implementing unified Gulf standards and technical regulations. Its primary objective is to achieve technical integration among GCC countries to facilitate intra-regional trade and protect consumers from unsafe products. The GSO also ensures product conformity and represents the GCC in international forums.
The SFDA is an independent Saudi government entity responsible for regulating and monitoring food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices. The authority aims to guarantee the safety and quality of these products to protect public health. All food, drug, and regulated products must be registered and undergo monitoring before they can be launched in the Saudi market.
ZATCA is the government body responsible for collecting customs duties, fees, and taxes on goods and products imported to or exported from the Kingdom. The authority monitors the flow of goods across borders to ensure compliance with Saudi Arabian laws and standard regulations. Furthermore, ZATCA approves specific customs tariffs for each category of commodity, whether imported or exported.
Saber is an electronic platform that connects importers or local manufacturers with conformity assessment bodies to issue the required Certificates of Conformity. It manages product tracking and market access through tools that expedite application procedures, linking them to relevant authorities to enhance beneficiary satisfaction. Saber is fully integrated with ZATCA, significantly accelerating the clearance process for shipments entering the Saudi market.
The Unified Electronic System (GHAD) was launched by the SFDA as a successor to the previous “eCosma” platform, which was used for food and drug registration until March 2023. While GHAD was initially limited to medical device permits, its scope has since expanded to include the registration of all cosmetic products, whether imported or locally manufactured within the Kingdom.
Fasah is a digital system through which importers submit import requests for goods and products arriving in Saudi Arabia. The platform aims to simplify import procedures and facilitate the entry of products that comply with Saudi-approved technical standards and specifications into the local market.