Iraqi Quality Control
The Iraqi Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC) has implemented controls to ensure that products will be inspected and tested before they are imported into Iraq. The aim is to spot products that may be fake, or of inferior quality that do not conform to the necessary standards, before they enter Iraq in order to protect customers, producers, the environment, and public safety.
COI Certificate
The Iraqi Certificate of Inspection (COI) is an alternate method to the Certificate of Conformity (COC) of obtaining authorisation to export good to Iraq.
All goods that are listed in the control catalogue that are exported to Iraq have to be certified with an accompanying COC (Certificate of Conformity). For these goods, the Iraqi COC is a compulsory certificate which has to be applied for by the exporter in order to achieve customs clearance in Iraq. The controlled products include 6 categories; food, chemical, engineering, textile, construction and safety products, and extends to nearly 1,000 variations.
However, if the exporter needs to issue a certificate for products outside the scope of the COC controls, they can apply for a COI (Certificate of Inspection) which can be issued by an authorised third-party inspection company. The COI is a one-time customs clearance document applied to each individual shipment. For all unlisted goods, obtaining the (COI) is therefore mandatory to ensure that exporters and importers trading with Iraq are compliant with the requirements of pre-inspection and testing such as: quality, quantity, tariff classification, import eligibility and price of the goods.
Below is a flow chart explaining the step-by-step instructions of how the COI procedure works:
Documents
The documents needed to apply for a COI certification include an application form, a commercial invoice (or proforma invoice), a packing list and a bill of loading before issuing the final certificate. Firstly, the COI form must be completed by importers and the control body of the exporter. Secondly, the next part of the form should be completed by the relevant administrators following inspection.
The certificate is created once the inspection has been completed and is issued by the inspector, who works for an authorised independent quality control company, reassuring the client that the goods are top-quality and have been inspected by a third-party company in accordance with the COI requirements. After inspection, the certificate has to be sent to the buyer before delivering the shipment.
HQTS
In December 2019 HQTS was the only Chinese company selected out of 19 possible entries and were awarded a Conformity Certification (COC), as an authorised third-party inspection company by the Iraqi Government.
As a one-stop source for all things Iraq, COC and COI; HQTS can provide the following services to those seeking to export to Iraq: a COI certification, (a non-compulsory official Iraqi certification), COC certification, (a compulsory official Iraqi certification) and a document Authentication and Expedited Services (an embassy-related service). Our extensive inspection, testing, audit, certification and consulting experience is ready-made to support this emerging market. With over 25 years of quality assurance experience globally, HQTS is ready to help your business build strong and meaningful supplier relationships. HQTS is your first choice to ensure reliability and excellence in quality every time, contact us today.
