SGS has secured a new three-year mandate to implement Tanzania’s Pre-Shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme. Awarded by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), the contract reinforces efforts to ensure that all regulated imports meet national safety, environmental, and quality standards before entering the country.
Under the PVoC programme, originally introduced in 2012, regulated goods must undergo inspection and certification in their country of origin. SGS will be responsible for conducting document checks, physical inspections, and laboratory testing as part of the conformity assessment. A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) remains a mandatory requirement for customs clearance.
Penalty
TBS recently announced that any shipments arriving without a CoC will incur a 15% penalty based on the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value. The range of products subject to PVoC controls includes electronics, toys, automotive parts, household items, chemicals, food products, agricultural goods, and selected safety equipment.
Exporters can choose from three certification routes based on their product type and compliance track record: Route A for unregistered products, Route B for registered items with a compliance history, and Route C for licensed manufacturers. SGS, a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification, operates over 2,500 laboratories and facilities across 115 countries.