All products imported into Mozambique must undergo mandatory verification and certification before being shipped to their countries of origin, according to the Conformity Assessment Programme (CAP) recently launched by the government. The initiative, presented at the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM 2024), aims to ensure that all products entering the Mozambican market fulfil established quality and safety standards, as a measure to protect consumers and ensure food safety.
In an interview with Diário Económico, Geraldo Albasini, director general of INNOQ, IP, explained that the CAP came about as a response to significant quality challenges in the market, identified by inspections carried out by the National Inspectorate of Economic Activities (INAE).
‘We observed a high level of counterfeit, low-quality products of dubious origin in Mozambique, which prompted the need for stricter measures to protect consumers,’ he said.
The PAC was approved by the government in 2022, through Decree No. 8/2022 of 14 March, with the aim of ensuring the quality of products imported and exported to and from Mozambique.
‘The regulation establishes that all products on the list of mandatory control products must undergo a conformity assessment at the point of origin before being sent to Mozambique,’ explained Geraldo Albasini, emphasising the importance of preventing unsuitable products from entering the national market.
According to INNOQ’s director general, the programme seeks to ensure that imported products meet the quality requirements defined in technical standards and regulations. ‘This measure aims to protect the country from unfair and misleading commercial practices, while at the same time safeguarding the rights of Mozambican consumers,’ he emphasised.
Geraldo Albasini added that the CAP also aims to ‘guarantee health, safety and environmental protection’, ensuring that only compliant and safe products enter the market. According to him, ‘adopting this rigorous approach is essential to promoting consumer confidence and maintaining the integrity of the national market,’ he concluded.
Criteria for Evaluating and Monitoring Exporters
The PAC is divided into three routes, each aimed at different profiles of exporters, with specific criteria to guarantee the conformity of products:
Cost of Implementation and Sources of Financing
As for the cost of implementing and maintaining the PAC, Geraldo Albasini clarified that financial responsibility falls to INTERTEK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, the entity authorised to carry out the programme on behalf of INNOQ-IP, after having been awarded the contract in a public tender.
‘Maintenance costs are difficult to estimate at the moment, as they depend on factors such as the level of adherence to the programme and the frequency of supervision by INNOQ-IP and INAE in the national market,’ he noted.
Technological and human resource needs
Implementing the CAP will also require additional investments in laboratory infrastructure, staff training and information management technologies to ensure the programme’s effectiveness. ‘Significant investments are needed to increase the technical capacity for the supervision and inspection of mandatory control products,’ stressed Geraldo Albasini, adding that the programme’s operating costs are borne by INTERTEK and that Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating on the internal market are not covered by this programme.
Economic Impact and Scope of the CAP
Asked about the economic impact of the CAP, INNOQ’s director general said that the programme does not cover locally produced products destined for export, but only focuses on imported products with mandatory controls. ‘There are no growth projections in terms of export earnings or access to new markets, since the CPA is specifically aimed at imported products,’ he explained.
The CPA applies to mandatory control products listed in Ministerial Diploma no. 29/2024, of 20 May, and the conformity assessment and issuing of the respective Certificate of Conformity (CC) must be carried out by the entity authorised by INNOQ-IP (INTERTEK) in the product’s country of origin, before it is exported to Mozambique.
Felisberto Ruco
