Recent press reports suggest that the launch of the Saudi online conformity assessment system ‘SABER’ has been postponed to January 2019.
The SABER system was proposed earlier in the year by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) as a new online conformity assessment system for imported products. The system was established to facilitate the new Saudi Product Safety Program known as SALEEM whereby the SABER system will become the central online repository of all mandatory SALEEM data.
The service is directed to all suppliers, manufacturers and importers and aims to :
- reduce the sale of false products on the Saudi market;
- enhance consumer protection;
- ensure that the products comply with the appropriate standards;
- accelerate the release of products onto the Saudi market;
- allow certificates of conformity to be obtained online; and
- connecting suppliers and importers with legal representatives of approved compliance bodies.
The SABER system was due to become operational for an initial voluntary trial period on 1 February 2018 with mandatory compliance envisaged as of 1 July 2018. However, the commencement of the voluntary trial period appears to have been postponed to January 2019 whilst the mandatory period will now take effect as of June 2019 (instead of January 2019) when SABER will become the central repository of all mandatory certification data.
