If you do business with Saudi Arabia, you’ve likely encountered SABER and SASO. If, like many, you use them interchangeably, confusion follows. Understanding the distinction is crucial for a successful market entry.
Let’s get this straight immediately: SASO is the regulatory authority, and SABER is the platform used for SABER certification in Saudi Arabia. To frame it in this way is the starting point towards demystifying the whole process. It is not semantics; understanding the function of each will save you time, avoid expensive mistakes, and render your SABER certification process much easier.
SASO – The Regulatory Authority
SASO is the acronym for the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization. Consider SASO as the regulatory organization, just like the FDA for food and pharmaceuticals in the United States. They are responsible for safeguarding Saudi consumers and preventing the entry of unsafe, low-quality, and unreliable products into the kingdom.
SASO accomplishes this by:
- Setting Technical Regulations: Creating and publishing individual standards (usually referred to as SASO standards) that products must conform to. These regulations cover a broad spectrum of categories, including children’s toys, air conditioner energy efficiency, textiles, detergents, heavy equipment, machinery, and other consumable and industrial products entering the KSA market.
- Managing the System: Certifying conformity assessment bodies (such as approved testing laboratories), approving the platforms that host certification, and overseeing the regulatory framework governing products placed on the market in Saudi Arabia.
In short, SASO defines the “what.” They determine the applicable standards and regulations that must be applied to specific product categories entering the Kingdom, ensuring that all products placed on the market comply with the required technical framework.
SABER – The Digital Gateway
SABER, however, is the acronym for the Saudi Product Safety Program. This is the digital online portal in which the certification process actually occurs. SABER is the obligatory system by which you confirm that your products meet SASO’s regulations.
Consider SABER as the digital highway you have to drive in order to pass your products across the border. It’s where you:
- Register your company and products.
- Upload documents such as product information, test reports, and conformity certificates.
- Create necessary electronic certificates for customs clearance purposes.
At its core, SABER is the “how.” It’s the means by which you show and confirm that your products are in compliance with SASO regulations.
How They Work Together
Suppose you are manufacturing textile products and planning to export them to Saudi Arabia. SASO defines the technical regulations and compliance requirements that your textile products must meet to enter the KSA market.
SABER is the official platform where these requirements are applied, allowing the importer to register the product, submit documents, and obtain the required conformity certificates. With the assistance of PCAS, exporters can simplify this process by ensuring that all regulatory requirements, documentation, and certification procedures are completed correctly through the SABER system.
In simple terms, SASO sets the rules, while SABER is the system used to complete the certification process for market entry.
A Step-By-Step Guide To Your Shipment
To an exporter or importer, the process flows as:
- Determine the SASO Standard: You first, in accordance with Saudi classification, identify which individual SASO technical regulation governs your product. This indicates what safety or quality testing is needed.
- Test Your Product: You have your product tested in an accredited lab, in accordance with SASO technical regulations, to make sure it conforms to the SASO standard you identified in step one.
- Factory Audit (When Required): Depending on the product category and applicable regulation, a factory audit may be conducted to verify manufacturing processes and quality control systems prior to certification.
- Use the SABER Platform: You access the SABER platform to register your product and upload the test report, product photos, technical documents/ sheets and other commercial documents.
- Obtain the Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC): After verification within the SABER system, the Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) is issued for the registered product model. This certificate confirms that the product complies with applicable SASO technical regulations and remains valid for one year.
- Issue the Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC): For each shipment, a separate Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) must be issued through SABER based on the valid PCoC. The SCoC is mandatory for every consignment and is required for Saudi customs clearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the validity of the PCOC and or SCOC SABER certificate?
Earlier paper-based SASO certificates are generally no longer valid under the current system. Compliance is now managed through SABER, where the Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) is issued with a validity of one year, while the Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) is issued separately for each individual shipment.
Can I use SABER directly, or do I need a local agent?
SABER is an importer-based platform where only Saudi importers are eligible to create and operate a SABER account. Exporters are therefore required to appoint a local agent or authorized importer within the Kingdom to access and utilize SABER services for product registration and certification.
Conclusion
In short words, SASO creates the product standards, and SABER is the required online system through which you demonstrate that you comply with them. By grasping this concept, you can face the Saudi market with confidence and understanding, taking a daunting regulatory mandate and making it a logistical process in your supply chain.
