KEBS is a statutory body of Kenya government and responsible for standards formulating focused on imports and domestic products of Kenya’s market. For many years, KEBS plays the role of evaluating the conformity of local products and imports. However, the products check can only be conducted after the shipment to the port. On one hand, it leads to delay of products’ entering into the harbor; on the other hand, KEBS will shoulder additional loss caused by returning or environmental-friendly destroying of disqualified products.
PVoC is a conformity assessment program based on Standards Act Cap 496, Laws of Kenya and Quality Imports Order No. 78 issued on July, 15th, carried out by KEBS on Sep, 29th, 2005. Its object is to guarantee imports’ quality and ensure health, safety and environmental protection for Kenyans. It is a conformity evaluation and inspection procedure applied to all exporters in terms of specific products as well as ensuring imports’ quality, health and safety of Kenyans and environment protection conforms to Kenyan technical regulations and compulsory standards or approved equivalent standards.
Products in PVoC category must be assembled with CoC before shipment which should be presented to Kenya customs when arriving at the port, otherwise, they will not be permitted to enter. Any regulated goods arriving at the port of entry without a CoC will be subjected to DI and be imposed a fine.
Before the implementation of PVoC, Kenya government adopted a detection system in which the products check can only be conducted after the shipment to the port. It not only led to delay of products’ entering into the harbor but also shouldered additional loss caused by returning or environmental-friendly destroying of disqualified products. Therefore, since 2005, PVoC-a new method that conducts before-shipment detection has been carried out.
Products will be refused to enter when arriving at Kenyan port without being assembled with CoC, which is Kenyan’s compulsory customs clearance document. As an exceptional case, KEBS is acceptable with importers’ application that conduct inspection after products’ arriving at the port except for that the importers will be fined with a penalty and deposit equivalent to 15% of the CIF value as well as fees for detection and tests.
Following key elements are included in PVoC
Check before products before shipment;
Spot check, conduct test and analysis in qualified laboratories;
Products manufacturing procedure auditing;
Files auditing;
Standards conformity evaluation (products).
Kenyan PVoC detection procedure
There are 3 detection ways to acquire CoC in order to provide importers with the most flexibility. Exporters’ shipment frequency to Kenyan and their capability in maintaining the quality level when first applied for certification decide which detection way to choose.
Application detection
KEBS will send a PDF document, in which is the data filled by importers in IDF, to PVoC detection enforcement institute of the supplier’s country. Then, PVoC will make connection with importers and at the same time provide RFC. Importers must complete the application form and send it along with proformainvoice to relevant enforcement institute as well as provide information about detection time and location. If possible, please provide detection report and registration certificate (or license) when delivering RFC.
Detection way conformation
PVoC detection enforcement institute will audit over RFC and its attachment and will confirm a suitable detection way and appropriate standards.
Products detection
PVoC will conduct products sampling and tests before shipment after files’ integrity has been confirmed. Tests will be conducted by authorized laboratories. Importers should wait for detection results before shipment.
If importers want to provide certificate by themselves, then the certificate must be presented by authorized or other certificated laboratories. Importers have obligations to arrange witness testing for the staff of PVoC detection enforcement institute according to detection institute’s requirements. Detection reports, which should be specified clearly that the products are transported to Kenyan, along with copy of laboratory certification should be submitted to PVoC detection enforcement institute.
Field inspection
Detection enforcement institute will make connection with detection applicants and at the same time inform them the time and location of products detection. Organic inspection is usually taken to check whether products conform to relevant requirements as well as make sure the products are the same with the samples submitted to laboratory. Samples can be extracted for tests during the detection procedure. In this case, importers should wait for detection results before shipment.
Certificate issuing
Importers should submit final proformainvoice to PVoC detection enforcement institute after detection as soon as possible. PVoC will conduct final auditing of all detection and tests reports and then issue CoC (conformity certificate) or NCR (unqualified certificate). Detection enforcement institute will point out measures need to be corrected before certificate issuing. Only CoC can be issued after correction.
For detailed information: Tel: 0571-28102211; 0571-28102202; 0571-28102203 Email:
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Fax: 0571-28102201 QQ: 2518139989 (24 hours consultation)
