The Syrian Arab Standards and Metrology Organization announced a comprehensive plan to update and develop approximately 5,000 Syrian standards, in line with international standards, with the aim of raising the quality of local products, enhancing their competitiveness, and facilitating their access to regional and global markets. The Director General of the Organization, Yasser Alouwi, confirmed this information in a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), noting that work is underway in the recovery phase to establish new standards that align with global benchmarks.
Alouwi clarified that Syrian standards cover engineering, food, chemical, and textile sectors, in addition to various service sectors. In the context of facilitating services provided to industrialists, traders, and consumers, he pointed to the adoption of a single-window system for submitting requests for obtaining standards, which limits administrative procedures and multiple reviews. The Organization is also working to enhance digital transformation and make it possible to purchase standards electronically and pay online, thereby saving time and effort for beneficiaries.
For his part, Alouwi noted that the Organization is working to rehabilitate its laboratories that were destroyed during the rule of the ousted regime, in parallel with cooperation with laboratories belonging to state institutions to ensure the continuation of inspection, testing, and verification processes to ensure products comply with Syrian standards. He explained that product compliance monitoring is distributed among relevant authorities, with the General Authority for Ports and Customs overseeing border crossings, while relevant authorities for internal trade and consumer protection play a supervisory role within markets.
He added that the Organization, in its capacity as a specialized legislative body for standards, works in cooperation with executive and supervisory authorities to enhance compliance with standards and limit the circulation of non-compliant products, thereby protecting consumers and contributing to supporting the national economy. Regarding the "Made in Syria" label, he clarified that a product bearing the label must meet a set of requirements, including that at least 40 percent of its local content, in addition to obtaining certificates related to quality and management.
Alouwi emphasized that applying standards does not represent a burden on industrialists, but rather constitutes a fundamental step to raise product quality and enhance consumer trust, explaining that a standard represents a passport for the Syrian product to international markets. Regarding international cooperation, he pointed out that the Organization is working to enhance cooperation with its regional and international counterparts and benefit from their expertise in developing and updating standards. He noted that the Organization has begun activating its presence in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), in addition to its participation in the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
He clarified that the Organization is also working to develop its technical cadres and attract talents, and to implement specialized training programs, including courses related to Halal certificates and international certificates, in cooperation with peer authorities and organizations. It is worth noting that the Syrian Arab Standards and Metrology Organization, affiliated with the Ministry of Economy and Industry, was established in 1969, and works on setting and adopting standards for products, materials, goods, and services, ensuring their quality and competitiveness in local, Arab, and international markets.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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