Hong Kong - October 20, 2021

QIMA, a leading provider of quality control and supply chain compliance solutions, announced today that it has been approved as a Notified Body by the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) to provide the Gulf Mark (G-Mark) for low voltage electrical products and children's toys being imported or sold in the Gulf Coordinating Council (GCC) member states consisting of the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

The G-Mark is a mandatory requirement which signifies that a product conforms to the Gulf Technical Regulation and applicable standards as determined by the GSO, and is therefore safe for consumers to use.  All products governed by a Gulf Technical Regulation are required to display a GSO Conformity Tracking Symbol (GCTS) which consists of the G-Mark and a QR Code.

As an approved Notified Body, QIMA is able to carry out a conformity assessment to ensure products meet the GSO's technical regulations and are fit for use in the Gulf countries' common market.

QIMA's scope covers:

• Toys: All products designed or intended for use in play by children under 14 years of age.

• Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (LVE): All electrical and electronic devices and appliances/fixtures that have components designed for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1000 V for alternating current and between 75 and 1500 V for direct current (some exemptions exist).

QIMA is equipped to provide all additional necessary services to help exporters secure product entry to GCC member states including:

• Product testing provided by QIMA's global network of ISO 17025 accredited laboratories for products that lack a test report or have incomplete testing.

• Risk assessment for importers or manufactures unsure of the risk assessment requirement.

• Label review to help brands avoid delays during the conformity assessment process.

"Our mission is to improve the safety of consumers with the inspection, testing, audit and certification services we provide to companies globally," said Sebastien Breteau, Founder and CEO of QIMA. "The Gulf region is a thriving market and we are delighted to be approved as Notified Body by the GSO to ensure the safety of children's toys and LVE being sold there."

About QIMA QIMA is more than a testing, inspection, certification, and compliance company; we’re on a mission to offer our clients smart solutions to make products consumers can trust. With a global reach spanning 100+ countries, we serve the consumer products, food, and life sciences industries, supporting over 30,000 brands, retailers, manufacturers, and food growers. We combine on-the-ground expertise with digital solutions that bring accuracy and visibility for quality, safety and compliance data.