Ministry of Planning: The quality control system has become part of the global control system.
Ministry of Planning: The quality control system has become part of the global control system.
2025-12-26
The Ministry of Planning confirmed on Friday that the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control has become part of the global regulatory system. The head of the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control, Fayyad Muhammad, told the official news agency that “the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control does not operate in isolation from the international trade system, but rather bases its technical and regulatory tasks on an integrated system of international agreements and standards, which ensures that Iraqi specifications are aligned with global rules, and achieves a balance between consumer protection and facilitating the flow of trade.”
He added that “the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control’s international references include the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT – WTO), as the organization plays its role in preparing and implementing Iraqi standard specifications and technical regulations in accordance with the principles of this agreement, which stipulates non-discrimination between local and imported goods, reliance on scientific and technical foundations, and avoiding the imposition of technical requirements that constitute an unjustified obstacle to trade.” He explained that “according to these conditions, the organization ensures that Iraqi specifications are compatible with international standards and commercially recognized.” He continued that “the organization’s references also include the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS – WTO), as the organization, in coordination with health and agricultural authorities, relies on this agreement in assessing the health risks of imported food and agricultural materials and adopting laboratory tests as a scientific basis for making acceptance or rejection decisions and applying the principle of prevention without violating the rules of international trade.”
He also pointed out that “the Central Agency relies on the specifications of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) when preparing or updating Iraqi standard specifications and determining quality and safety requirements for imported goods, as well as adopting quality management systems in laboratories and testing bodies, which contributes to raising the level of technical conformity and unifying references.”
He explained that “the Codex Alimentarius Commission is the primary reference for the agency in the field of examining imported food, determining maximum limits for contaminants and food additives, and adopting methods of examination and laboratory analysis, which enhances food safety and protects public health.”
Regarding regional and international cooperation, the head of the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control affirmed that “the organization coordinates with regional and international organizations such as
The Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are working to harmonize specifications, build technical capabilities, and facilitate mutual recognition.
He pointed out that “the basic standards adopted by the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control in importing include a certificate of origin to verify the source of the goods and that they do not come from prohibited areas, in addition to a certificate of conformity to prove that the product conforms to Iraqi standard specifications, and a statement card to ensure the clarity of information for the consumer in Arabic.”
He pointed out that “the technical and procedural controls that the agency applies are risk management to classify shipments according to the type of commodity and the importer’s record, laboratory testing to conduct physical, chemical and microbiological tests, and its role in supporting other entities to implement electronic systems such as the ASYCUDA system.”
He also explained that “the Central Agency for Standardization and Quality Control represents the basic technical pillar in monitoring imports, as its role is not limited to inspection only, but extends to setting specifications, harmonizing them internationally, applying them in the field, and supporting regulatory decisions with scientific evidence.”
He also explained that “Iraqi oversight thus becomes an active part of the global oversight system, and consumer protection is achieved without harming trade.”
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