Frequently Asked Questions

PROGEC (Pre-Export Verification of Conformity) is a conformity assessment and verification procedure applied to all Goods/Products at the respective exporting countries, to ensure their compliance with International standards and technical regulations. The programme also aims at health, safety and environmental protection, in addition to promoting quality of the products.

The Gabonese Standard Body L’agence Gabonaise de Normalisation (AGANOR), a public administrative institution of the government of Gabon, is responsible for the adoption and application of Standards for both imported and domestically manufactured products in the Gabon market.

Intertek has been appointed to carry out the PROGEC programme on behalf of AGANOR, operating in all country of supply.

Products that are subjected to the Conformity Assessment under PROGEC are divided into three market segments:

• Health and Medical or Surgical Instruments and Appliances, Personal Care, Cosmetics and Toys
• (In accordance with Chapters 33, 34, 90 and 95 of the Customs classification)
• Machinery, Electrical, Electronics and Parts
• (In accordance with Chapters 84, 85 and 94 of the Customs classification)
• Civil Engineering, Chemical Products and Building Materials
• (In accordance with Chapters 28, 29, 31, 32, 35, 38, 39, 40, 44, 45, 46, 68, 69, 70, 72 to 83 of the Customs classification)

Exporters are responsible for obtaining the CoC prior to the regulated products are shipped to Gabon. Exporters initiate the certification process by submitting the Request for Certificate of Conformity (RFC) form to Customer Service Centre (CSC) Office in charge of their region. The RFC form can be obtained from the local CSC on request or this form can be downloaded from Intertek website.

Yes, the Importer can initiate the CoC process by contacting the Importer and Government Office (IGO) in Libreville, Gabon.

The Exporter is responsible for submitting the finalized CoC copy along with other shipping documents to the respective Importer/Importer’s Agent. Alternatively, Importer/Importer’s Agent can also collect the original copy of the CoC directly from Importer and Government Office (IGO) in Libreville, Gabon.

The validity period of the field inspection (physical inspection) report is 90 days from its issue date.

The validity period of the CoC is 90 days from date of issuance. This means that the goods must be shipped and cleared within the validity period of the CoC.

The marking and instruction shall be either in French or in the English language. It is acceptable also to have the marking and instructions in both French and English languages.

Yes, it is recommended that the products exported to Gabon have French instruction manuals, especially for those products that would need installations and instructions for end user application. However, if the products are accompanied with a manual in English language, this is also acceptable under PROGEC.