Practical Guide  | Export Procedure   See also      Saudi Arabia      Bahrain      Egypt      United Arab Emirates      Kuwait      Oman      Qatar      Jordan      Lebanon      Syria      Yemen           Saudi Arabia Import Regulations 1. Local representation / agents and distributors agency legislation 2. Standards and technical regulations 3. Labelling and packaging regulations 4. Exchange controls 5. Documentation 6. Import controls 7. Export Controls 8. Customs duties   1. Local representation / agents and distributors agency legislation   Saudi Law does not require foreign companies to appoint a commercial agent to do business in the Kingdom. In practice, it is usually advisable to employ an agent.   Virtually all government purchasing is conducted by local tender and in the majority of cases only Saudi Arabian companies may bid. Foreign companies will therefore need a Saudi agent to bid on their behalf.   Many companies, however, prefer to appoint a sole agent to avoid conflict of interest and possible mix-up especially when bidding for Government contracts.   Any agency/distributorship contract should follow the standard format approved by the Ministry of Commerce. Commercial agency contracts submitted for registration should address all matters dealt with in the Ministry form. They should specify whether the agent will solicit business for the foreign principal in return for a commission or buy goods from the foreign principal to sell on his own account.   non-Saudis are not permitted to act as commercial agents in Saudi Arabia   all commercial agents must register their name with the Ministry of Commerce. Fees for registration for individual traders or a company, will be paid only once.   2. Standards and technical regulations   All imported goods should conform to approved Saudi standards.   In the absence of local standards, products should conform to International Standards.   Many Saudi standards apply in other Gulf countries.   Halal certificates for meat products All imported beef and poultry products require a health certificate from the country of origin and a halal slaughter certificate issued by an approved Islamic centre in the country of origin   3. Labelling and packaging regulations   Arabic labelling is required on all consumer products. Labelling is particularly important for companies marketing food products, personal care products, healthcare products, and pharmaceuticals. Products that violate these laws may be rejected at the port of entry by the quality control laboratories. In addition to this, products which arrive in the country with short periods before expiration will generally be rejected and prohibited from being sold on the market. European manufacturers are recommended to discuss labelling requirements with their representative or distributor.   4. Exchange controls   Saudi Arabia imposes no foreign exchange controls and no other restrictions on the repatriation of profits or capital by foreign investors, beyond a prohibition against transactions with Israel.   5. Documentation   The following documents are required for exporting goods into Saudi Arabia: a certificate of origin authenticated at a Saudi Diplomatic Mission and local Chamber of Commerce the majority of imports entering Saudi Arabia (except those of low pecuniary value) require a Saudi Arabian Customs Invoice (in triplicate). An authenticated invoice (in triplicate), clearly stating facts including the country of origin, name of the carrier, brand and number of goods, and a clear description of the goods including weight and value clean bill of lading insurance documents if shipments are sent cif original documents must be accompanied by an Arabic translation Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation (SASO) certificate of conformity issued by Intertek Testing Laboratories (if applicable)   6. Import controls   Goods prohibited by law from entering the country are : weapons, alcohol, narcotics, pork, pornographic materials and distillery equipment.   Restricted products that require approval and/or registration are: pharmaceuticals, wireless equipment, veterinary medicines. Health and sanitation regulations on all imported foods are strictly enforced and the Ministry of Commerce has issued several directives preventing outdated goods from entering the Kingdom. Imports of some European beef producers, beef derivatives and all dairy products are still banned following the BSE scare.   Some exports to Saudi Arabia are subject to pre-shipment inspection.   A full inspection service can be provided by laboratories appointed by Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation (SASO)- see standards and technical regulations above.   7. Export Controls   The European Government maintains export controls to prevent the export of goods, including technology, for a variety of reasons including: the collective security of the European States and its allies in NATO national security and foreign policy requirements international legal obligations and commitments non-proliferation policy If goods or technologies are subject to your State export controls, a licence is required to gain the legal authority to export them.   8. Customs duties   Although the majority of goods imported into Saudi Arabia are exempt from import restrictions, many are still subject to customs duty.   In general, basic consumer products, including rice and sugar, are duty free.   Customs duties of 20% are imposed on selected imported commodities, to provide protection for developing national industries.   Import duty on other items is 12% ad valorem on the cost, insurance, freight (cif) value.   Commercial samples and Temporary Imports Temporary goods which are imported for promotional use, require an invoice with the value of the goods endorsed by the local Chamber of Commerce, and a certificate of origin. The invoice should clearly state that the goods are being imported for exhibition purposes only and will be re-exported. A refundable deposit of 12% or 20% must be paid to the Saudi Customs. Handling charges will be collected by the customs authorities.