Finished goods imported for distribution and sale in Egypt must be labeled in Arabic with the country of origin, the manufacturer’s name, and the product description. Specific additional requirements apply to foods, drugs and textiles. Labels/stickers on imported cargo should contain all required information about the cargo. Importers are not permitted to affix printed labels to products after import.
Imported food items have a number of labeling and packaging requirements:
Poultry and meat products must be shipped directly from the country of origin to Egypt and sealed in packaging with details in Arabic both inside and outside the package.
Appropriate packaging must be provided for food products. These should be clean and odorless to preserve the product and prevent damage. For additional information on the labeling of food and agricultural products, see the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service’s (FAS’s) FAIRS Report
Production and expiration dates must be clearly displayed on the product’s packaging in Arabic. The label must include:
- Name and address of manufacturer
- Brand or trademark (if applicable)
- Country of origin
- Type of product and grade
- Name and address of importer
- Product use instructions (optional)
- Product ingredients
- Production and expiration dates
(Note: Production dates may be mentioned separately on the top of the package. They can be applied by laser, printed, or imposed on the packaging. In such cases, there is no need to repeat them on the label.)Storage instructions or temperature requirements for products: storage temperature must be cited with the refrigeration statement on the boxes to fully clarify the type of product being handled (e.g., “KEEP FROZEN - STORE AT OR BELOW ____degrees C.; KEEP CHILLED (OR REFRIGERATE) - STORE BETWEEN ____degrees C. and ____degrees C.”)
- Net weight
- Gross weight and total number of packages per case or carton
- If preservatives are being used- percentages of each preservative must be indicated
- If meat or poultry, the statement that the meat “is slaughtered according to Islamic ritual or
“Halal” must be included.
Article 74 of Egypt’s import and export regulations stipulates that the package should be fit for preserving the product, and the product should occupy the space of the container in full. If a container is wooden, then the container itself should be accompanied by an official certificate that states it is free from wood-harmful pests and insects.
For Tools and Machines, data that appear on equipment, tools, and machinery should be identical to those appearing on the package. The country of origin should be indicated on each item and be non-erasable. They should be accompanied with an Arabic-language catalogue indicating the following:
An illustrative design of the parts
Mode of assembly and operation
Maintenance procedure
Electrical circuits for electrical equipment
Safety measures
Products prone to rust and corrosion should be painted with a special protective paint. Check that the labeling on the goods conforms to the current Egyptian labeling regulations for the product in question. Be aware that packaging and import description discrepancies can lead to payment default.
Multiple product samples
Sampling and inspection duties are mainly carried out by GOEIC; however, some products may be subject to inspection by other relevant institutions. GOEIC has been authorized to assume inspection and certification functions without referral to any higher authority, but for the food industry, for example, there are several entities that have the right to take samples from any imported shipment:
Radiation Department of the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy
Ministry of Health and Population
The National Food Safety Agency (NFSA)
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (the General Organization for Veterinary Services)
Ministry of Foreign Investment and Trade (Export and Import Control)
Each agency draws its own sample and tests it independently.
The Ministerial Decree No. 477/2018 obligates producers and importers to abide by Egyptian Standard ES 7322, which outlines the basic specifications for the health and safety of products made of all kinds of raw materials, whether natural leather, industrial alternatives, synthetic leather, polymers, fabric, or a mixture of them.
Shelf-life standards and product specifications
In 1994, the government issued a decree that all food products should have at least 50 percent of the established shelf life remaining at the time of importation into Egypt. Egypt also applies shelf-life standards to certain non-food imports such as syringes and catheters. Milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, and poultry and poultry products have a shelf life determined by the Egyptian Organization for Standards (EOS), an agency under the purview of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Regulatory scientists at the Egyptian National Food Safety Agency (NFSA) are tasked with conducting risk assessments to set and/or recommend changes to Egyptian food standards. Exporters to Egypt must be aware that import and customs procedures take a period of no less than two weeks; hence, expiration dates must be at least twice that length of time.
The Ministerial Decree No. 100/2019 obligates producers to abide by Egyptian Standard ES 2613-2, which partially modified the shelf life for dairy and its products, which are refrigerated at a temperature not exceeding 5ºC (especially Labneh), from 4 months to 6 months. On September 5, 2024, the Deputy PM for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transportation signed Decree No. 447/2024. The Decree highlighted changes made to Egyptian Standard ES 2613-2 (2024), most notably, the extension of the shelf-life validity period for imported frozen beef liver from seven to twelve months, for frozen fish from six to ten months, and for plain and flavored yogurt to 30 days instead of 15 days. For additional information see FAS report, “Egypt Formalizes Twelve Month Shelf-Life Validity Period for Frozen Beef Liver.”