The G Mark Is mandatory for many categories of low voltage electrical equipment and home appliances to be allowed to access the markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council states, The Gulf Technical Regulation for Low Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances includes 13 categories of products that require obtaining the G Mark.

Manufacturers and importers of low voltage electrical products face challenges defining whether their products are subject to the aforementioned technical regulation or not. In order to avoid any confusion, the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) defined the included and excluded products for each category in a technical explanatory guide.

This article will focus on the provisions relevant to category 2: Refrigerators, freezers, and other refrigerating and freezing equipment 

The G Mark scope of refrigerators and freezers 

The GSO defined the products subject to the regulation and the excluded products that don’t require obtaining the G Mark, noting that the appliances prepared for use in non-air-conditioned places must be tested to be suitable for tropical climates. 

The included products:

• Single door refrigerator and combined refrigerator-freezers not exceeding 900 liters capacity.
• Double door or multi-door refrigerator and combined refrigerator-freezers not exceeding 900 liters capacity.
• Mini fridges and beverage coolers, for household use only.
• Chest freezers not exceeding 800 liters capacity.
• Upright freezers not exceeding 900 liters capacity.

The excluded products:

• Ice makers.
• Ice cream appliances.
• Water coolers and other cooling appliances.
• Refrigerating appliances exceeding 900 liters capacity.
• Chest freezers exceeding 800 liters capacity.
• Products, including beverages used for the display of food products, including beverages for retail sale.
• Dispensing appliances and vending machines.
• Refrigerating appliances for laboratories or medical use 
• Refrigerating appliances for industrial use.
• Appliances powered by DC extra low voltage supply (e.g., in a car) or incorporating a battery intended as a power supply for the refrigerating function.
• Non-household appliances assembled on site by the installer
• Appliances with remote motor-compressor.
• Motor-compressors as parts for refrigerators.

Refrigerators and freezers coding 

The HS Code heading for the products included in this category is 84. 18. The category covers the following products coding:

• 84 18 10

Combined refrigerator-freezers, fitted with separate external doors.

• 84 18 21

Refrigerators, household type: compression-type

• 84 18 29

Refrigerators, household type: other

• 84 18 30

Freezers of the chest type, not exceeding 800 liters capacity.

• 84 18 40

Freezers of the upright type, not exceeding 900 liters capacity.

What is required to obtain the G Mark for refrigerators and freezers?

category 2: Refrigerators, freezers, and other refrigerating and freezing equipment fall under list 2 that requires assigning a notified party to carry out the conformity assessment and grant the mark.

The stakeholder shall provide a technical file including the testing reports for product electromagnetic compatibility and safety, risk assessment report, as well as, technical manuals.

The notified party review the file studies the documents and finally grant the G Mark to be used and labeled on the product.