The Gulf Conformity Mark (G Mark) is a conformity certificate required in the Gulf Cooperation Council states for children’s toys and low voltage electrical appliances and equipment. Therefore, all manufacturers and importers of these products are obliged to obtain the G Mark for their products to be able to trade them across the GCC states’ borders and display them in the markets.

Manufacturers and importers might have confusion regarding how to get the G Mark, especially if the first time. So we will explain the process and conditions of obtaining the mark, but some relevant concepts that they shall deal with must be showcased first, such as GSO, Notified Bodies, List 1 and list 2, and  Certificate Tracking System.

The GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)

It is the regional entity responsible for the standardization activities across the GCC states by developing technical regulations and unified procedures that facilitates the trade and goods exchange across these countries. The GSO has the exclusive rights to grant or notify a third party to grant the G Mark. It is responsible for defining and updating the regulatory requirements and products scope of the mark.

The Notified body

It is a third party notified by the GSO to grant the G Mark for the products that fall within its notification scope, the notified body carries out the required conformity assessment upon the manufacturer or importer request and grant the mark when the technical file is complete and the product meets the conformity requirements.

List 1 – List 2

The product within the scope of the G Mark are classified in two lists according to the conformity procedures, as the products in List 1 don’t require the intervention of a notified body, whereas products in List 2 require this intervention.

The GSO Certificate Tracking System

It is an electronic system for tracking all products that bear the G Mark through generating the GSO Certificate Tracking Symbol (GCTS).

How to get the G Mark for children toys?

Children toys covered by the G Mark cope means the products designed and manufactured for the purpose of play by children under the age of 14 years including the following categories:

• Functional Toys
• Aquatic Toys
• Activity Toys
• Chemical Toys
• Cosmetic Toy kits
• Gustative Games
• Olfactory Board Games

Some manufacturers and importers believe that all Children Toys are subject to List 1 and no third party intervention is required to obtain the G mark, but according to the Technical Regulation on Children Toys (BD-131704-01) this intervention is required in case the supplier can’t take the responsibility of providing the conformity evidence.

the following categories are excluded from the Technical Regulation on Toys Children scope:

• The 19 categories specified in Annex I in the regulation
• Playground equipment intended for public use
• Automatic playing machines, whether coin-operated or not, intended for public use
• Toy vehicles equipped with combustion engines
• Toy steam engines
• Slings and catapults

How to get the G Mark for low voltage electrical appliances?

There are 13 categories of  low voltage electrical appliances included in the  G Mark scope according to the Gulf Technical Regulation for Low Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances, these categories are:

• Air conditioners 
• Clothes dryers and clothes washing machines
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Electrical fans
• smoothing irons
• Electric heating apparatus
• Electric instantaneous or storage water heaters 
• Electro-thermic hair-dressing
• Ovens and cookers
• Microwave ovens
• Toasters
• Food grinders and mixers
• Plugs, Socket outlets, Adaptors, Cord Extension Sets, and chargers

All low voltage electrical appliances included in these categories require the intervention of a third party to obtain the G Mark according to the conformity assessment procedures provisions of List 2.

How will Tabseer help you to get the G Mark?

As forementioned, the low voltage electrical equipment and appliances require the intervention of a third party to obtain the G Mark. Tabseer is a notified body by the GSO to grant the G Mark for the full scope of the 13 categories.
We study and validate the technical file that shall consist of the reports of product safety test and the electromagnetic compatibility test, risk assessment, and English and Arabic manuals, and issue the G Mark if the product is found to conform to the Gulf standards.