Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade General Organization for Export and Import Control

Hassan Hegazi, Chairman of the Customs and Taxation Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce, receives Engineer Essam El-Naggar, Chairman of the GOEIC and his accompanying delegation at the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo.

Engineer/ Essam El-Naggar said that the GOEIC affiliates Ministry Investment and Foreign Trade and it works with sectors of the Ministry as a cooperative system which main and principal aim is to facilitate the movement of trade, encourage Egyptian industries, develop all types of exports, and raise their competitive capabilities in all global markets to achieve progress and elevation for the homeland and the citizen. It also aims to protect the consumer and maintaining Egypt’s reputation through inspecting exports and imports goods using the latest scientific and laboratory equipment and methods.

Eng. Essam Al-Naggar reviewed the services provided by the GOEIC and its pivotal role in the light as it has a huge system of integrated laboratories, including internationally accredited industrial, food and chemical laboratories, geographically located throughout the Republic and inside the Egyptian ports, that keen to apply the best international quality standards, whereas it complies with the rules internationally followed in inspection and sampling procedures in accordance with the International Standards. Suh laboratories include a distinguished elite of highly trained cadres in the latest technologies used in inspection and analysis that contributes to improving the services system and speeding up the implementation of procedures and according to the requirements of the digital transformation adopted by the state.

His Excellency also explained the role provided by the GOEIC in supporting the state’s efforts towards the Green Economy Transition and reducing carbon emissions through the Carbon Certification Unit, the Biodegradation Laboratory, and Energy Efficiency Testing Laboratories, in line with the Egypt's National Climate Change Strategy 2050 and Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2030. He indicated that the organization will be approved by the Financial Regulatory Authority. 

Emphasizing the Organization is keen to constantly communicate with the businessmen community to inform them with the latest services provided by the Organization with the aim of facilitating the businessmen community through a number of contact points with them, such as the Organization's website, communications center, citizen service, and social networking sites.

Engineer Essam Al-Naggar reviewed the risk system’s operating methodology, mechanisms and rules of implementing the comprehensive risk management system and technical standards for its application in the GOEIC.

His Excellency stated that the GOEIC will nearly activate and implement comprehensive risk management project funded by the Korean government through KOICA in developing and digitizing the current system and supplying it with advanced equipment and software based upon artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, in order to achieve the goal of activating an integrated digital system for the GOEIC in risk management accompanied by goods tracking operations; furthermore implementing networking for the Organization laboratories through the establishment of a digital system for laboratories information management (LIMS) within the framework of its endeavor to update and develop its control procedures system for conformity assessment of imported and exported goods in the movement of foreign trade across borders. it comprises tightening the control of product conformity with the aim of implementing the requirements of the state’s comprehensive strategic plan and directives of the President of the Republic regarding the governance of ports and accelerating, simplifying and reducing the cost of conformity assessment procedures in ports for goods, while tightening control over the circulation, import and export of the poor goods, and in implementation of Egypt’s international obligations that signed “Trade Facilitation Agreement in the World Trade Organization (WTO-TFA) Agreement, Clause 7.4”  with respect to application of integrated risks management systems to cross-border trade.

At the end of the meeting, deliberations started by major companies and factories, members of the American Chamber of Commerce, and several inquiries and suggestions were directed based on the problems and obstacles they face during the import process. Eng. Essam Al-Naggar responded to all questions and praised the effective role played by the American Chamber of Commerce and providing more cooperation and communication between the Organization and the Chamber members.