Geneva (September 10, 2025) – SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published an article spotlighting services that simplify and accelerate market access for traders in the East African Community (EAC).
Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda make up the East African Community, constituting a dynamic trading bloc in one of Africa’s most rapidly expanding sub-regions. High growth rates, driven by coordinated economic policies, are enhanced by cross-border trade facilitation.
Alongside this expansion, the EAC’s commitment to consumer protection and market integrity has led to the implementation of key product quality and safety measures, including inspections at ports of entry, certificate of conformity (CoC) requirements, the removal of non-compliant or unsafe imports and the enforcement of national and harmonized standards.
As an accredited certification body, SGS plays an important role in supporting these standards as a trusted provider of pre-shipment verification of conformity (PVoC) services. With over 20 years of experience in the region, its EAC-Ready certification scheme helps streamline market routes and offers a unified framework aligned with East African Standards (EAS).
This voluntary scheme complements national PVoC programs, helping companies cut re-testing costs, minimize documentation errors, speed up shipping and customs clearance, and strengthen trust with regulators and consumers. Aligned with the ISO/IEC 17065:2012 standard, EAC-Ready Certification provides a clear commercial edge by saving traders time and money through an efficient, stress-free certification process.
In the Q3 edition of SGS’s Product Conformity Assessment (PCA) Newsletter, their expert offers insights and answers common questions from traders seeking to unlock EAC markets.
Further details of SGS’s PVoC services for the EAC are available in the Q3 PCA newsletter.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).