EXPORT BAHRAIN SIGNS PARTNERSHIP WITH TÜV RHEINLAND TO BROADEN INTERNATIONALIZATION AND EXPORT ADVISORY SOLUTIONS

27 Dec 2023

Export Bahrain, a key driver of Bahrain’s international trade aspirations, has entered into a strategic partnership with TÜV Rheinland, a renowned global leader in independent testing, inspection, certification, training, and consulting services. With almost 150 years of experience and headquartered in Cologne, Germany, TÜV Rheinland aims to introduce and provide guidance to Bahraini-based businesses on conformity procedures and certifications required by regulators in the MENA region.

The agreement was sealed during the final workshop of Export Bahrain’s “Export Week.” Titled “Expanding Market Access: Regulations and Solutions for Bahrain-based Businesses to Enter Saudi Arabia and Key MENA Markets,”, presented by TÜV Rheinland, which had a turnout of over 125 people, including Bahrain-Based business owners and entrepreneurs, and aimed to educate Bahraini exporters about the regulations, procedures, and various conformity certificates necessary to enter the Saudi market, particularly pertaining to key Saudi entities.

The primary objective of this collaboration is to offer support to Bahraini businesses seeking to expand their operations into Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. This cooperation also intends to achieve this by providing access and guidance to navigate market regulations required for entry, as well as offering certification and conformity services through TÜV Rheinland as part of Export Bahrain’s Internationalization and Export Advisory Solution.

Through the partnership with TÜV Rheinland, businesses across different sectors in Bahrain will gain the ability to navigate the relevant regulations imposed by key Saudi regulatory entities and programs such as the Saudi Product Safety Program Saleem, SFDA, and SQM. This collaboration will facilitate and expedite their export journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

Commenting on the collaboration, H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro; Minister of Industry & Commerce and Chairman of Export Bahrain, emphasized the significance of this collaboration, stating, “This partnership with TÜV Rheinland demonstrates Export Bahrain’s dedication to empowering Bahraini businesses for global success. The collaboration aims to remove barriers faced by national businesses when exporting to Saudi Arabia and the MENA markets, thereby paving the way for unparalleled competitiveness on the global stage.”

Mr. Muhammad Asif, CEO at TÜV Rheinland Arabia and Regional Director for Government Inspections and International Trade, IMEA region, added, “We are pleased to have this partnership with Export Bahrain to support Bahrain based business access the MENA markets and particularly Saudi market. On one side this partnership will help increase export of products from Bahrain by ensuring compliance with applicable regulations in various markets and at the same time it will ensure that the users in MENA and Saudi market enjoy products that are safe and are of high quality.”