QCC holds workshop to raise awareness on market monitoring to ensure conformity of restricted products

The workshop for Abu Dhabi-based traders and suppliers sought to educate and inform them on the importance of following the conformity system norms issued by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology on restricted products offered on physical sales outlets and electronic platforms. Those who attended the workshop included officials from the Ministry, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and 30 representatives from the trading community.

Participants at the workshop were introduced and sensitized to the role of the Council in monitoring the markets of Abu Dhabi to ensure that products conform to relevant technical specifications and regulations. They were also updated on how to manage product recalls and handle follow up communication from consumers and merchants through approved communication channels.

His Excellency Khalaf Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Markets and Consumer Services Sector, affirmed that the Council’s market monitoring mechanisms was to ensure continuous compliance of safety regulations in the case of controlled products, and to verify the correct use of safety and conformity mark.  In addition, the Council also takes product samples and gets it tested at approved laboratories.
He said the workshop was done within the Council’s mandate to raise awareness and publicize the role of traders and consumers alike in complying with technical regulations, standards and specifications applied to restricted products.

He said the Council recalled 775 pieces of about 13 commercial products from the Abu Dhabi markets in the first half of the year. The specifications of 6 commercial products in the markets were rectified, including 2,622 commercial pieces traded in the market.

Al Mazrouei said the Council’s aim is to ensure fair trade practices in the interest of the economy and society, and its market monitoring helps weed out products that do not conform to relevant requirements. Products that do not conform harm the interests of individual consumers, their rights and health, and expose them to risk factors. Moreover, they will also be more vulnerable to unfair commercial practices like tampering measurement devices etc.

He said controlling and inspecting non-food consumer products help achieve the Council’s  strategic objective of making Abu Dhabi markets safe, fair and compliant,  and ensure that controlled products conform to standards and those that are  recalled are removed.

He also lauded the joint cooperation between QCC and its strategic partners in market monitoring and  ensuring applying the technical regulations of conformity on products, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, and others.

 The participants at the workshop also reviewed a presentation on legal metrology services. The focus of this presentation was on the accuracy of legal measurement tools used in the markets, and on the impact on health and safety of individuals and the environment. In addition, reviews were done on quality control of locally manufactured pre-packed products as well as imported, while ensuring the rights of both the trader and the consumer, leading to enhanced confidence in the market and support to the Abu Dhabi economy.

The mechanism of joint cooperation and coordination between QCC and commercial outlets and online platforms was also discussed with the aim of enhancing the strategic partnership and expanding inspection activities to cover more product categories and legal measurement tools. The workshop also focused on the importance of raising awareness among consumers to limit their use or consumption of products that do not conform to technical specifications and regulations through mass media channels and activities.