Register E-Cigarettes with ESMA to Ensure Health & Legal Compliance
The time of writing this article coincides with media reports warning about the rise of fake e-cigarettes in the UAE. Selling e-cigarettes without performing product registration in the UAE is a crime. Products that are unregistered and flout the standards set out by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology (ESMA) are considered fake products. Trying to place e-cigarette products that don’t comply with the ESMA regulations will attract penalties and other punishments.
If you need to be on the right side of the law, register your products with ESMA to obtain a Conformity Certificate. You need to undertake certain highly streamlined steps to complete the process of product registration in the UAE. However, all such steps can be easily navigated with the help of product registration agents in the UAE. This article takes you through all the nuances of registering e-cigarettes with the ESMA. Read ahead.
Why ESMA Product Registration is Mandatory?
The UAE legalised the ban of e-cigarettes in April 2019 as vaping was found to be a better alternative for reducing the addiction to traditional cigarette smoking. The e-cigarette market expanded rapidly since the UAE lifted its ban, warranting strict regulation. Furthermore, the use of e-cigarettes also comes with health risks. ESMA comes into the picture here to ensure that the e-cigarettes are safe for public consumption. All e-cigarette products must be tested against ESMA’s health standards before distributing them in the UAE market.
Who Should Register Products with ESMA?
All the e-cigarette manufacturers, importers, and distributors must register their products in the UAE in compliance with ESMA standards. The importers can appoint their local representatives to conduct product registration in the UAE on their behalf. The manufacturers and distributors should have a valid UAE trade license issued by mainland or free zone authority. The best product registration agents in the UAE can help you obtain a conformity certificate from ESMA.
Register with ESMA Compliance Assessment Scheme
ESMA has implemented an Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme (ECAS) through which the authority tests the compliance of the products and issues a certificate of conformity. According to the ECAS scheme, all regulated products including e-cigarettes must obtain a certificate of conformity for customs clearance and sales pass. Apart from safety standards, ECAS certification also covers the safety test, performance test, function inspection, hazardous substances detection etc. ECAS registration in the UAE covers the following aspects:
Registration of all e-cigarette devices
Registration of e-cigarette label
Registration for e-cigarette RoHS ( Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
Submission of other data including test reports
Information Required Before Registering under ECAS
Before formally commencing the process of ECAS registration in the UAE, every applicant should ensure that they are equipped with the following documents or information:
Valid UAE Industry/Trade License
IEC CB Test Reports and Certificates as per standard No. UAE S. GSO IEC 60335-1
Devise battery test report as per standard No. UAE S. GSO IEC 62133 and standard GSO IEC 60086
Compliance of the equipment plugs to BS 1363. Plugs with earth and fuse
Photos of the rating label/plate on the product
User Manual in Arabic and English language
Electronic Declaration of Conformity
ECAS registration certificate of electronic cigarette device
ECAS registration certificate of electronic cigarette label
ECAS registration certificate of RoHS
Test report of product packaging per GSO, ISO and 8317 standards
List of components and release test report of e-liquid, nicotine output dose
Electronic file compliance statement
Official Fees to be paid to the ESMA
The registration process of the Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme
The process of product registration in the UAE as per ESMA standards involves a series of steps. Some steps are complex and some are simple. The following is a list of steps to be undertaken to obtain a certificate of conformity from ESMA:
Register account number (on Esma website)
Apply for compliance certificate;
Upload the required documents;
Payment of fees
Waiting for document review;
If the product meets the requirements, the system will inform the customer and obtain the certificate of conformity.
The main test items involved are as follows
Rohs10 tests;
GSO, IEC, 60335-1;
GSO, IEC, 62133;
Electronic cigarette packaging test GSO, ISO, 8317;
Vapour emission test
Analysis report on the composition of e-liquid
How can Jitendra Intellectual Property Help you?
The use of e-cigarettes has skyrocketed in recent years in the UAE, as thousands of cigarette smokers are now moving to what they believe is a ‘less harmful’ alternative. However, the growth of the e-cigarette industry has given rise to a surge in fake goods that could pose serious health risks. ESMA has implemented a robust system of product registration in the UAE to save the public from consuming counterfeit electronic cigarettes.
Manufacturers and importers can navigate the steps of ESMA registration with the help of product registration agents in Dubai such as Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP). JIP shares the government’s commitment to ensuring that no fake or harmful products are being traded in the UAE market. JIP guides its clients in every step of product registration in Dubai, UAE to ensure that the businesses comply with all the stipulated requirements and regulations of ESMA.