Gabon PROGEC Product Conformity Assessment (PCA) Program - Overview

Gabon’s PROGEC Product Conformity Assessment program plays a critical role in ensuring that imported goods meet national safety and quality requirements before entering the market. By requiring a Certificate of Conformity prior to shipment, authorities can verify compliance at the source and reduce the risk of non-compliant products entering the country.

For exporters and importers, understanding PROGEC requirements and completing all necessary inspection, testing, and certification steps before shipment is essential to avoid delays, penalties, and disruptions at the border, while ensuring smooth access to the Gabonese market.

1. Purpose and Scope

Gabon operates a Product Conformity Assessment program known as PROGEC (Programme Gabonais d’Évaluation de la Conformité). This program is designed to ensure that imported goods meet national safety, quality, and regulatory requirements before entering the Gabonese market.

Under PROGEC, regulated products must be assessed for conformity in the country of export prior to shipment. Once compliance is confirmed, a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is issued for the consignment.

The program aims to prevent the entry of substandard or non-compliant products while ensuring that goods imported into Gabon meet applicable standards and technical regulations.

By verifying compliance before shipment, PROGEC supports more efficient customs clearance and reduces the risk of delays at the border.

2. Government Authority

The PROGEC program is implemented under the authority of Gabonese regulatory bodies responsible for product quality and import control.

To carry out conformity assessment activities, the government has appointed authorized Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), including international organizations such as SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, and Cotecna.

These approved bodies conduct inspections, testing, and certification procedures in exporting countries to ensure that products comply with Gabonese requirements prior to shipment.

3. Certificate of Conformity (CoC)

A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is a mandatory requirement for shipments of regulated goods exported to Gabon under the PROGEC program.

The CoC confirms that products have been evaluated and found to comply with:

• applicable Gabonese standards

• relevant technical regulations

• accepted international standards where applicable

Each shipment must obtain a CoC before export, and the certificate is required for customs clearance upon arrival in Gabon.

Shipments arriving without a valid CoC may be subject to additional inspection, delays, penalties, or possible rejection.

4. Products Subject to Verification

The PROGEC program applies to a wide range of regulated products subject to conformity requirements in Gabon.

Examples of product categories include:

• electrical and electronic products

• machinery and industrial equipment

• construction materials

• automotive products and spare parts

• chemical products

• consumer goods

• textiles

• food-related products and packaging

Exporters should verify whether their goods fall within the regulated scope before shipment, as certification is required for applicable products.

5. Conformity Assessment Process

To obtain a Certificate of Conformity under PROGEC, exporters must complete several verification steps prior to shipment.

Step 1 – Application Submission

The exporter submits a request for certification along with supporting documentation such as product specifications, invoices, and test reports.

Step 2 – Document Review

The conformity assessment body reviews the submitted documentation to determine applicable standards and verify compliance requirements.

Step 3 – Inspection

A pre-shipment inspection may be conducted to verify product identity, quantities, labeling, and packaging.

Step 4 – Testing

Where required, product samples are tested in accredited laboratories to confirm compliance with relevant standards.

Step 5 – Certificate Issuance

Once compliance is confirmed through document review, inspection, and testing, a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is issued. This certificate must accompany the shipment for customs clearance in Gabon.

6. Certification Routes

The PROGEC program offers different certification routes depending on the exporter’s compliance history and shipment frequency:

• Route A – Consignment Verification: Each shipment is assessed individually through inspection and testing

• Route B – Registered Exporters: Available for exporters with a consistent compliance record, allowing simplified procedures

• Route C – Licensed Products: Designed for manufacturers with established quality systems, enabling streamlined certification for repeat shipments

These routes provide flexibility while maintaining regulatory control over imported goods.

7. Objectives of the Program

The PROGEC program is designed to achieve several key objectives:

• Consumer protection: ensuring imported products meet safety and quality requirements

• Regulatory compliance: verifying conformity with national standards and regulations

• Market protection: preventing the entry of substandard or counterfeit goods

• Trade facilitation: enabling smoother customs clearance through pre-shipment verification

• Quality assurance: maintaining confidence in imported products

How SANTIQ Can Help

SANTIQ supports exporters and manufacturers in meeting Gabon PROGEC certification requirements through our global network of trusted certification, inspection, and testing partners. We assist with documentation, product evaluation, laboratory testing, and pre-shipment inspections, while coordinating directly with approved conformity assessment bodies to obtain the required Certificate of Conformity (CoC). As a result, we help ensure full compliance with Gabonese regulations, reduce the risk of delays or penalties, and enable smooth, efficient customs clearance for shipments entering the Gabonese market.