Protection of local consumers

When referring to homologations, certifications and test required to import into former USSR countries, we can always remember about some company which has faced a long nightmare to get through all this process in order to bring some product to these countries.

Again, Baltic States do comply with EU regulations, that means that process is quite strict but clear and companies do not face 'unexpected' problems due to local authorities. All becomes much more complicated when we refer to Belarus, Ukraine, Kazahstan and Russia.

In these countries, usually applies a partially updated system of certification called GOST, through several institutes and organization some at state level, other at regional or local level, which makes all quite untransparent. Once, company understand where it should address and which legislation applies to its product, starts a long 'negotiation' to simplify this process and make it as cheaper and faster as possible. That normally means that companies pay an official fee and some 'stimulating payment' to speed up process. In other case, things can become very complicated and slow.

Companies which are involved in import of raw materials or semi-product for their production processes in these countries, sometime face a very 'annoying problem'. State protects local producers  making very difficult to import analogical products from abroad. Companies do usually look abroad due to the low quality standards that sometimes provide local suppliers. But when importing, standards of quality , custom duties and barriers are very tough which can sometimes jeopardize the future of the company in the country.

Commercial agreement between these countries will probably help to speed goods movement between them but we have to see if this will not mean that move problems will appear for companies trying to import products from EU or other countries.

Some steps forward have been taken in Russia to improve situation creating a slightly more clear legislation. Unfortunately, Belarus and specially, Ukraine, have done nothing to ease situation.

Our main concern, refers to the products that get to the shelves of supermarkets and shops which can be sometimes very harmful for population's health. Specially all what refers to food, health, chemical, construction products MUST comply with standards accepted worldwide.

The fact that a lot of goods are smuggled means that these goods do nor pass any control of quality and sometimes, specially products coming from China, are dangerous for local people.

We would like to see local goverments cracking on this problem, implementing a more transparent system, basically, to protect its own people against companies and people which try to sell goods in these countries which should not be imported in any case. Besides, efforts should be made to ease serious companies, all steps to import in order to produce or sell worlwide standard products in these countries.