Verification of Conformity (VOC)

Consumer and environmental protection by implementation

of national/international standards
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Governments today give high priority to promoting international trade while
protecting consumer health, safety and the environment. Most national
standard organizations, acting within a legislative framework, call for the
intervention of independent third-party companies as a way to maintain full
control on goods entering the domestic market.

SOLUTION
What is VOC?
The Verification of Conformity service involves checking conformity of goods
according to national standards or an international equivalent. At the same time it encourages importers and
exporters to understand the need for compliance and its benefits. For ad hoc or first time shipments,
importers go through the basic shipment process: documentary evidence is required to prove compliance
with the required standards, or the goods can be tested in an approved laboratory.
The shipment will be subjected to physical verification to ensure that the documents match the products and
that no deviations are found. Regular shipments can be treated under registration or licensing.

What are the key benefits? RELATED SERVICES

• Protect consumers against dangerous, sub-standard or counterfeit
products Bureau Veritas offers a wide range of services
• Provide a guarantee to the buyer that the goods ordered are those related to trade facilitation:
shipped.
• Preshipment Inspection (PSI)
• Ease trade operations by recognizing existing conformity proof to • Control by X-ray Scanner
avoid unnecessary additional testing • VeriVALUE database
• Conform with recommendations of the World Trade Organization • SMARTLane (Bureau Veritas Risk Management
“Technical Barriers to Trade” Agreement Solution)
• Inspection of Agrifood & Commodities
• Protect domestic industry from unfair competition of poor quality • Crude Oil & Petroleum Products Inspection
imports • Inspection of Mineral Products
• Improve the environment • Verification of Wood Products for Export
• Enhance the quality of exports • Vehicle Inspection Services (VIS)
• Vehicle Damage Tracking (VDT)
• Vehicle Stock Control (VSC)
WHY CHOOSE BUREAU VERITAS? • Vehicle Lease Inspections
• General Trade Services
Bureau Veritas acts as a trade facilitation services provider on five • Customs Classification Code Service (CCCS)
• Supply Chain Security Services (SCSS)
continents and is one of the world's leading providers of import control • Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
and inspection services. (C-TPAT)
ISO certification and accreditation Bureau Veritas is certified ISO • Monitoring of Transport Vehicles (Tracking)
9001:2000 worldwide. The inspection activity of the Government
Some of these services are built to be compatible
Services & International Trade Division is accredited ISO 17020. and can be combined to generate efficiency,
Our network Our global presence offers you the convenience of consistency and optimization.
international expertise combined with local service where you need it.
Proven experience Bureau Veritas was founded in 1828. Through its dedicated subsidiary BIVAC
International, it has more than 20 years' experience in trade facilitation services performed on behalf of
numerous clients.
Founding member of IFIA (International Federation of Inspection Agencies) The trade association
for inspection agencies and other organizations that provide inspection, testing and certification services
internationally. Bureau Veritas complies with the IFIA compliance Code and PSI Code of
Practice.
 OUR APPROACH
The usual steps of VOC are as follows:
1- Import registration in the importing country
An Inspection Order (IO) containing details of the intended importation is
submitted by the importer to the Bureau Veritas local office, or by the
exporter to the BV office in the country of export for each transaction subject
to the program. The IO data is sent electronically to the appropriate BV
office.
2- Intervention in the manufacturing country
• Contact with the Exporter
The BV office in the country of export sends a notice to the seller to ask
when and where the goods will be ready for inspection and to request the
following information:
1- Verification of conformity to standards of the importing country
- checking of the existing certificates and testing/analysis reports
- testing, if necessary
2- Inspection of exported goods:
- visual and documentary checking
3- Final review
3- Customs clearance in the importing country
BV local office delivers the Certificate of Compliance to the importer. The certificate is secured (protected against copy
and falsification) and identifies the goods and the applicable standard. It is required for customs clearance.
Detailed information on procedures in force in countries currently under contract is available from our local Bureau
Veritas offices.
TRADE FACILITATION
FAQ REFERENCES
Who pays for the inspection? •Angola •Iran
It could be the government, importer or exporter depending on the •Argentina •Jordan
destination country (see corresponding datasheet on Web site). •Bangladesh •Kenya
•Belarus •Laos
Are all goods subject to inspection? •Benin •Lebanon
No, some goods may be prohibited and others can be exempted, •Bolivia •Liberia
depending on the destination country (see corresponding datasheet on •Cambodia •Madagascar
Web site). •Central African Republic •Mali
•Chad •Mexico
What is the difference with product certification? •Colombia •Nigeria
VOC is limited to verification of conformity of goods per shipment to a •Congo •Paraguay
specified country. Product certification usually applies to the product •Côte d'Ivoire •Peru
without any geographical limitation and is based on testing and factory • Congo D.R. •Russia
audits. •Ecuador •Saudi Arabia
•Egypt •Senegal
What is the difference between PSI and VOC? •Gambia •Sierra Leone
• PSI (Preshipment Inspection) is the assessment of quantity, price •Ghana •Venezuela
verification and customs classification prior to the shipment of goods. It •Guinea •Yemen
provides advice to the customs in order they may collect the correct
Rev.4/ December 2008

revenue.
• VOC (Verification of Conformity) checks conformity of goods to
relevant national or international standard, taking into account
the local specificities (language…).

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION

For details about this service, please contact please visit:
GSIT Division– VOC Department
By phone: +33 (0) 1 55 24 77 68
www.bureauveritas.com
By e-mail: [email protected]