ACONOQ, the Congolese Agency of Standardization and Quality

What is the ACONOQ ?

ACONOQ, or Congolese Agency for Standardization and Quality, is a public administrative and technical body founded by law n°19-2015 of October 29, 2015. It operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry, with legal personality and financial autonomy.

This establishment aims to orchestrate standardization, metrology, certification and quality promotion activities across all sectors of activity in Congo. Standardization aims to set voluntary technical standards for products, services or processes, while metrology focuses on the measurement of physical quantities and ensures the accuracy of measuring instruments. Certification of conformity validates the conformity of a product, service or management system to a specific standard.

The promotion of quality aims to raise awareness, train and support socio-economic actors in the adoption of quality approaches. Through its missions, ACONOQ aims to stimulate the economic and social development of Congo by ensuring that products and services meet national and international standards, thus strengthening the competitiveness of businesses, consumer protection, environmental conservation and trade facilitation.

Led by a Director General, ACONOQ is structured around several specialized departments, such as standardization, quality promotion, metrology, human resources, administration and finance, as well as departmental branches. It also relies on technical committees for standardization and certification, bringing together representatives from various sectors.

As Congo’s official representative to international standardization organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML) and the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), ACONOQ actively participates in the development of international standards and the harmonization of practices at the regional and global levels.

Why did you create ACONOQ ?

ACONOQ was created to address various challenges associated with the quality of goods and services, whether imported or local, in Congo. These challenges are shared economically, socially and environmentally.

An economic challenge

The main objective of ACONOQ is to improve the competitiveness of Congolese companies both in the domestic market and internationally. By respecting the standards set by ACONOQ, companies can not only improve the quality of their offers but also reduce their production costs, increase customer satisfaction and stand out from their competitors. Obtaining ACONOQ certification also opens the door to new markets, particularly those requiring certifications of compliance with global standards.

In addition, ACONOQ aims to streamline trade between Congo and the rest of the world by requesting a certificate of conformity for all imports, thus ensuring their adequacy to Congolese standards and regulations. This helps prevent fraud and technical barriers to trade.

By getting involved in international standardization organizations, ACONOQ also contributes to the harmonization of standards on a regional and global scale, thus promoting the integration of Congo in the global economy.

A social challenge

ACONOQ’s mission includes protecting consumers against dangerous, poor quality or counterfeit products. By monitoring the compliance of products, ACONOQ ensures their safety, efficiency and reliability, thus reducing risks to the health and safety of consumers.

ACONOQ promotes a culture of quality in Congolese society by training economic and social actors in quality approaches, thus encouraging them to commit to continuous improvement and to respect the standards in force.

An environmental challenge

ACONOQ is committed to protecting the environment by establishing and applying ecological standards. It encourages companies to minimize their environmental impact, use natural resources responsibly, prevent pollution and promote sustainable development.

By certifying ecological products and services, ACONOQ highlights them to consumers and business partners.

ACONOQ enables the economic, social and ecological development of Congo by ensuring the quality of products and services. It is therefore essential to become familiar with its standards and to apply them.

What are the existing ACONOQ standards and are they mandatory ?

ACONOQ develops and manages the national directory of standards, which is a set of documents defining the characteristics, requirements, test methods, or rules of good practice for products, services, or processes.

These standards cover a variety of sectors such as agri-food, construction, energy, environment, health and safety. They shall be established with the support of the technical committees for standardization, composed of representatives of the sectors concerned.

ACONOQ standards are aligned with international or regional standards, while taking into account the specific needs of Congo.

There are two categories of standards: voluntary standards, which are not imposed by law but can be freely adopted to improve quality, performance, competitiveness, or customer satisfaction, and mandatory standards, made necessary by issues of safety, health, environmental protection, or compliance with rules of origin, and whose non-compliance may result in sanctions.

Examples of ACONOQ standards, whether already established or under development, include :

Voluntary standards

NC 01-001 : Quality management system

Requirements. Inspired by the ISO 9001 standard, this standard sets out the criteria for establishing a quality management system within an organization.

NC 01-002 : Environmental management system

Requirements and guidelines. Based on ISO 14001, it defines the criteria for developing an environmental management system.

NC 02-001 : Edible cassava flour

Specifications. This standard specifies the physicochemical, microbiological and organoleptic characteristics of industrial edible cassava flour in Congo.

Obligatory standards

NC 03-001 : Imported food products

Compliance check. This standard establishes the conditions for the verification of conformity of food products imported into Congo, requiring a certificate of conformity (CoC) issued by a body recognized by ACONOQ.

NC 03-002 : Imported electrical and electronic products

Compliance check. It dictates the procedures for checking the conformity of imported electrical and electronic products, also requiring a CoC by a body approved by ACONOQ.

NC 03-003 : Imported cosmetic products

Compliance check. This standard defines the conditions for checking the conformity of imported cosmetic products, requiring the submission of a CoC by a body approved by ACONOQ.

ACONOQ standards, whether mandatory or not, are diversified and meet the requirements of the Congo. They aim to ensure the quality, safety, performance and compliance of products and services, while being developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and consistent with international standards.

Which products need to be certified by an ACONOQ standard ?

ACONOQ offers a certification service for products and services, guaranteeing their compliance with specific standards. This certification, carried out by ACONOQ or authorized organizations, results from various audits and controls. It aims to promote products and services, increase consumer and partner confidence and facilitate market entry.

This certification is symbolized by a conformity mark, which certifies the conformity of products or commercial documents.

It can be applied to various products and services, meeting the needs and requirements of socio-economic actors, and is divided into two broad categories: imported products and services and local products and services.

Imported products and services

Imported products and services, produced outside Congo and destined for the Congolese market, must comply with local standards in terms of safety, health, performance and information. To this end, ACONOQ has established a Compliance Control Program (PCEC) to verify compliance before shipment to the Congo.

The PCEC, carried out by approved entities, results in the issuance of a certificate of conformity (CoC) necessary for the customs clearance of imported products and services. The following categories are concerned :

• Food products : dairy, meat, fishing, cereal, sugar, bakery, confectionery, beverages, oils, spices, condiments, food additives, etc.

• Electrical and electronic products : household appliances, audiovisual, computer, telecommunication, lighting, cables, batteries, batteries, solar panels, inverters, transformers, meters, circuit breakers, etc.

• Cosmetics : make-up, care, hairdressing, hygiene, perfumery, sunscreens, tattoos, etc.

Local products and services

Local products and services, manufactured or supplied in Congo and intended for the local or international market, must comply with Congolese, international or regional standards, as well as quality and performance requirements.

ACONOQ promotes these products through a national certification scheme, attesting their conformity to a standard or a reference. This scheme provides a national mark of conformity for compliant local products and services.

The National Compliance Mark is a guarantee of quality. The following local products and services are eligible :

• Agri-food products : cassava flour, honey, shea butter, coffee, cocoa, palm wine, etc.

• Construction products : bricks, tiles, cements, concretes, steels, paints, varnishes, etc.

• Services : training, consulting, audit, control, maintenance, cleaning, security, transport, tourism, etc.

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ACONOQ certification is essential for products and services, whether imported or local, in order to meet the criteria of conformity, quality, safety, performance and customer satisfaction, enhancing consumer confidence and facilitating market access.

Which ACONOQ certification program to choose? Are there several ?

ACONOQ offers two main certification programs based on the type of products or services: the Compliance Control Program (PCEC) and the national certification scheme for local products and services. Each of these programs has different objectives, specific modalities and unique benefits.

The Compliance Monitoring Program (PCEC)

Designed to assess the conformity of imported products and services before shipping to the Congo, the PCEC covers food, electrical, electronic and cosmetic products. ACONOQ accredited organizations carry out this verification and issue a certificate of conformity (CoC) for products and services that meet the criteria.

This certificate is essential for customs clearance of goods imported into Congo.

The CBCP aims to :

• Protect consumers from risks related to dangerous, non-compliant or counterfeit products

• Protecting domestic industry from unfair competition and counterfeiting

• Simplify trade by reducing controls on arrival

Benefits for importers :

• Ensuring compliance with Congo standards and regulations

• Customs clearance facilitation

• Building trust among customers and business partners

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National scheme for certification of local products and services

This program certifies the conformity of local products and services according to specific standards or standards, covering the agri-food, construction and service sectors. ACONOQ, or an organization it has accredited, grants a national mark of conformity to products and services that meet these criteria.

This brand is a guarantee of quality and conformity.

Objectives of this scheme :

• Promote local products and services, both on the national and international market

• Improving the competitiveness of local businesses

• Increase quality, performance and customer satisfaction, while supporting social responsibility

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Benefits for local producers and suppliers :

• Compliance with locally and internationally recognized standards

• Expanded access to markets requiring certifications

• Competitive differentiation and customer loyalty

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ACONOQ offers two certification programs adapted according to whether you import products or offer local products and services. Each program is designed to meet specific needs and expectations.

It is therefore wise to choose the ACONOQ certification program that best suits your situation.

What are the essential criteria for obtaining one of the ACONOQ standards ?

To comply with the ACONOQ standards, it is essential to meet a series of criteria defined by the standard or the chosen reference. These criteria, which may be technical, regulatory, organizational or managerial, are intended to ensure quality, safety, performance and customer satisfaction. They vary according to the type of products or services, the sector of activity, the target market and the ACONOQ certification program.

We will detail the essential criteria according to the certification program chosen: the Compliance Control Program (PCEC) or the national scheme for certification of local products and services.

The essential criteria for obtaining one of the ACONOQ standards under the PCEC

The objective of the BCCP is to verify the conformity of products and services imported into the Congo, before they are shipped to that country. This programme covers food, electrical, electronic and cosmetic products.

To adhere to the ACONOQ standards under the CMEP, the following criteria must be met :

• Adhere to Congolese standards applicable to imported products or services, available on the ACONOQ website or on request from this organization or approved organizations.

• Comply with the rules of origin set out in trade agreements between Congo and the countries of origin of goods or services, to prevent dumping, fraud and counterfeiting.

• Submit products or services to a compliance check by an ACONOQ-accredited body, including audits, sampling, laboratory tests or inspections, before shipping to the Congo.

• Obtain a certificate of conformity (CoC) from the approved body, attesting compliance with standards and rules of origin, necessary for customs clearance in Congo.

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The essential criteria for obtaining one of the ACONOQ standards within the framework of the national certification scheme for local products and services

This scheme aims to certify the conformity of local products and services according to a specific standard or reference, and mainly concerns the agri-food, construction and service sectors.

The criteria to be met to obtain certification according to this scheme are :

• Choose an applicable standard or standard, available through ACONOQ or its accredited organizations, which may be national, regional or international in scope.

• Implement a quality management system (QMS) within the organization, in accordance with the requirements of the chosen standard or reference.

• Submit local products or services to a certification audit by ACONOQ or an accredited body, to verify their compliance and that of the QMS.

• Obtain a national mark of conformity from ACONOQ or the approved organization, proving that the products or services meet the standard or the chosen reference, to be renewed at each audit.

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The essential criteria for obtaining an ACONOQ standard depend on the selected certification program, the PCEC for imports, or the national scheme for local products and services, with the common objective of ensuring compliance, quality, safety, performance and customer satisfaction.