Exporting to Egypt — GOEIC factory registration and Arabic labelling

Last reviewed 2026-10 · 4 sections

Egypt is one of India's largest export destinations and a market with a register-based import regime: for a wide range of products, the foreign factory — not just the importer — must be registered before the goods may be shipped.

Factory registration is the gate

Egypt's import-control authority maintains a register of foreign factories and producers whose goods may be imported for defined product categories. A manufacturer that is not on the register cannot export those products to Egypt, regardless of the buyer.

This is a manufacturer-side obligation and it involves the goods being assessed and the plant being verified. Treat it as a project with a lead time in months — and note that it is product category specific, so adding a product line can mean a new registration.

Labelling, standards and religious requirements

Arabic labelling is required for consumer goods, with prescribed content, and the rules are enforced.
Egyptian standards apply to defined categories, and conformity is verified on arrival for goods in scope.
For meat and poultry, halal slaughter requirements apply and the certification chain must be acceptable to the Egyptian authority.

Tax, payment and the practical sequence

Duty follows the Egyptian tariff, and Egyptian VAT applies on import; both are handled by the importer, who must be registered in the importers' register.
Payment and documentation rules for imports have changed more than once in recent years, including requirements affecting the banking route. Confirm the current position with your bank and buyer before contracting — not from a guide.
Sequence: factory registration → importer registration → documents and labels → shipment. Doing the shipment first is the expensive mistake.

Documents and market reading

Commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, certificate of origin; registration evidence; Arabic labelling artwork; conformity and halal documents where applicable.
Egypt's import figures are large and include goods that move onward within North Africa, so recorded imports are not the same as Egyptian consumption.

Use the tools

Sources & further reading

GOEIC — export & import control, Egypt Egyptian Customs Authority Egyptian Organization for Standardization (EOS)

These guides summarise public material from the bodies named above. They are general information, not advice on a specific shipment, and they are not a substitute for a ruling from your customs authority or a qualified customs broker / consultant.

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