Analysis of Egypts Import Regulatory Framework

The Egyptian Customs Authority (NCS)Equipment Importsimplementationa dual regulatory system: Adheres to the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement requirements while retaining distinctive technical trade measures. ThePresidential Decree No. 117effective in 2025 clearly requires that equipment import agents must complete:

• Pre-registration with the Industrial Development Authority of Egypt (IDAI)
• The scope of mandatory quality certification (COI) has been expanded to cover 38 categories of equipment
• Electronic integration with the Customs Value Verification System (CVVS)

Practical Breakdown of Customs Clearance Process

Taking injection molding equipment arriving CIF Alexandria as an example:

• Document pre-review stage
  • Commercial invoices must indicate the country of origin HS code (newly added 8422.1990 in 2025 version)
  • Packing lists must include equipment serial numbers and power parameters
• Key points for customs declaration
  • Declared value must not be lower than 85% of the Egyptian local market reference price
  • Used equipment requires documentation proving years of service

Response to High-Risk Scenarios

Customs clearance obstruction cases from January to May 2025 show:

• Document non-compliance cases accounted for 42%: A Chinese companys laser cutting machine was detained due to failure to update ISO13849 certification
• Classification disputes accounted for 31%: A multi-functional machining center was mistakenly classified under heading 8479, resulting in a 12% tariff difference
• Value disputes accounted for 27%: Customs questioned the declared equipment value, triggering a 45-day price verification process

2025 policy change alerts

The Egyptian Customs Authority recently released aWhite Paper on Technical Trade Measuresrevealing:

• Non-electric equipment imports require additional energy efficiency certification
• Electromechanical products must bear mandatory Arabic safety labels
• The standard for calculating port demurrage fees will adopt a new formula: (Cargo value × 0.5%) + (Days × 200 EGP)

Golden Rules for Agent Selection

High-quality agency service providers should possess:

• Localized customs clearance network: Maintains AEO-certified warehouses in Alexandria and Port Said
• Emergency response mechanism: Completes preparation of response documents for customs inquiries within 72 hours
• Compliance guarantee system: Provides full-cycle risk control from HS pre-classification to tax refund applications