The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Customs, has launched the Golden Food Product List initiative.
This effort aims to streamline trade, strengthen the business environment, and uphold the emirate’s stringent food safety standards. This initiative aligns with the Abu Dhabi Government’s vision to boost economic competitiveness and streamline trade procedures.
According to the statement, the Golden Food Product List initiative is designed to expedite the clearance of food products with a strong track record across the emirate’s border crossings. Listed companies will be prioritized for pre-clearance after demonstrating consistent conformity with approved standard specifications and technical regulations through laboratory testing.
As a result, the products of these companies can enter the local market directly, reducing waiting periods, customs clearance time, and importers’ logistical and operational costs, while maintaining full compliance with food safety standards.
His Excellency Dr. Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director-General of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, affirmed that the Golden Food Product List initiative underscores ADAFSA’s dedication to striking a balance between easing trade and bolstering the national economy, upholding robust food safety standards, and fostering public-private sector trust.
His Excellency Al Ameri stated the Golden List serves as an innovative mechanism to boost regulatory efficiency, as well as to balance food safety with expedited customs clearance for food shipments. His Excellency further noted the Golden Food Product List initiative enables ADAFSA to focus on inspecting high-risk products, while listed items undergo simplified procedures thanks to their strong compliance record.
His Excellency Al Ameri said that, “The initiative boosts the emirate’s economy by encouraging imports through border crossings. It also highlights the integrated efforts between ADAFSA and Abu Dhabi Customs to advance the business ecosystem, thereby promoting Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading investment and trade hub.”
His Excellency Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General of Abu Dhabi Customs, praised the strong partnership with ADAFSA in implementing the Golden Food Product List initiative.
HE Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori Director-General Abu Dhabi Customs
“The partnership between Abu Dhabi Customs and ADAFSA is a successful model of integration among government entities in the emirate for achieving common objectives. The Golden List initiative will contribute to expediting the release of food consignments, boosting the overall efficiency of border crossings, lowering operational expenses for importers, and ultimately supporting the emirate’s reputation as a global logistics hub.”
Key Requirements for Golden Food Product List Entry
To be included on the Golden Food Product List, ADAFSA mandates several criteria, including the compliance of five consecutive shipments of the product to approved standard specifications and technical regulations, attaching an approved health certificate from the country of origin, and advance submission of import requests through the Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP) at least 24 hours before the shipment’s arrival.
To accelerate procedures, only a pre-audit of documents is required, eliminating the need for physical inspection or sampling. However, if a listed product is found in violation of specifications or receives any food-related alerts, it will be promptly delisted and subjected to regular control measures to keep food safety as the highest priority.
