Syrian National Regulatory Departments
Overview
Syrian Arab Standardization and Meteorology
Organization
Establishment of SASMO

Due to economic importance of standards and metrology in elevating and improving the quality of
the national production, as well as facilitating commercial exchange, reducing costs, limit waste
percentage, consumers protection, providing just competition among producers, keeping good name
for our national products, and increasing their competence in international markets, due to all of
these reasons SASMO the Syrian Arab Organization for Standardization and Metrology was
established by decree-law No./248/dated 1969-10-13 and connected with the ministry of industry.

Due to the development in standardization on the regional & international level and to go along with
recent development, SASMO prepared a draft for new act that will specify its tasks
mechanismswww.sasmo.org/en/aboutus.php - top .
SASMO Objectives

Developing and accrediting the National Standards for all products and commodities, as well as
specifications related to measurement, calibration, symbols, definitions, terminology, sampling
manners, inspection, and testing methods

Modifying and updating the accredited standards according to technical and scientific developments

Publishing the National Standards by suitable ways

Extending awareness of standardization and coordinating the work related to it in the Syrian Arab
Republic

Setting up rules for granting Conformity Certificates, Quality Marks, regulate their issuance, and the
right for their use

Subscribing to the International, Regional and Arab Organizations for Standardization and Metrology

Preparing means to ensure the verification of quality production and conformity of raw materials and
commodities to the approved standard specifications. It shall also calibrate and set in order the
measuring devices and equipment and other metrology
SASMO Tasks

Issue the National Standards for commodities and services in order to guarantee their quality,
upgrade their level on one hand and for customer protection on the other hand

Define and unify testing methods, and sampling manners

Unify measurement systems used in The Syrian Arab Republic in accordance with the International
Unit System (SI) and issue the national standards for tools and equipments of inspection and test
their calibration methods

Unify the technical definitions, terminology, and symbols to identify concepts, prevent contradiction
and duplication, and to contribute in arabization efforts

Carry out the studies and researches to confirm adequacy of national standards and provid solutions
for different quality problems

Hold up symposiums, training courses, and work- shops in order to clarify the importance of
standardization and to handle the forthcoming problems

Provide new information concerning standardization and its different activities on the international,
regional and national levels, and supply all interested parties with information through SASMO
information Center

Offer advice for industrialists, handcrafts men and merchants

Contribute to update the national industry and open the way for its products in the global markets
through urging to apply quality systems and registration system to obtain the international conformity
certificate (ISO 9000)


Grant the conformity mark and quality mark for national products
Grant the conformity certificates for shipments of Syrian export commodities
SASMO Membership
SASMO is a member of the following international organizations:

AIDMO: Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization

ISO: International Organization for Standardization

IEC: International Electro- technical Commission

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. SASMO is the National Contact Point
in this field. It also carries out the tasks of the General Secretariat of the National CODEX
Alimentarius Committee

OIML: LOrganization Internationale De Metrologie Legale

ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials

AUCBM: Arab Union for Concrete and Building Materials

IDF: International Dairy Federation
Ministry of Economy & Trade

It is a central reference lab for the labs in the governorate internal trade directorates and other public
bodies.
Responsibilities

Analyse food materials (microbiological, physical, and chemical) and determine their compliance
with applicable standards as adopted by SASMO.

Make tests to analyze non-food items to determine their compliance with applicable specifications

Make Tests to determine food pollution: pesticide residues, hormones, mineral pollutants, chemical
additives, aflatoxins

Issue certificates for tested samples.
The Department is divided as follows

Administrative Section

Keep records for the incomings and outgoings

Receive samples from internal trade directorates in Damascus and other Governorates

Receive samples from public bodies: MOH, Army, Customs etc.

Receive samples from the private sector

Log all samples incoming to the lab and submit them to analysts

Submit results to their respective owners

Health Analysis (Pollutants) Section

Analysis for pollutants in the minerals analyses subsection

Analysis for traces of pesticides in food

Define active ingredients in pesticides

Define analysis methods for new pesticides

Analyze incoming samples of pesticides.

Food Analysis Section

Perform tests as required: microbiological, physical, chemical, food colors, additives

Issue duly certified test results

Follow up and study specifications

Follow up the daily maintenance of instruments and the proper solutions for their operation

Non-food Analysis Section

Test non-food items of both private and public sectors and determine their conformity to
specifications


Test imported and exported non-food items to determine their conformity to specifications
Research, Training and Quality Control Section

Introduce research and development projects at all subsections in order to improve and circulate
analysis methods to all labs of domestic trade directorates

Conduct studies and scientific researches on food pollution

Organize training courses at the lab as required, in coordination with Continual Training and
Habilitation Department

Perform research and development projects in all the subsections in order to improve analysis
methods and circulate them on domestic trade directorates’ labs

Conduct scientific research and studies on food pollution

Scientific coordination and cooperation with SASMO to perform some tests prior to the issuance
and adoption of standards and cooperation with labs of the public departments and scientific
bodies to perform joint tests

Maintenance Section

Maintain and repair laboratory instruments

Follow up computers and their peripherals at each subsection and provide software, maintenance
and coordination with the IT department in regard to the PCs unconnected to lab instruments.

Department Registry

Receives and delivers incoming and outgoing transactions, handling their distribution, archiving,
record keeping in addition to typing and photocopying
Quarantine Dept – Lattakia
Role of Quarantine Department

Examination of the agricultural consignments sent and received, including means of packaging and
other things that can be accompanied by the shipments.

Allow access to agricultural consignments coming into Syria, and infected by agricultural pests listed
in Table 2 after being checked by the staff of agricultural quarantine and disinfect and ensure that
the infection rate does not exceed the accepted limits of the 2% if they are prepared for agriculture, 5
% of consumption.

Provide a certificate to prove the origin of the agricultural Syrian Arab Republic and health condition
and free of harmful agricultural pests (health certificate) in accordance with the international model of
the internationally agreed under the International agreement for the Protection of Plants, held in
Rome in 1951.

Prevent the entry of agricultural consignments coming into the country if they are infected in one of
the pests of the Act of Quarantine No. 237 of 1960 facilities.

All infected agricultural consignments coming into the country infected by pest are to be fumigated
and disinfected in the manner it deems appropriate to the Quarantine staff at the expense of the
importer.

All agricultural consignments coming into the country must be accompanied by health certificate and
a certificate of origin issued by the concerned authority in the exporting country and in conformity
with the international model.

The received agricultural consignment must be packed to be easily inspected and disinfected when
necessary and only being opened by the staff of the quarantine.

Every importer or exporter should apply in writing to the Directorate of Plant Protection (quarantine)
for obtaining approval to import.

It is strictly prohibited to export agricultural consignments coming from internationally recognized
infected fields.

Examine the agricultural consignment to be exported very well before the export.