AFRICAN GUIDELINE DUAL  MARKING OF PRODUCTS WITH THE ARSO 
QUALITY MARKS AND NATIONAL QUALITY MARKS   
 
1. Scope - This African guideline    describes the fundamentals of dual 
marking of products with  the ARSO quality mark and a member state’s 
notified quality  mark for products complying with African harmonized 
standards.  
2.  Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of 
this document. For dated refere nces, only the edition cited applies. For 
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including 
any amendments) applies.  
i.ISO/IEC 17000,  Conformity assessment — Vocabulary and general 
principles  
ii.ISO/IEC 17065 , Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies 
certifying products, processes and services 3. Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this guideline the terms and definitions given in 
ISO/IEC 17000, ISO/IEC 17065 and the following apply.  
Note 2. May incl ude a regulatory body or a trade association not being a 
certification body, which develop a product certification scheme in which 
one or more certification bodies participate.  
3.4 The African Conformity Assessment Program ( ACAP) - an African 
system that pr ovides confidence to all interested third parties that a product 
or process fulfils certain specified requirements; to improve the quality 
and/or safety of goods produced within the ARSO member states . 
 
3.5. Eco Mark Africa (EMA)  - a certification system for sustainability 
standards for African products and services developed by the African 
Organization for Standardization (ARSO) and covered under Scheme D  on 
Sustainability and eco -labelling of the ACAP  
3.6 ARSO  mark - A certification mark awarded by licensed Certification Body 
or a National Standards Body ( NSB) which  is a member of ARSO  for marking 
on  products complying with African standards.  
3.7 Dual Marking - The marking of a product complying with the requirements 
of an adopted harmon ized African standard with an ARSO mark and a notified 
mark of the member state.  3.7 Product Certification  - the provision of assessment and impartial 
third-party attestation that fulfilment of specified requirements  of ISO/IEC 
17065  or equivalent  has been demonstrated.  
3.8 ARSO license - A signed document  signed between ARSO and a 
Certification Body or designated member state authority or agent for the 
purpose of assessment and award of an ARSO quality mark  
3.9 African Standard. standard approved by the ARSO Council and adopted by 
the ARSO General Assembly . 
4. Objectives of certification and award of the ARSO mark  
 
i) to address the needs of consumers, users and, more generally, all 
interested parties by giving confidence regarding fulfilment of specified 
requirements  
ii) to allow suppliers to demonstrate to the market that their product has 
been attested to fulfil specified requirements by an impartial third -party  
body 
 
5. Eligibility : Any Member State intending to participate in the Scheme may 
do so by notifying the Secre tary -General of the ARSO,  in writing, of its 
willingness to participate in the Scheme and signing a license agreement.  
 
6.  Operation  
 
6.1 The dual marking of products shall be undertaken by  a National 
Standards Body which is a member of ARSO  
6.2 The marking of a  product with  the ARSO quality mark shall be 
voluntary  
6.3 The renewal of the mark on the product shall be done alongside the 
national quality mark  
6.4 The ARSO quality mark shall only be awarded to a product with a 
national quality mark  
6.5 The NSB shall have adopted  the African standard as a national 
standard  
6.6 The NSB shall be operating a national product  certification and award a 
national quality mark for those products complying with standards  
6.7 The NSB shall set out its Rules, procedures, management related to a 
particular set of specified requirements of the adopted standard  
6.8 The rules, procedures and management shall provide for: 6.8.1  Selection , including planning and preparation activities, 
specification of requirements, e.g. normative documents, and 
sampling, as applicable  
6.8.2  Determination of characteristics , as applicable, by:  
i. Testing  
ii. Inspection  
iii. design appraisal  
iv. assessment of services or processes  
v. other determination activities, e.g. verification  
6.8.3  Review ; examining the evidence of conformity obtained during the 
determination stage to establish whether the specified 
requirements have been met  
 
6.8.4  Decision on certification ; granting, maintaining , extending, 
reduc tion of scope , suspending, withdrawing certification  
 
6.8.5  Attestation ; issuing a certificate of conformity or other statement 
of conformity . 
6.8.6  Licensing;  granting the right to use certificates or other statements of 
conformity  or  
 
NOTE:  
i) Issuing a certificate of conformity for a batch of products granting 
the right to use marks of conformity (licensing) is based on 
surveillance or  certification of a batch.  
ii) The NSB shall on a quarterly basis make a report on the owners 
and products awarded the ARSO quality mark