The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Customs, has launched the 'Golden Food Product List' initiative, in efforts to support trade flow, foster the business ecosystem, and maintain the highest food safety standards. This initiative aligns with the Abu Dhabi government's vision to boost economic competitiveness and streamline trade procedures.
The 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.
In this regard, H.E. Dr. Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director-General of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, affirmed the 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.
Al Ameri stated the Golden List serves as an innovative mechanism to boost regulatory efficiency, as well as balancing food safety with expedited customs clearance for food shipments. He noted the initiative enables ADAFSA to focus on inspecting high-risk products, while listed items undergo simplified procedures thanks to their strong compliance record.
"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," Al Ameri added.
For his part, H.E. Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General of Abu Dhabi Customs, commended the close collaboration with ADAFSA in implementing this initiative. He emphasized that the partnership between Abu Dhabi Customs and ADAFSA is a successful model of integration among government entities in the emirate for achieving common objectives.
His Excellency explained that 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.
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 & 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.
Update On
9 Sep 2025