LEGAL CONDITIONS OF MARKET ACCESS
As a rule, imports are carried out without restrictions.
However, products of animal and vegetable origin require special veterinary and phytosanitary certificates, which certify that they are not carriers of any disease. In the case of Portugal, it may not be possible to obtain these certificates because the country is not qualified to export these goods to South Korea.
With regard to quality and certification requirements, the market requires certain goods to conform to South Korean technical standards, which are the responsibility of the government agency Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), through KC Mark certification (this is the case, among others, of industrial products, including consumer goods, such as toys, appliances, elevators and their parts). For a variety of products (eg textiles, machinery, chemicals) certification is voluntary, although recommended, in accordance with Korean Industrial Standards.
The Free Trade Agreement between the European Union (EU) and Korea provides for an extensive set of general clauses to remove technical barriers to trade, such as cooperation on standards and regulatory issues, transparency and marking / labeling, which go further than the World Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. The four sector-specific annexes, relating to consumer electronics, motor vehicles and their parts, pharmaceuticals / medical devices and chemicals, contain relevant obligations.
With regard to labeling, the general rule is that imported goods must indicate on their labels (legibly and permanently), the country of origin, in Korean, Chinese or English, and not only the designation “made in EU” is acceptable, but the indication of the Member State, followed by the words“ European Union ”. It is advisable / recommended that exporting companies contact their customers / importers in South Korea, with a view to obtaining the necessary requirements / clarifications, in this and other matters related to commercial transactions.
.
MERCADO / MARKET
52