Medical Devices in the GCC: GSO and European Committee for Standardization Sign Technical Agreement

On 22 October 2025, the Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO), represented by the Gulf Technical Committee for Medical Devices and Supplies (GSO/TC 11), signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), represented by the European Technical Committee for Non-active Medical Devices (CEN/TC 105). The agreement aims to enhance collaboration in developing and harmonizing standards for non-active medical devices, and to promote the exchange of expertise and capacity building between the two regions.

Cooperation on Key Medical Device Standards

The partnership will focus on developing and harmonizing standards for a wide range of products, including blood pressure measuring devices, thermometers, catheters, medical needles and syringes, medical and surgical gloves, medical and respiratory masks, wound dressings, and products designed to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

Supporting Alignment Between GCC and European Standards

This is the sixth Technical Cooperation Agreement that the GSO has signed since 2022 to align Gulf technical committees with their European counterparts. Previous collaborations have covered areas such as:

• Oil and gas (GSO Technical Committee (GSO/TC 07) for Oil and Gas with the European Committee CEN/TC 12)
• Plastics and rubber (GSO Technical Committee (GSO/TC 02) for Plastics and Rubber with the European Committee CEN/TC 145)
• Children’s toys (GSO Technical Committee (GSO/TC 14) for children’s supplies and toys with the European Committee CEN/TC 52)
• Fire safety (GSO Technical Committee (GBC-TC-FF) for Gulf Building Code – Fire Fighting) with the European Committee CEN/TC 127)
• Air conditioning equipment and heat pumps (GSO Technical Committee (GSO/TC 03) for Heat Pumps and Air Conditioning Equipment with the European Committee CEN/TC 113).

Through these initiatives, the GSO aims to raise safety and quality standards throughout member states in collaboration with partner organizations. This cooperation also supports regional quality infrastructure, strengthens capacity building, and knowledge sharing, promotes technical harmonization, and contributes to improved product quality, consumer protection and sustainable development in the GCC region.