In November 2013, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) posted on its webpage that it will fully implement a mandatory electronic customs clearance system (E-Clearance) for all food products,including prepackaged food products as well as raw materials, imported into the Kingdom starting on January 1, 2014. The SFDA has indicated that it will not process any customs clearance requests after January 1st unless it is submitted through the E-Clearance system. Saudi Arabia has not formally notified its trading partners of the new E-Clearance requirements of food imports.
