Page 576 - ENGLISH PR REPORT FEBRUARY 2024

integrated food supply chains. It also enhances our efforts in educating food enterprises,
traders, and suppliers about the most recent safety standards, food specifications, and

environmental sustainability, thereby ensuring their implementation.”

Dubai Food Systems Excellence Programme, the most recent initiative to recognise the
best food establishments in the application of integrated standards of food safety,
nutrition, environmental sustainability, community responsibility, digitisation, and
innovation, will be reviewed by the Municipality during Gulfood.

The programme’s objectives include consolidating Dubai's position as a major hub for

global trade, encouraging food businesses to distinguish themselves, as well as upholding
a sustainable system of food, health, and environment to improve the quality of life.

Additionally, it targets food outlets in the Emirate of Dubai that are classified as restaurants
and snack preparation facilities, including local restaurants and cafeterias in hotels and

public places.

Dubai Municipality will further review its services for food merchants and suppliers, which
offers them access to IRS to streamline import and export procedures and track food
products. In addition, the Municipality will also promote practices that minimise food loss
and waste in the emirate during its participation at the event, in addition to increasing
customer understanding of the regulations, processes, and transactions associated with

food shipments.

The customer’s journey with IRS entails several steps, including securing license,
registering the company on the Municipality's website, evaluating food products,
submitting import application on the import and export system, requesting the arrival of the

shipment at the port of entry, and transporting it to the port control office for inspection
and release.

Furthermore, it includes staff members’ receipt and inspection of the shipment, the release
of the shipment from the port, its arrival at the importer’s warehouse, the collection of
samples, the laboratory inspection of the product, and ultimately the product’s access to

the local market.