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I didn’t come to Alexandria to deal with CE certification.
I came because the smart lock market here is quiet—no one’s shouting about it, no one’s flooded with Alibaba listings. Just a few local distributors, a couple of warehouses near the port, and a lot of silence between the lines on customs forms.

I’m from Changsha. Studied economics in Guizhou Medical University—yes, that’s as odd as it sounds. I didn’t become a doctor. I became someone who stares at shipping manifests at 3 a.m., wondering if the CE mark on the packaging is enough, or if someone in Alexandria’s customs office is going to ask for a signed letter from a notary in Berlin.

Last week, someone in a Telegram group for Chinese exporters in Egypt asked: “Does CE certification require a power of attorney here?”

I didn’t answer. I just saved the message.

Because I’ve been asking the same thing for six months.

There’s no official document that says, “To import CE-marked products into Alexandria, you must submit a notarized power of attorney.”

But I’ve heard it.

In three different local business forums. In two WhatsApp groups with Vietnamese and Pakistani traders who’ve been here longer than I’ve had a working visa. In a conversation with a guy who runs a small logistics office near the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. He didn’t know the law—he just knew that last month, a shipment from Guangdong got stuck for 22 days because the customs agent asked for “a signed authorization from the EU manufacturer.”

The manufacturer was in Shenzhen. The product was a smart lock with a Bluetooth module. The CE mark was printed on the box.

The agent didn’t ask for test reports. Didn’t ask for the Declaration of Conformity.

Just: “Who is responsible for this product here? Can we contact them?”

And when the importer couldn’t provide a local representative with signed authority? The container sat.

I didn’t see the paperwork. I didn’t get the form. But I saw the delay. And I heard the frustration.

So now I wonder: is it about the CE? Or is it about liability?

In Egypt, the legal system doesn’t always care about EU standards. It cares about who is answerable when something breaks. Or catches fire. Or gets seized.

And if you’re a Chinese company with no local entity, no agent, no registered address in Alexandria? You’re invisible to them.

So they ask for a letter.

Not because the law says so.

But because they need someone to blame.

I called a local lawyer last Tuesday. Not because I’m brave. Because I’m tired.

He didn’t answer my question directly. He said:

“In Egypt, if you don’t have a local representative, the authorities will create one for you. And they won’t ask for your permission.”

Then he paused.

“A power of attorney isn’t always required. But if you want to avoid waiting, it’s often the cheapest way to make the system move.”

I didn’t ask him if it was legally mandatory. I asked if it was practical.

He said: “Practical? Yes. Mandatory? Maybe. Depends who’s on duty that day.”

I left with a list of three things:

  • A copy of the CE Declaration of Conformity
  • The product’s test report (even if unofficial)
  • And a draft of a power of attorney, signed by the manufacturer, notarized in China, and apostilled

I didn’t send it yet.

I’m still waiting.

For what? I don’t know.

Maybe for a sign. Maybe for someone else to do it first.

❓ FAQ

Q1: Is a Power of Attorney (PoA) legally required for CE-certified products entering Alexandria?

A:

  • Step 1: Check the Egyptian Standards and Metrology Organization (ESMO) website for product-specific import rules.
  • Step 2: Look for “Importer Responsibility” clauses under Category 11 (Electrical Equipment).
  • Step 3: If your product falls under the Low Voltage Directive (2014/35/EU) or Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU), local customs may request proof of a local authorized representative.
  • Key Points:
    • No federal law mandates PoA for CE products.
    • Customs officers have discretion.
    • Port of Alexandria has reported higher scrutiny on shipments without local contact info.
    • If the manufacturer is outside the EU, they may be asked to appoint a “Responsible Person” in Egypt.

Q2: Can I use a PoA issued in China, or does it need to be notarized in Egypt?

A:

  • Step 1: Have the PoA notarized in China by a Chinese notary public.
  • Step 2: Get an apostille from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (if China is part of the Hague Convention—yes, it is).
  • Step 3: Translate the document into Arabic by a certified translator in Egypt.
  • Step 4: Submit the apostilled + translated version with your customs declaration.
  • Key Points:
    • Egyptian authorities accept apostilled documents from China.
    • No need to re-notarize in Egypt.
    • Always include a certified Arabic translation—English alone is rarely accepted.

Q3: What if I’m selling directly to end-users and have no local agent?

A:

  • Step 1: Consider registering a simple “Representative Office” (not a full company) with the Egyptian Investment Authority (EIA).
  • Step 2: Use that office’s address as the “Responsible Person” on your CE documentation.
  • Step 3: Alternatively, partner with a local distributor who already has import licenses—they can act as your legal representative.
  • Key Points:
    • A representative office costs less than a full LLC.
    • You can use a virtual office service in Alexandria (some charge $200/year).
    • Avoid shipping directly from China to end customers—this increases the chance of customs detention.

I still don’t know if I need the power of attorney.

But I know this:
If I wait for someone to tell me the exact rule, I’ll be waiting forever.

I’m not trying to outsmart the system. I’m trying to make it less broken.

I’ve seen too many shipments sit for weeks because someone didn’t send a letter. Not because the product was illegal. Not because the CE mark was fake.

Just because no one knew who to call.

I’ve been here six months. I’ve learned one thing:

In Egypt, compliance isn’t about documents.
It’s about who you’re willing to let speak for you.

So I’m preparing the PoA.
I’m getting it apostilled.
I’m translating it.

I don’t know if it’ll work.

But I know I’ll sleep better knowing I tried.

If you’re also stuck in that gray space—between CE labels and customs clerks, between Alibaba orders and Egyptian bureaucracy—maybe you’re wondering the same thing.

I’m not offering advice. I’m just sharing what I’ve heard.

If you want to swap stories—about Alexandria ports, about slow customs, about the 17th time your shipment got held for “missing paperwork”—you can reach out to JingJing at lvga2015 on WeChat.

She’s not a lawyer.
She’s not a consultant.
She just listens.

And she’s the one who helped me turn this messy note into something I could share.

We’re a small group. No promises. No guarantees. Just people trying to make sense of the same silence you’re hearing.

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