FIRST MEETING OF REGULATORS FROM SEE COUNTRIES

1
FIRST MEETING OF REGULATORS FROM SEE COUNTRIES

• ALBANIAN PRESENTATION ON TECHNICAL REGULATIONS
  AND STANDARTIZATION

2
STEPS FOR INTEGRATION

• WTO MEMBERSHIP
• REGIONAL INITIATIVES MEMORANDUM OF
  UNDERSTANDING ON LIBERALIZATION AND FACILITATION
  OF TRADE
• STABILIZATION ASSOCIATION PROCESS

3
WTO MEMBERSHIP

• GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF STANDARDS has the
  responsibility to operate as Single Unit Enquiry
  Point in Albania, related to notifications on TBT
  and SPS measures.
• On 1999, the order of Prime Minister ON Creation
  of the Interagency Groups for Technical barriers
  to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary
  measures (SPS) that had to deal with the
  notifications of new measures.

4
WTO MEMBERSHIP

• THE LAW ON STANDARTIZATION - 1999
• Four DECISION OF GOVERNMENT
• Code of Good Practices for Adoption and
  Application of Standards, May 1999.
• Criteria and Competences in the Field of
  Standardization, Certification and
  Accreditations, August 1999.
• Exchange of Information on Standards and
  Technical Regulations, August 1999.
• The Preparation, Adoption and Application of
  Technical Regulations and Procedures for
  Assessment of Conformity with Technical
  Regulations and Standards, July 1999.

5
WTO MEMBERSHIP

• Commitment to apply all obligations under the TBT
  and SPS Agreements without recourse to any
  transition periods.
• The market is open for other third party
  certification bodies in addition to the national
  standards body.
• The lack of implementing legislation of the WTO

6
Albanians Government Priorities

• Elimination of unnecessary barriers, increase of
  quality of goods, expand of Albanian products to
  international markets.
• Drafting implementing legislation of the WTO
  commitments on standardization
• Building up a modern infrastructure in testing,
  certification and accreditation facilities.
• Separation of the activities on accreditation and
  certification.
• Adoption as many international and European
  standards
• Approximation of legislation with those of EU

7
MoU on Trade Liberalization and Facilitation

• Signature of 8 Bilateral Free Trade Agreements
• Para. 8 of MOU Cooperation in moving towards
  the implementation of standards, technical
  regulations, conformity assessment, testing,
  metrology and accreditation system, compatible
  with European and international principles.

8
MoU on Trade Liberalization and Facilitation - FTA

• Impediments lack of Mutual recognition
  Agreements in the field of Standardization.
• Efforts to conclude Bilateral Agreements on
  Standardization, Conformity, Metrology and
  Accreditation, to support the Free Trade
  Agreement implementation FTA with Macedonia.

9
STABILIZATION ASSOCIATION PROCESS

• 2003 the approval of the law On Conformity
  Assessment
• This law establishes the principle of conformity
  assessment in regulated areas for the purpose of
  ensuring unified procedures in the conformity
  assessment of products, processes and services
  which hold potential risks to human health,
  public safety, the environment, and other public
  interests.

10
STABILIZATION ASSOCIATION PROCESS

• 2003 The law On Accreditation and the
  Government Decision On Organization and
  Functioning of Accreditation Directorate
• 2004 establishment and functioning of
  Accreditation Directorate, which will split the
  function of accreditation from those of
  standardisation and certification.

11
STABILIZATION ASSOCIATION PROCESS

• The General Directorate of Standards became a
  full member of the European Organisation of
  Testing and Certification (EOTC).
• In the field of standards and certification,
  Albania has adopted 42 of European Standards,
  therefore meeting the target fixed in both the
  working programme of the General Directorate for
  Standardisation (GDS) and in the governmental
  action plan.