RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
23 November 2001
(01-5955)
Working Party on the Accession of the
Former Yugoslav Republic of MacedoniaOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Communication from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Plan of Legislation Activities
Revision
The Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has submitted the following
revised Plan of Legislation Activities.
_______________WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 2Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
New
Law on Foreign Exchange Operations
Liberalization of capital transactions, simplification of the
foreign investments registration procedure, and unimpededtransfer of capital.Ministry of Finance
National Bank of RMEnacted by the Parliament in April
2001and subsequently amended inJune 2001.
Original text and amendments
published in Official Gazette 34/01
and 49/01.
English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
NewLaw on Payment Transactions
Reforms in the domestic payments system to permit
commercial banks to conduct direct transfers of funds for alllegal entities (at the present time such transfers must be madethrough a specialized Paym ent Operations Office).Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in April
2001and subsequently amended inJune 2001.
Original text and amendments
published in Official Gazette 32/01and 50/01.Economic, monetary and fiscalpolicy
New
Law on Excise TaxesMinistry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in April
2001and subsequently amended in
June 2001.
Original text and amendments
published in Official Gazette 32/01and 50/01.
English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
Property ownership and leasing;contractsNew
Law on Construction Land
Long-term (99 years) land  leases for the building
construction  by foreigners.Ministry of Transport and
CommunicationsEnacted by the Parliament in July
2001.
Published in Official Gazette 53/01.
New
Law on Ownership
Establishment of a contemporary system of ownership rights.Ministry of Justice Enacted by the Parliament in
February 2001.
Published in Official Gazette 18/01.
New
Law on Obligations
Establishment of a contemporary system of contracts.Ministry of Justice Enacted by the Parliament in
February 2001.
Published in Official Gazette 18/01.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 3Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
Registration requirements Amendments
Law on Trade Companies (Official Gazette 28/96, 7/97,21/98, 37/98, 63/98, 39/99, 81/99, 37/00)
Simplification of registration procedures for business entities.Ministry of Economy
Ministry of JusticeEnacted by the Parliament in June
2001.
Published in Official Gazette 50/01.English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
National tariff Amendments
Customs Tariff Law (Official Gazette 38/96, 45/97, 54/97,61/97, 26/98)
Reduction of customs rates.Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
February 2001.
Published in Official Gazette 15/01.English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
Amendments
Law on Customs (Official Gazette 21/98, 26/98, 63/98,25/00)
Article 8 of the amendments provides for the abolition of the
1% customs services fee starting January 1, 2002.Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
December 2000.
Published  in Official Gazette
109/00. English translationsubmitted to the Working Party.
Amendments
Law on Customs (Official Gazette 21/98, 26/98, 63/98, 25/00,
109/00)
Compliance with the Agreement on Implementation of
Article VII of GATT 1994 and the Agreement on Rules ofOrigin.Ministry of Finance Being drafted.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by March 2002.
Amendments
Law on Customs (Official Gazette 21/98, 26/98, 63/98, 25/00,
109/00)
Reform of tariff rate quota system (Article 24a).Ministry of Finance Being drafted.
Amendments will be enacted prior
to the accession in order to enterinto force on the day of accession.
AmendmentsRegulation on Customs Valuation (Official Gazette 17/00)
Compliance with the Agreement on Implementation of
Article VII of GATT 1994.Ministry of Finance Being drafted.
Intended to be completed by March
2002.Other duties and chargesCustoms valuationRules of origin
New
Regulation introducing a scale of fees for customs services.Ministry of Finance Being drafted.
Intended to be completed by
December 2001.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 4Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
Import licensing procedures New
Law on Trade
Repeal of the existing Law on Trade and Law on Foreign
Trade.
Improve the regulation of domestic and international trade.
Abolish the 0.1% export promotion charge.Ministry of Economy Planning stage.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2001.
NewLaw on Standardization
This law lays down the objectives and principles for the
Macedonian national standardization system, the status of the
Macedonian national standards body, its responsibilities,membership and funding, and regulates the preparation,,adoption and application of Macedonian national standards.Ministry of Economy
Bureau for Standardization andMetrologyThe law is in a Parliament
procedure.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party as part of the revised Annex 2
(WT/ACC/807/13).
NewLaw on Metrology
Regulation of the metrological system of the Republic of
Macedonia.Ministry of Economy
Bureau for Standardization andMetrologyThe law is in a Parliament
procedure.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party as part of the revised Annex 2(WT/ACC/807/13).
NewLaw on Accreditation
This law establishes a national accreditation service;
determines its structure, powers and obligations and specificareas in which  the accredita tion procedure shall apply.Ministry of Economy
Bureau for Standardization andMetrologyThe law is in a Parliament
procedure.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party as part of the revised Annex 2(WT/ACC/807/13).TBT Agreement
New
Law on Technical Requirements of Products and ConformityAssessment
Technical requirements products should meet before placed
on the market and  procedures for conformity assessment ofproductMinistry of Economy
Bureau for Standardization andMetrologyThe law is in a Parliament
procedure.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party as part of the revised Annex 2(WT/ACC/807/13).WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 5Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
New
Law on Food Safety
Complete harmonization of food safety legislation with the
SPS Agreement (Codex Alimentarius standards)Ministry of Health Draft in existence.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party forcomments.
Parliament procedure will start
upon receipt of comments.
AmendmentsLaw on Veterinary Health (Official Gazette 28/98)
International harmonization of existing legislation.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyBeing drafted.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by July 2002.
New
Regulations for implementation of the Law on Veterinary
HealthMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyBeing drafted.
Intended to be completed by July
2002.
NewLaw on Plant Protection
Harmonization of plant protection legislation with IPPC and
EU directives.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyIntended to enacted by the
Parliament by 2003.
NewRegulations for implementation of the Law on PlantProtectionMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyPreparation of regulations will
follow the enactment of the Law onPlant Protection.SPS Agreement
New
Law on Ratification of the International Plant ProtectionConvention
IPPC ratificationMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyIntended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2002.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 6Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
New
Law on Support of Agriculture
The aim of this law is to resolve critical issues in the
agricultural sector of Macedonia and to alleviate theconditions of Macedonian agricultural producers.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyBeing drafted.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by July 2002.
New
Law on Agricultural Fund
This law will establish an agricultural fund and will
introduce procedures for its appropriation sources andapplication.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyDraft in existence.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2001.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party.Agreement on Agriculture
New
Law on Agricultural Activity
Definition of the agricultural activity, who and under which
conditions can perform it, registration requirements.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyDraft in existence.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2001.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party.
Amendments
Law on Copyrights and Related Rights (Official Gazette
47/96, 3/98)
Further harmonization of the copyright legislation with
international requirements.Ministry of Culture Being drafted.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by June 2002.Agreement on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights -TRIPS
New
Law on Industrial Property
Modernization of the regimes for patents, trademarks,
industrial designs and appellation of origin and theirharmonization with international requirements.(Replaces theplanned Law on Patents, Law on Trademarks, Law onIndustrial Design and Law on Geographical Indications and
Appellations of Origin).Ministry of Economy
Industrial Property Protection
OfficeDraft in existence.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by June 2002.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party for comments.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 7Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
General Agreement on Trade in
Services – GATSNew
Law on Bar
Professional requirements for attorneys, and the scope and
manner of their professional activitiesMinistry of Justice Being drafted.
No definite date for enactment.
Amendments
Law on Accounting (Official Gazette 42/93, 48/93, 6/95,
3/96, 32/98, 39/99)
Introduction of modern concepts in accounting services.Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
August 2001.
Published  in Official Gazette
70/01.
NewLaw on Postal Services
The establishment of new criteria  for postal and courier
services.Ministry of Transport and
CommunicationsDraft in existence.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party.
Amendments
Law on Telecommunications (Official Gazette 33/96, 17/98,
22/98,28/00)
These amendments will introduce the necessary adjustments
resulting  from the privatization of the incumbent operator.Ministry of Transport and
CommunicationsBeing drafted.
No definite date for enactment.
Amendments
Law on Broadcasting (Official Gazette 20/97)
Harmonization of existing legislation with EU requirementsMinistry of Transport and
CommunicationsPlanning stage.
No definite date for enactment.
Amendments
Law on Insurance (Official Gazette 49/97, 79/99)
Further liberalization in the insurance sectorMinistry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
February 2001.
Published in Official Gazette 13/01.
English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
NewLaw on Capital-Funded Pension System
Introduction of a capital-funded pension system.Ministry of Labor and Social Policy Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by February 2002.
NewLaw on Health Protection
New approach in regulating the health sector.Ministry of Health Being drafted.
No definite date for enactment.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.1
Page 8Subject Legislation Agency in Charge Status
Amendments
Law on  Road Transport (Official Gazette 63/95, 15/97,29/98, 7/99, 34/00)
Harmonization of the legislation with European countries.Ministry of Transport and
CommunicationsBeing drafted.
Intended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2001.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party.
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