RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/ALB/32
30 March 1999
(99-1293)
Working Party on the
Accession of AlbaniaOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF ALBANIA
Memorandum on Compliance with Technical Barriers to Trade
The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade of the Republic of Albania has submitted
the following Memorandum on Compliance with Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), with the request
that it be circulated to members of the Working Party.
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Memorandum on Compliance with T echnical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
1. The Law on Standardisation provides for Standstill: the
introduction of new standards, technical regulations and
conformity assessment procedures should be fully compatiblewith the TBT Agreement.1. Generally agreed principal in WTO
accession negotiations
2. The Law on Standardisation and the  three Government
decrees that follow assure compliance with TBT: (I) adoption ofthe Code of Good Practice for Adoption and Application ofStandards;  (ii) competencies on conformity assessment
procedures;  and (iii) exchange of information on standards and
technical regulations.2. Article 15.2 and TBT Committee
Decision (G/TBT/1)
3. Albania will have two Contact Points for information, onefor standards at the National Standards Body and one forTechnical Regulations in the Ministry of Economic Co-operationand Trade3. Article 10
4. Relevant ministries (Ministry of Agriculture and Food,
Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Immigration, Ministryof Public Works and Transportation, Ministry of Education and
Science) are at present the responsible authorities responsible for
notification, publications and other internal procedures to ensurethat transparency obligations are met on an ongoing basis:4. Articles 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15.2, Annex 3
and G/TBT/1
(A) the Decree on Competencies on Conformity AssessmentProcedures will define the publications where notices of proposedtechnical regulations and conformity assessment procedures willappear;(A) Articles 2.9.1, 3.1, 5.6.1, 7.1, 10.1.5
(B) the Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade will be
the authority responsible for making notifications to the WTO;(B) Articles 2.9.2, 2.10.1, 3.2, 3.3, 5.6.2,
5.7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 10.7, 10.10WT/ACC/ALB/32
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
(C) the Decree on Competencies on Conformity Assessment
Procedures will give guidance for ensuring non-discrimination
consideration of comments in the preparation of a final regulationand will define the responsible authority; and(C) Articles 2.9.4, 2.10.3, 3.1, 3.3, 5.6.4,
5.7.3, 7.1, 7.3
(D) the Decree on Competencies on Conformity Assessment
Procedures will define a reasonable period of time between thefinal publication of a technical regulation and conformityassessment procedure and its entry in to force so that suppliers can
adapt;(D) Articles 2.11, 2.12, 3.1, 5.8, 5.9, 7.1
(E) with regard to standards, the adopted code, letter "J", will
be published by the National Standards Body and will providenotification of draft standards and provide an opportunity forpublic comment.(E) Article 4, Annex 3 (J, K, L, N, O);
Article 8.1
According to the Law on Standardisation, the
Government has the authority to produce sub-legal acts toestablish a single unit that will serve as the contact point.  Based
on Article No. 15 of the law, we need about 2 years to implement
the setting up of that unit
5. Development and Application of Technical Regulationsand Conformity Assessment Procedures: Existence of legal and/oradministrative underpinnings (or “reasonable measures” asappropriate) to ensure ongoing compliance with provisions of theagreement concerning, in particular:5. Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
(A) the Albanian Law on Standardisation, Article 4, provides
for non-discrimination with respect to the treatment of products;(A) Articles 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
(B) the Albanian Law on Standardisation, Article 4, provides
for the prohibition of unnecessary obstacles to international trade
and the consideration of less trade-restrictive alternatives tofulfilling legitimate objectives;(B) Articles 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
(C) the Decree on Competencies on Conformity Assessment
Procedures will provide for ongoing review of technicalregulations to ensure they are appropriate to achieve the desiredlegitimate objective;(C) Article 2.3, 3.1, 7.1
(D) the Law on Standardisation, Article 4, provides for the
consideration of appropriate international standards, guides and
recommendations as a basis for technical regulations and
conformity assessment procedures;(D) Article 2.4, 3.1, 5.4, 7.1
(E) the Decree on Competencies on Conformity Assessment
Procedures will provide for the consideration of equivalenttechnical regulations of other Members;(E) Article 2.7, 3.1, 7.1
(F) relevant ministries can take the decision to accept the
results of conformity assessment procedures conducted by bodiesin an exporting Member country; and(F) Article 6, 7.1
(G) relevant ministries will implement a non-discriminatory
and a cost-based fee structure.(G) Article 5.2, 7.1, 10.4WT/ACC/ALB/32
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
6. Development and Application of Standards and
Conformity Assessment Procedures:  Existence of legal and/or
administrative underpinnings (or “reasonable measures” asappropriate) to ensure ongoing compliance with provisions of theagreement concerning, in particular:6. Article 4 and Annex 3, Article 8
(A) the Law on Standardisation, Article 4, and the adopted
Code provide for non-discrimination with respect to the treatmentof products;(A) Annex 3 (D), Article 8.1
(B) the Law on Standardisation, Article 4, and the adopted
Code provide for the prohibition of unnecessary obstacles to
international trade;(B) Annex 3 (E), Article 8.1
(C) the Law on Standardisation, Article 4, and the adopted
Code provide the consideration of appropriate internationalstandards, guides and recommendations as a basis for standards;(C) Annex 3 (F), Article 8.1
(D) the adopted Code provides non-discriminatory and cost-
based fee structure.(D) Annex 3 (M), Annex 3 (P),
Articles 8.1, 10.4
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