RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/ALB/34
30 March 1999
(99-1292)
Working Party on the
Accession of AlbaniaOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF ALBANIA
Memorandum on Restrictions and Pr ohibition for Exportable Products
The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade of the Republic of Albania has submitted
the following Memorandum on Restrictions and Prohibition for Exportable Products, with the request
that it be circulated to members of the Working Party.
_______________WT/ACC/ALB/34
Page 2MEMORANDUM ON RESTRICTIONS AND PROHIBITIONS FOR EXPORTABLE PRODUCTS
Restrictions On Exportable Products, By Type: Justification, Licensing And Other Requirements
Article and Description by Harmonised Code
and Corresponding Legislation or RegulationJustification/rationale for the Restriction Process to Obtain a Licence
93.01 - 93.07 Arms and Munitions, Parts and
Accessories Thereof:  Military weapons,munitions such as bullets of all calibre,
missiles, grenades, mines, fireworks of 180
mm, etc.The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has defined the procedures
for obtaining export licences for these products and isauthorised to issue such licences
36.01 - 36.06.90.90 Explosives, PyrotechnicProducts, Matches, Pyrophoric Alloys: military
explosives and powders such as TNT, egzogyn,
dynamite, ammonite, etc.; all kinds of firearms
Regulation for the "Licensing of Trade and Sale
of Armaments", dated 10.09.1994 approved by
the Prime Minister;
Decision of the Council of Ministers: On the
Extermination and Sales of Armaments and
Munitions", Number 365, 6.6.1994
Decision of the Council of Ministers: "For
Working with Explosive Materials", Number
257, 16.4.1996To adhere to international commitments
related to non-proliferation, mass destruction
and production of technologies thereof.  To
prevent trade of said products to hostilenations or nations subjected to international
bans (e.g., UN arms embargoes, etc.)  No
phase-out period is specified as a result of
the above explanation.There are two types of licences, one for armaments and one
for explosive materials.  For armaments, the licence is
available for juridical, public, private, Albanian, and
foreigners.  The licence is authorised by the Order by theMOD, Number 402, dated 1998.  The licence is transferable
and can be automatically renewed in part or whole by the
Minister.
The licensed enterprises or person(s) must have an Export
Authorisation by the MOD.  The authorisation is granted
when the following documents are supplied: legal registration
of the enterprise or person, the right to excise the activity, and
the certificate of the end-user.
For explosives, licences are issued under Order Number 402
by a commission in the MOD.  A licence defines the purposesof the activity, the date of issue, validity, the terms of
renovation of the licence and the registration number.  The
licence is issued to professionals and is non-transferable.  The
licence is for two years and is renewable.WT/ACC/ALB/34
Page 3Article and Description by Harmonised Code
and Corresponding Legislation or RegulationJustification/rationale for the Restriction Process to Obtain a Licence
Foreign companies or joint ventures are required to present
the following documents to obtain a licence: an explanation of
the proposed activity, a professional certificate demonstrating
expertise for their activity, their corporate status, registration
in the court, a statement of the enterprise's financial
credibility, etc. Licences can be revoked by the licensing
commission when the juridical nature of the enterprisechanges.
97.01 - 97.06 Modern works of art To protect cultural integrity and heritage of
the Republic.Licences are obtain by an Order of the Minister of Culture,
Youth and Sports.  Any private person must present their
request to the Minister and present the following information:
a customs declaration (with the time, duration and document
that certifies that the works of art are not prohibited), an
invoice with the value for insurance purposes, and a certificatefrom the National Gallery of Art if the piece is registered with
the Gallery.WT/ACC/ALB/34
Page 4Prohibitions on Exportable Products, by Type: Justification, and Phase-out Period
Article and Description by Harmonised Code
and Corresponding Legislation or RegulationJustification/Rationale for the Prohibition Phase-out Period
I. 41.00 R AW HIDES AND SKINS (OTHER THAN FURSKINS ) AND LEATHER
41.01  Hides of cattle as fresh, dried, limed,
salted, stretched or otherwise treated but not
tanned or pergaminated, prepared, and cleaned
(these are for hides of cattle other than those ofhorses)During the transition period, Albania's
leather processing industry suffered serious
disruptions and losses in investment in this
sector.  Leather processing has traditionallybeen a sector in which Albania has had
productive economic activity in the past and
is expected to be competitive in the future.
The ban on hides is an attempt to protect this
industry which finds itself in its infancy.The current ban allows the more than 10
existing domestic enterprises (those with or
without foreign joint ventures) to have access
to the raw materials needed to produce the
intermediate and/or the final products.The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade in
conjunction with the Ministry of Finance has prepared a draft
of the Decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal the
prohibitions on exports of scraps of iron and steel.  Approvalfrom the Council is in progress and should be enforced by the
end of March 1999.
41.02  Raw skins of sheep and lambs as fresh
or salted, pointed or otherwise treated, but not
tanned or prepared (including skins with wool,
stretched or un-stretched)During the transition period, Albania's
leather processing industry suffered serious
disruptions and losses in investment in this
sector.  Leather processing has traditionallybeen a sector in which Albania has had
productive economic activity in the past and
is expected to be competitive in the future.
The ban on hides is an attempt to protect this
industry which finds itself in its infancy.The current ban allows the more than 10
existing domestic enterprises (those with or
without foreign joint ventures) to have access
to the raw materials needed to produce the
intermediate and/or the final products.The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade in
conjunction with the Ministry of Finance has prepared a draft
of the Decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal the
prohibitions on exports of scraps of iron and steel.  Approvalfrom the Council is in progress and should be enforced by the
end of March 1999.WT/ACC/ALB/34
Page 5Article and Description by Harmonised Code
and Corresponding Legislation or RegulationJustification/Rationale for the Prohibition Phase-out Period
41.03  Other hides  and skins  as fresh or salted,
dried, limed in salted water or otherwise
treated, but not tanned and pergaminated or
processed further (including wool or hair and
stretched or unstretched)During the transition period, Albania's
leather processing industry suffered serious
disruptions and losses in investment in this
sector.  Leather processing has traditionally
been a sector in which Albania has had
productive economic activity in the past and
is expected to be competitive in the future.The ban on hides is an attempt to protect this
industry which finds itself in its infancy.
The current ban allows the more than 10
existing domestic enterprises (those with or
without foreign joint ventures) to have accessto the raw materials needed to produce the
intermediate and/or the final products.The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade in
conjunction with the Ministry of Finance has prepared a draft
of the Decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal the
prohibitions on exports of scraps of iron and steel.  Approval
from the Council is in progress and should be enforced by the
end of March 1999.
II. W OOD AND ARTICLES OF WOOD ; WOOD CHARCOAL
44.01-44.01.22  Firewood as being in the form
of chunks, cudgels, branches or twigs or other
similar forms; chips of wood and saw-powder,
being agglomerated or not in the form of
chumps, bricks or other similar formNo longer prohibited. According to the Decision of the Council of Ministers on
"The Abrogation of Council of Ministers Decision Number
153 (26.3.1997) and Number 200 (2.5.1997) and Some
Changes to the Council of Ministers Decision Number 360",
Number 98, dated 4.2.1998 the export of processed and
unprocessed wood is fully liberalised.
44.03.01-44.03.99  Unprocessed wood asstripped or not, either rounded or not (except
the elements of wood details)
44.07.10-44.07.99 Sawed wood and beams as
bars or sheets, planed and polished beams,
spiked together with joints thinker than 6mm
(except planed or polished beams, and joined
pieces which are allowed to be exported)WT/ACC/ALB/34
Page 6 Article and Description by Harmonised Code
and Corresponding Legislation or RegulationJustification/Rationale for the Prohibition Phase-out Period
III. I RON AND STEEL : PRIMARY MATERIALS , PRODUCTS IN GRANULAR OR POWDER FORM
72.04 Scraps of iron and steel, except scraps of
stainless steel and waste of iron remaining from
the buckets of furnacesSince the events of 1997 (i.e., domestic
instability), the export of scraps of these
products have been prohibited. People tookmachines or parts of machines from state-
owned enterprises or assets for sale abroad
for their own personal gain.  This reduced
the value of the property of state-owned
enterprises or devalued the assets.The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade in
conjunction with the Ministry of Finance has prepared a draft
of the Decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal theprohibitions on exports of scraps of iron and steel.  Approval
from the Council is in progress and should be enforced by the
end of September 1999.
IV. C OPPER AND ARTICLES THEREOF
74.01-74.19 Copper and copper articles, except
rust, electrolytic copper handicraft products
which are not produced from copper mouldsSince the events of 1997 (i.e., domestic
instability), the export of scraps of these
products have been prohibited. People took
machines or parts of machines from state-
owned enterprises or assets for sale abroadfor their own personal gain.  This reduced
the value of the property of state-owned
enterprises or devalued the assets.The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade in
conjunction with the Ministry of Finance has prepared a draft
of the Decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal the
prohibitions on exports of scraps of iron and steel.  Approval
from the Council is in progress and should be enforced by theend of September 1999.
V. F ISH, MOLLUSCS , CRUSTACEANS , ETC.
16.04.11 - 16.05.90.90 Preparation of fish
products, crustaceans, molluscs, etc.
23.09.90 - 23.09.90.97 Residues and waste
from prepared animal foodTo protect species and environmental or
ecological considerations.This is a temporary ban expected to be lifted at the end of
1999.WT/ACC/ALB/34
Page 7Article and Description by Harmonised Code
and Corresponding Legislation or RegulationJustification/Rationale for the Prohibition Phase-out Period
VI. W ORKS OF ART2
97.00 Works of art, collectors' pieces and
antiques (including state-owned, museum
owned, monumental centres, items of nationalsignificance, works produced by ancient artists
which have museum value  and honoured
members of the Albanian National Gallery of
Arts, etc)To protect the cultural integrity and heritage
of the Republic.No phase-out is foreseen for these products.
1 The Government of Albania is currently discussing with the IM F the process of liberalising these few prohibited sectors in the  export regime.  The plan
is to have eliminated all export bans by the end of 1999 or s ooner.  Until then, the following Decisions of the Council of Mini sters define the export regime on
prohibited product (excluding works of art):
Council of Ministers Decision: "On the Export-Import Regime  from and in the Republic of Albania", No. 360, dated 10.07.1995
Council of Ministers Decision: "For Changes to the Counc il of Minister Decision Number 360", No. 415, dated 7.8.199
Council of Ministers Decision: "For Changes to the Counc il of Minister Decision Number 360", No. 121, dated 12.2.1996
Council of Ministers Decision: "For Changes to the Counc il of Minister Decision Number 360", No. 711, dated 20.10.1996
Council of Ministers Decision: "The Abrogation of Council of Ministers Decision No. 153 (26.3.1997) and No. 200 (2.5.1997) and Some Changes to the
Council of Ministers Decision No. 360", No. 98, dated 4.2.1998
Council of Ministers Decision: "For Some Changes to th e Council of Ministers Decision No. 360", No. 321, 23.5.1998
2 For works of art, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports in co-operation with the Ministry of Finance is in the process of  preparing legislation that
will formally define prohibited works and non-prohibited works and the process by which one can obtain a licence to export the non-prohibited works.
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