RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
19 July 2002
(02-4005)
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.3
Page 2Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
Economic, monetary and fiscal
policyNew
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 in June 2001.
Original text and amendments
published in Official Gazette 34/01and 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 all
legal entities (at the present time such transfers must be made
through a specialized Paym ent Operations Office).Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
April 2001and subsequentlyamended in June 2001.
Original text and amendments
published in Official Gazette 32/01
and 50/01.
AmendmentsLaw on Excise Taxes
Action plan for equalization of excise taxes for domestic and
imported tobacco products.Ministry of Finance Enacted in June 2002.
Amendments published in Official
Gazette 45/02.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party(WT/ACC/807/24).
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.3
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, 15/01)
Full harmonization. of the Macedonian customs tariff with the
WCO customs tariff on a six-digit level.Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
December 2001.
Published in Official Gazette
104/01.
Other duties and chargesCustoms valuationRules of originAmendments
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.
AmendmentsLaw on Customs (Official Gazette 21/98, 26/98, 63/98, 25/00,109/00,  31/01)
Compliance with the Agreement on Implementation of
Article VII of GATT 1994 and the Agreement on Rules ofOrigin.Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24).
AmendmentsLaw on Customs (Official Gazette 21/98, 26/98, 63/98, 25/00,109/00, 31/01)
Reform of tariff rate quota system (Article 24a).Ministry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament on
4  July 2002.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24).
AmendmentsRegulation on Customs Valuation (Official Gazette 17/00)
Compliance with the Agreement on Implementation of
Article VII of GATT 1994.Ministry of Finance Intended to be completed by
July 2002.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24).WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
Page 4Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
New
Regulation Governing the Amount of the Fees for Customs
Services Rendered.Ministry of Finance Approved by the Government in
December 2001.
Published in the Official Gazette
102/01.
English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
Import licensing procedures New
Law on Foreign Trade
Repeal of the existing Law on Foreign Trade.Abolition of  the 0.1% export promotion charge.
Regulate anti-dumping, safeguards and countervailing
measures regimes in a WTO consistent manner.Ministry of Economy Enacted by the Parliament in
June 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 45/02.English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24).
TBT Agreement New
Law 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 andMetrologyEnacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party (WT/ACC/807/22).
NewLaw on Metrology
Regulation of the metrological system of the Republic of
Macedonia.Ministry of Economy
Bureau for Standardization andMetrologyEnacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party (WT/ACC/807/22).
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 and
MetrologyEnacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party (WT/ACC/807/12/Add.1).WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
Page 5Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
New
Law on Technical Requirements of Products and Conformity
Assessment
Technical requirements products should meet before placed
on the market and  procedures for conformity assessment ofproductMinistry of Economy
Bureau for Standardization and
MetrologyEnacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party (WT/ACC/807/22).
SPS Agreement New
Law on Food Safety
Complete harmonization of food safety legislation with the
SPS Agreement (Codex Alimentarius standards)Ministry of Health Enacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party for comments(WT/ACC/807/20).
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 December 2002.
New
Regulations for implementation of the Law on Veterinary
HealthMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyBeing drafted.
Intended to be completed by
December 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 December 2003.
New
Regulations for implementation of the Law on Plant
ProtectionMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyPreparation of regulations will
follow the enactment of the
Law on Plant Protection.
NewLaw on Ratification of the International Plant ProtectionConvention
IPPC ratificationMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyIntended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2002.
Agreement on Agriculture 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 EconomyIntended to be enacted by the
Parliament by December 2002.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
Page 6Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
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 EconomyEnacted by the Parliament in
February 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 11/02.
Submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24/Add.1).
NewLaw on Agricultural Activity
Definition of the agricultural activity, who and under which
conditions can perform it, registration requirements.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Water EconomyEnacted by the Parliament in
February 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 11/02.
Submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24/Add.1).
State trading New
Law on Stock ReservesMinistry of Economy
Ministry of FinanceDraft in existence.
Being approved by the
Government.
Free economic zones Amendments
Law on Free Economic Zones
Abolition of the export performance requirement.Ministry of Economy Enacted by the Parliament in
January 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 6/02.English translation submitted to the
Working Party.
Agreement on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual PropertyRights -TRIPSAmendments
Law on Copyrights and Related Rights (Official Gazette47/96, 3/98)
Extension of the period for retroactive protection of the rights
of performers  and phonogram producers to 50 years, in
compliance with Article 14.5 of TRIPS.
Further harmonization of the copyright legislation withinternational requirements.Ministry of Culture Approved by the Government in
May 2002.
Scheduled for enactment by the
Parliament in July 2002. Theparliamentary discussion
completed. Voting expected in July.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party(WT/ACC/807/24).WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
Page 7Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
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
OfficeEnacted by the Parliament in
June 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 47/02.
Draft submitted to the Working
Party (WT/ACC/807/24/Add.1).
General Agreement on Trade inServices – GATSNew
Law on Bar
Access for consultancy services on domestic, foreign and
international laws (commercial presence).Ministry of Justice Draft in existence.
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.
Access for foreign courier service suppliers (commercial
presence)Ministry of Transport and
CommunicationsEnacted by the Parliament on
4 July 2002.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
WT/ACC/807/20).
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.WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
Page 8Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
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 Insurance SupervisionMinistry of Finance Enacted by the Parliament in
April 2002.
English translation submitted to the
Working Party(WT/ACC/807/24/Add.1).
NewLaw on Health Protection
New approach in regulating the health sector.Ministry of Health Being drafted.
No definite date for enactment.
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
CommunicationsEnglish translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party.
AmendmentsLaw on Spatial and Urban Planning
Access for foreign suppliers of architectonic, engineering and
integrated engineering services (commercial presence).Ministry of Environment and
Spatial PlanningEnacted by the Parliament in
June 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 45/02.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party(WT/ACC/807/24).
Amendments
Law on the Environment
Access for foreign suppliers of environmental services
(commercial presence).Ministry of Environment and
Spatial PlanningEnacted by the Parliament in June
2002.
Published in Official Gazette 45/02.English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24).WT/ACC/807/17/Rev.3
Page 9Subject Legislation Agency In Charge Status
Amendments
Law on Movement and Residence of Foreigners
Extension of the temporary stay of intra-corporate transferees
to three years with an additional extension of  two years.Ministry of Internal Affairs Enacted by the Parliament in
June 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 45/02.
English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party(WT/ACC/807/24).
Amendments
Law on Communal Services
Access for foreign suppliers of communal services
(commercial presence).Ministry of Environment and
Spatial PlanningEnacted by the Parliament in
June 2002.
Published in Official Gazette 45/02.English translation of the draft
submitted to the Working Party
(WT/ACC/807/24).
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