RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.3
6 September 1999
(99-3691)
Working Party on the
Accession of AlbaniaOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF ALBANIA
Memorandum on Compliance with Technical Barriers to Trade
Revision
The Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Trade of the Republic of Albania has submitted
the following revised 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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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
1.  The Law on Standardization provides for Standstill: the
introduction of new standards, technical regulations and
conformity assessment procedures should be fullycompatible with the TBT Agreement principles.1.  Generally agreed principal in WTO
accession negotiations.
2.  The Law on Standardization and the four Decisions of
the Council of Ministers that follow assure compliance
with TBT: (1) the "Code of Good Practice for the
Adoption and Application of Standards", Decision of the
Council of Ministers, Number 242, dated 28.05.99; (2)
Criteria and Competencies in the Fields of
Standardization, Certification, and Accreditation, Number
371, dated 04.08.1999; (3) Exchange of Information onStandards and Technical Regulations, Number 372, dated
04.08.1999; and (4) the Preparation, Adoption and
Application of Technical Regulations and the Procedures
for Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulations
and Standards, Number 323, dated 08.07.19992.  Article 15.2 and TBT Committee
Decision (G/TBT/1)
Commitment: All Decisions of the Council of Ministers have been approved and are in force.
3.  By Order of the Prime Minister, Number 36, dated06.05.1999, (Paragraph 7) it is officially established that
Albania will have one enquiry point for information on
standards and technical regulations to be in compliance
with SPS and TBT.  The location of the enquiry point is as
follows:3.  Articles 10WT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.3
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
Directorate for Standardization
Rr. "Mine Peza", Nr. 143/3
Tirana, ALBANIA
+ 355-42-47176 telephone
+ 355-42-26255 fax
dsc@icc.al.eu.org e-mail
Commitment:   The Directorate of Standardization, with its authority and responsibility to operate a
single unit inquiry point, is a fully operational si ngle unit inquiry point.  The Directorate will be
submitting notifications on SPS and TBT measures as evidence of its compliance with WTO.
4.  Relevant ministries (Ministry of Agriculture and Food,Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Immigration,
Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, Ministry of
Education and Science) will be the authorities responsiblefor notification, publications and other internal procedures
to ensure that transparency obligations are met on an
ongoing basis:4.  Article 2,3,5,7,10,15.2,
Annex 3 and G/TBT/1
(a) the Decision of the Council of Ministers on the
Preparation, Adoption and Application of Technical
Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment ofConformity with Technical Regulation and Standards will
define the publications where notices of proposed
technical regulations and conformity assessmentprocedures will appear;(a) Articles 2.9.1,3.1,5.6.1,7.1,10.1.5
(b) the Directorate for Standardization will be the
authority responsible for making the notifications to the
WTO, Order of the Prime Minister, Number 36, dated06.05.1999, (Paragraph 7);(b) Articles 2.9.2, 2.10.1, 3.2,3.3,5.6.2,
5.7.1,7.2,7.3,10.7,10.10
(c) the Decision of the Council of Ministers on the
Preparation, Adoption and Application of Technical
Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment of
Conformity with Technical Regulation and Standards will
give guidance for ensuring non-discriminationconsideration of comments in the preparation of a finalregulation and will define the responsible authority; and(c) Articles 2.9.4,2.10.3,3.1,3.35.6.4,5.7.3,
7.1,7.3
(d) the Decision of the Council of Ministers on thePreparation, Adoption and Application of TechnicalRegulations and the Procedures for Assessment of
Conformity with Technical Regulation and Standards will
define a reasonable period of time between the final
publication of a technical regulation and conformity
assessment procedure and its entry into force so thatsuppliers 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 Directorate of Standardization
will provide notification of draft standards and provide anopportunity for public comment.(e) Article 4, Annex 3 (J,K,L,N,O);
Article 8.1WT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.3
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
5. Development and Application of Technical Regulations
and Conformity Assessment Procedures: existence oflegal and/or administrative underpinnings (or "reasonable
measures" as appropriate) to ensure ongoing compliance
with provisions of the agreement concerning, in particular:5.  Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
(a) the Albanian Law on Standardization, Article 4,
provides for non-discrimination with respect to treatment
of products and the Decision of the Council of Ministerson the Preparation, Adoption and Application of
Technical Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment
of Conformity with Technical Regulation and Standards;(a) Articles 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
(b) the Albanian Law on Standardization, Article 4, and
the Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and
Application of Technical Regulations and the Proceduresfor Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulation
and Standards provides for the prohibition of unnecessary
obstacles to international trade and the consideration of
less trade-restrictive alternatives to fulfilling legitimate
objectives;(b) Articles 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
(c) the Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and
Application of Technical Regulations and the Procedures
for Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulation
and Standards will provide for ongoing review oftechnical regulations to ensure they are appropriate to
achieve the desired legitimate objective;(c) Articles 2.3, 3.1, 7.1
(d) the Law on Standardization, Article 4, and the
Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and Application ofTechnical Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment
of Conformity with Technical Regulation and Standards
provides for the consideration of appropriate international
standards, guides and recommendations as a basis for
technical regulations and conformity assessmentprocedures;(d) Articles 2.4, 3.1, 5.4, 7.1
(e) the Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and
Application of Technical Regulations and the Procedures
for Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards will provide for the consideration of
equivalent technical regulations of other Members;(e) Articles 2.7, 3.1, 7.1
(f) relevant ministries can take the decision to accept the
results of conformity assessment procedures conducted bybodies in an exporting Member country as well as the
Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and Application of
Technical Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment
of Conformity with Technical Regulation and Standards;
and(f) Articles 6, 7.1WT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.3
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
(g) relevant ministries will implement a
non-discriminatory and a cost-based fee structure as wellas the Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and
Application of Technical Regulations and the Procedures
for Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards.(g) Articles 5.2, 7.1, 10.4
6.  Development and Application of Standards and
Conformity Assessment Procedures: Existence of legaland/or administrative underpinnings (or "reasonable
measures" as appropriate) to ensure ongoing compliance
with provisions of the agreement concerning, in particular:6.  Article 4 and Annex 3, Article 8
(a) the Law on Standardization, Article 4, and the Adopted
Code provide for non-discrimination with respect to the
treatment of products;(a) Annex 3 (D), Article 8.1
(b) the Law on Standardization, 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 Standardization, Article 4, and the Adopted
Code provide for the consideration of appropriate
international standards, guides, and recommendations as
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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