G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  
 
23 September 2020  
(20-6467) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original: English  
 
 
 REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  (2020) 
ALBANIA  
The following communication, dated 16 September 2020 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Albania.  
 
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1  MILITARY GOODS  
Outline of System  
1.  The import of the military goods and dual use goods and technology is managed by the Albanian 
State Export Control Authority (AKSHE) under the Minister of Defense. Trade with foreign parties is 
performed based on licenses and authorizations issued by this authority after consultations if needed 
with the relevant institutions.   
 
This permission is issued based on Law 46/2018 " “ On state, international transfer control of military 
goods and dual -use items and technologies ”. 
AKSHE’s work is focused on the state control of exports, imports, transits, transfers and intermediary 
activities for military goods and dual use goods and technology, to ensure the interests of the 
Republic of Albania, to supervise its commitment to inter national treaties of non -proliferation of 
weapons of mass destruction and their launching systems, the transfer of conventional weapons, as 
well as the implementation of measures aiming prevention of use of such goods for unlawful 
purposes.  
Purposes and c overage of licensing  
2. The licensing system for military goods and dual use goods and technology function as one, 
concentrated in the State Export Control Authority mentioned in the previous question.  
 
The products that are covered are listed in the natio nal list according to the Council of Ministers 
Decision 91, on 27.02.2019: “ On the approval of the updated lists of military goods and related 
technologies with dual use, which undergo the import -export state control ”. 
This list is based on European Union published list on military goods and dual -use goods and 
technology.  
 
3.  The system does not discriminate any country.  
 
 
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.  G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  
 
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  4.  The licensing system is not intended to restrict the quantity or values of imports. In the Al banian 
legislation for the import of military and dual use goods there is no restriction in value or quantity.  
 
The state export – import control policy is built on the following principles:  
 
• Priority of national interest – political, economic and military , the protection of which is 
necessary for guaranteeing national security.  
• Protection of the political, economic and military interest of the country.  
• Obligation to observe the international commitments undertaken by the Republic of Albania 
about the non -proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery, and to 
ensure state control over international transfer of goods designed for military purposes, and 
dual-use items, as well as to prevent these goods from being used for terrorist acts and other 
illegal purposes.  
• Conduct of export control over the international transfers of these goods to the extent required 
to only achieve its purpose.  
• Harmonization of state control procedures and regulations, international transfers of these 
goods with  international legal norms and practices.  
• Ensuring interaction with international organizations and foreign countries in the state export 
control area, so as to reinforce international security and stability, including non - proliferation 
of weapons of mass  destruction and the system for their proliferation.  
 
5. The Albanian legislation for the import -export military goods and technology of dual use is as 
follows : 
• The Law No. 46/2018, “On state, international transfer control of military goods and dual -use 
items and technologies”.  
• The Law No 74/2014 “On Arms” . 
• Ministries Council Decision no. 31, dat ed 22.01.2020  “On organizing, function and status of 
State Export Cont rol Authority” . 
•  The Council of Ministers Decision 91, on 27.02.20 19: “On the approval of the updated lists of 
military goods and related technologies with dual use, which undergo the import -export state 
control”.   
• The Council of Ministers’ Decision 305, on 25.3.2009  “On the designating procedure, regarding 
the issuing of assured legal documents in the field of state control activities of import -export, 
military goods, and related technologies of dual use”.   
• The Council of Ministers’ Decision 304, on 25.3.2009 “On the designating procedures regarding 
expertise’s fulfilment  and the control by the State Control Authority of Exports”.  
• The Council of Ministers’ Decision 604, on  28.8.2003 “On approval, in principle, of code of 
conduct of European Union on weapons exports”.   
• The Council of Ministers’ Decision 341, 8.4.2009 “On designating fees for issued legal 
documents”.   
• The Council of Ministers’ Decision 76, on 30.12.2008 “On  designated format, schedules and 
presentation time of reports”.   
 
Any import of military and dual use goods need s to be licensed by the State Export Control Authority.  
An import license is always required.  An exception from this is made only in the cas es that follow:  
 
a) The transfer of controlled goods in connection with the activities of Armed Forces, or 
other state security structures of the Republic of Albania outside of its territory, carried 
out as part of international agreements ensuring the mechanism of state control over 
the movement of these goods;  
b) The international transfer of controlled goods in connection with the activities of foreign 
military forces in the territory of the Republic of Albania, carried out in the framework 
of interna tional agreements ensuring the mechanism of state control over the 
movement of these goods;  
c) The international transfers of anaesthetics  (medical aesthetic  gases), sports and hunting 
arms excluded from the military list, gas transport vessels, and export ation and 
importation of personal armament of military servicemen, and state law enforcement 
and internal security bodies, which carry arms in accordance with the law;  
d) The international transfer of controlled goods, which aim at ensuring provision of st ate 
military assistance in accordance with the terms contained in international agreements 
and treaties to which the Republic of Albania is a party, and the movement of goods G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  
 
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  outside of the country with a view to offering emergency assistance to foreign co untries, 
when this is established by law.  
 
The licensing system in Albania cannot be abolished without legislative approval.  
 
Procedures  
6.I. The licensing procedures and formalities are published on the official website of the State Export 
Control Authority http://www.akshe.gov.al/ . In the Albanian legislation there is no restriction 
in the value, quanti ty or license quotas. Also, according to the Albanian legislation there cannot 
be derogations from the licensing requirement.  
 
II.  There are no such as size of quotas. A license can be issued with the validity from 1 -3 year 
with the extend option if there  is a contract between the entities involved.  
  
III. There is no restriction  in the Albanian legislation  related this matter. An import license is issued 
only when there is an application for it, which fulfills the requirements of the Albanian legislation. 
Also, the State Export Control Authority has the authority to do controls before, during, and 
after issuing the import license. Also, to obtain an import license is needed an end -user 
statement or certificate which is filled by the importer or  any other who is the end user.  
 
IV.  Not applicable.  
 
V.  If issuance of licences and authorisations does not call for coordination of work among the 
other institutions concerned, the time -limit for considering an application shall be determined 
in accord ance with the categories of goods, but shall not exceed the following timescale as of 
the day of application:  
 
 15 days for importation or transhipment of goods, and temporary importation/exportation of 
goods for exhibitions, fairs, advertising, testing, a nd other similar purposes, if this does not 
call for transfer of ownership.  
 
a) 30 days for import of military goods and for registration to conduct transfers of military  
goods.  
 
b) 20 days for the import of dual use items and technologies  
 
c) 15 days for transit/transshipment and technical assistance of controlled goods, and 
temporary importation/exportation of controlled goods for exhibitions, fairs, 
advertising, testing, and other similar purposes, if these do not call for transfer of 
ownership.  
 
d) 15 days for international import certificates, end user certificates, delivery verificat ion 
certificates.  
 
 This time -limit does not include the time required for obtaining additional information from 
entities involved in international transfers of goods.  
 
VI.  There are no such provisions in the Albanian legislation. After that the import license is granted 
the importation can be done at any time during its validity period.  
 
VII. A license application is proceeded by the State Export Control Authori ty. Trade activities with 
foreigners take place on the basis of licences and authorisations issued by this Authority, 
following if required the consulting of opinion of the institutions concerned.  The concerned 
institutions are the Ministry of Defence, Min istry of Foreign Affairs, Intelligence Agencies, and 
Ministry of Interior.  
 
 G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  
 
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  VIII. If the demand for licenses cannot be fully satisfied, the license cannot be granted. There is no 
exceptions.  
 
The new importers that want to deal with international trade of military goods need to be 
registered by the State Export Control Authority. After they get the Registration Certificate 
they can demand for an import license. This registration is not required for the trade of dual 
use goods and tech nologies.  
 
IX. In the Republic of Albania for the import of military goods and dual use goods and technology, 
always is required an import license even when there is an export license issued by the 
exporting countries. Also, in this case the import license is not issued automatically but the 
application is subject to controls.  
 
X. Not applicable . 
 
XI. Not applicable . 
 
7. Where there is no quantitative limit on importation of a product or on imports from a particular 
country:  
 
a) The application must be done 15 days before to import the goods. This time limit is the 
maximum to proceed an import license. If the importer submits all the necessary documents 
and satisfy all the requirements, the license can be obtained within a shorter time. But this is 
to be considered case by case.  
 
b) No. It has to be revised step by step.  
 
c) No. 
 
d) A license application is proceeded by the State Export Control.  Trade activities with foreigners 
take place on the basis of licences and authorisations issued by this  Authority, following if 
required the consulting of opinion of the institutions concerned.  The concerned institutions are 
the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Intelligence  Agencies, and Ministry of 
Interior.  
 
8. The circumstances under which the license can be refused are:  
 
The application for obtaining licences, authorisations or international import certificates will not be 
taken into consideration if:  
 
The application for obtaining licences, will be rejected by the  State Export Control Authority  if: 
 
a) During the assessment, the institutions or other governmental bodies which have 
powers over international transfer controls did not give their  consent.  
b) there a re conditions prescribed under Article 12 of this law. 
c) the information provided in the request is intentionally incomplete or incorrect or they 
are formulated contrary to the requirements prescribed by this Law;  
d) There are other reasons running counter to Albanian legislation in force, or the ratifie d 
international  agreements.  
 
In the event that the application for obtaining licenses, or certificate is rejected, the 
State Export Control Authority gives notice to the applicant and the state body 
responsible within three days from the taking of the rele vant decision, laying down the 
explanations of and reasons behind failure to consider it or its  rejection.  
 
The decision made by the State Export Control Authority  to revoke licence, authorisation and 
international import certificate, or to remove from the  rolls the name of an entity involved in economic 
activities with foreign countries for international transfers of goods, may be appealed against to the 
court of appeal, in accordance with the general rules of appeal. Appeal against decision does not 
suspe nd its execution.  G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  
 
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  Eligibility of importers to apply for licence  
9. A person or a firm or institution that wants to deal with the import of military goods has first to be 
registered by the State Export Control Authority. This provision is not required for the import of dual 
use goods.  The registration certificate fee for military goods is 30 USD.  
 
All the persons or firms that are registered by the State Export Control Authority are in a list 
published on the website: http://www.akshe.gov.al/    
 
Documentation and other requirements for application for licence  
10.  
 
a.  Certificate  of registration (only for military goods).  
b.  License application form completed by type, according to the guidelines set forth in this 
form, signed by the legal representative of the entity (notarized photocopy of the 
passport).  
c.  Brief summary of current commercial activity, which reflects the entity's ability to 
perform activities in the area of transfer of military goods (only private commercial 
entities) . 
d.  A natural person who seeks to obtain a license must submit the follo wing documents:  
• Document that certifies expertise in the field of international transfers of military 
goods  
• Identification document (identity card, passport) . 
• Proof that the judicial process is not (Section Civil and Criminal) issued by the 
judicial district in which the person resides.  
• Certificate of prosecution that is not a criminal proceeding.  
• Certificate of execution that no obligations to individuals or legal entities, private 
or state.  
• Document that proves he is not convicted of any of fense that constitutes grounds 
for denial of license, the illegal activities during the last 10 years from the date 
of the application for license.  
• Certificate of tax authorities and the bank where the money transfer will be 
performed.  
• Taxpayer Personal Id entification Number (allowed for import -export) . 
• Extract  the simple and historical taken by the National Registration Center.  
e.  Legal person who seeks to obtain a license must submit the following documents:  
• Confirmation that the company is trial (Civil and Criminal Section) issued by the 
judicial district in which the company is headquartered.  
• Certificate of prosecution that is not a criminal proceeding . 
• Certificate of execution that no obligations to individuals or legal entities, private 
or stat e. 
• Proof of payment of taxes by the tax department.  
• Certificate  from the bank where the money transfer will be performed.  
• Statute of the company (notarized copy) . 
• The act of establishment  (notarized copy) . 
• Decision of the court to establish the company.  
• Taxpayer Personal Identification Number.  
• Extra ct the  simple and historical taken by the National Registration Center.  
f.  International import certificate or end -user. 
g.  Documents that provide information on the description of goods, conditions of delivery, 
quantity of goods, the value of goods, state transit transship, destination country and 
the last user, and country of origin of goods.  
h.  Notarized copy of the contract or order, certified b y the legal representative of the 
subject.  
i.  Bill of goods.  
j.  Documents that provide information on the description of goods, conditions of delivery, 
place of destination or origin of goods.  
k.  Documents that provide information on the partner firm ad dress, financial credibility, 
the bank account.  G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  
 
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  l.  Other valid documents to be considered as such by the State Export Control Authority.  
m.  Warrant payment of the appropriate fee.  
  
11. The documents required upon importation are the documents mentioned in the previous question . 
 
12.  The licensing fee for an import license with the validity of one year is 30 USD . 
 
13. There is no other deposit or advance payment except that paid for licensing fee.  
 
Conditions of licensing  
14. The validity of the license is from 1 -3 year, according to the type of the license required. The 
validity of the license can be extended, but not  after the term of validity of the economic agreement, 
which refers to this license.  
 
15.  There is not penalty for non -utilization of the licenses.  
 
16.  Licenses are not transferable.  
 
17. There are no other conditions attached to the issue of the licens e.  
 
Other procedural requirements  
18. No, there are no other procedures prior importations.  
 
19. All banks provide foreign exchange automatically.  
 
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