WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/2/ALB/2 
28 November 2008 
 (08-5852) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   English 
  
 
AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  
 
Notification under Article 5.2 of the Agreement
 
 
ALBANIA 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 20 Octobe r 2008, has been received from the delegation 
of Albania.  
_______________ 
 
  According to Article 5 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, the Government of 
Albania is notifying to the Committee on Import licensing the answers to the questions, relating to these groups of products: 
 
• Fauna and Flora 
• Fish products 
• Military goods 
• Food products 
• Medicinal products 
  
I. FOOD PRODUCTS 
(a) List of products subject to licensing procedures 
Products and sub-products with animal origin included in Chapters 01, 02, 03, 04, 1601, 
1602. 
(b) Contact point for information on eligibility 
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection. 
(c) Administrative body(ies) for submission of applications 
Agricultural Regional Directories of Food and Consumer Protections. 
(d) Date and name of publication where th e licensing procedures are published 
Law No. 9308 date 4 November 2004 "Service and Veterinary Inspectorate" and Law 
No. 9863 date 18 November 2008 "on Food". G/LIC/N/2/ALB/2 
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  (e) Indication of whether the licensing procedu re is automatic or non-automatic according 
to definitions contained in Articles 2 and 3 
Automatic, according to Article 2. 
(f) In the case of automatic import licensing  procedures, their administrative purpose 
The import licensing procedure aims for food security.  The importing firms should have 
established and fulfilled sanitary – veterinary conditions, according to Albania Legislation. 
(g) In the case of non-automatic import licensi ng procedures, indication of the measure 
being implemented through the licensing procedure 
NA 
(h) Expected duration of the licensing proce dure if this can be estimated with some 
probability, and if not, reason why this information cannot be provided 
The expect duration of licensing procedure (fo r the sanitary – veterinary permission) is 
defined in Minister Order No. 203, dated 19 April  2006, "On registration procedure of 
subjects that deal with imports – exports of liv e animals and products with animal origin".  
This procedure extends for 5 days in the Agricultural Regional Directories of Food and 
Consumer Protectorate and for 10 days in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer 
Protection. 
II. MILITARY GOODS 
(a) List of products subject to licensing procedures are 
Explosive for civil use, firewo rks and pyrotechnic materials. 
(b) Contact point for information on eligibility 
Ministry of Defence 
(c) Administrative body for submission of application 
Commission of permission for explosive use in Defence Ministry 
(d) Date and name of publication where th e licensing procedures are published 
Law No. 9126, dated 29 July 2003 (published in the Official Journal), Decree of Council of 
Minister No. 853, dated 17 December 2004, No. 597 dated 17 December 2004 and the Rule 
of Defence Ministry No. 315, dated 15 March 2007. 
(e) Indication of whether the licensing procedu re is automatic or non-automatic according 
to definitions contained in Articles 2 and 3 
The procedure is non-automatic 
(f) In the case of automatic import licensing  procedures, their administrative purpose 
There were no automatic procedures.  G/LIC/N/2/ALB/2 
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  (g) In case of non-automatic import licensing pr ocedures, indication of the measure being 
implementation through the licensing procedures. 
The import licensing procedure for military goods aims for verification of activity of 
import/export of military goods according to th e Law No. 9707 dated 5 April 2007 "For the 
state control of import/export activity of military goods". 
(h) Expected duration of the licensing procedu res if this can be estimated with some 
probability, and if not, reason why this information cannot be provided 
Expected duration of licensing procedure is consis tent with Article 3.5(f) of the Agreement on 
Import Licensing procedures. 
III. FAUNA AND FLORA 
(a) List of products subject to licensing procedures 
CITES import permit (certificate) covers all animal and plant species listed in the Appendices 
of the CITES Convention. 
Appendix I include species threatened with extin ction.  Trade in specimens of these species is 
permitted only in exceptional circumstances. 
Appendix II includes species not necessarily threat ened with extinction, but in which trade 
must be controlled in order to avoid utili zation incompatible with their survival. 
(b) Contact point for information on eligibility 
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration 
(c) Administrative Body(ies) for submission of applications 
Directorate of Fauna and Flora 
(d) Date and name of publication where th e licensing procedures are published 
Law No. 9021, dated 6 March 2003 "On the acces sion of the Republic of Albania in the 
convention "on the international trade of endange red species of wild flora and fauna". (cites) 
(e) Indication of whether the licensing procedu re is automatic or non-automatic according 
to definitions contained in Articles  2 and 3 
The procedure is non-automatic 
(f) In the case of automatic import licensing  procedures, their administrative purpose 
There are no automatic procedures 
(g) In the case of non-automatic import licensi ng procedures, indication of the measure 
being implemented through the licensing procedure 
The licensing is intended to restrict the number of species and number of wild animals and 
plants listed in the Appendices of the convention in order to improve their conservation status 
and in the same time to comply with the ob ligations and requirements of the Convention. G/LIC/N/2/ALB/2 
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  (h) Expected duration of the licensing proce dure if this can be estimated with some 
probability, and if not, reason why this information cannot be provided 
Expected duration of licensing procedure is consis tent with Article 3.5(f) of the Agreement on 
Import Licensing Procedures. 
IV. FISH PRODUCTS 
(a) List of products subject to licensing procedures 
All products that included in Chapter 3 of the Custom Code as live fish. 
(b) Contact point for information on eligibility 
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration 
(c) Administrative Body(ies) for submission of applications 
Directorate of Policies of Fisheries 
(d) Date and name of publication where th e licensing procedures are published 
Law No. 7908, dated 5 April 1995 "On fishery and aquaculture Article 26 the authorization 
for introducing aquatic species and exporting/importing of juveniles".   
Regulation No. 2 "On licensing and fisheri es and Aquaculture", dated 17 May 2007. 
(e) Indication of whether the licensing procedu re is automatic or non-automatic according 
to definitions contained in Articles  2 and 3 
The procedure is non automatic. 
(f) In the case of automatic import licensing  procedures, their administrative purpose 
There are no automatic procedures 
(g) In the case of non-automatic import licensi ng procedures, indication of the measure 
being implemented through the licensing procedure 
The licensing is intended to regulate the introduction of the species with no purposes of 
aquaculture.  The scope of Authorization is to protect Albanian waters from introducing 
aquatic species from environment point of view. 
(h) Expected duration of the licensing proce dure if this can be estimated with some 
probability, and if not, reason why this information cannot be provided 
Expected duration of licensing procedure is consis tent with Article 3.5(f) of the Agreement on 
Import Licensing Procedures.  G/LIC/N/2/ALB/2 
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  V. MEDICINAL PRODUCTS 
(a) List of products subject to licensing procedures 
- Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances referred to the list in accordance of 
Single Conventions of 1961 and 1971. 
- Pharmaceutical Products of the Chapter 30 of the Combined Nomenclature of Goods. 
- Disinfectant, disinsectant and deratizing substances, Chapters 28, 29 of CNG. 
(b) Contact point for information on eligibility 
Ministry of Health 
(c) Administrative Body(ies) for submission of applications 
Pharmaceutical Directory 
(d) Date and name of publication where th e licensing procedures are published 
- Law No. 9323, of 25 November 2004 "On medicines and pharmaceutical services" 
amended with Law No. 9523 of 25 April 2006. 
- Law No. 7975 of 26 July 1995 "On narcotic  drugs and psychotropic substances", 
amended with Law No. 9271 of 9 September 2004. 
- Council of Ministers Decision No. 325, of 14 June 1993 "On re gimen of exportation-
importation and medicines production". 
- Joint Guideline of Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance No. 180 of 13 August 
1993 "On co-operation for the regimen of import-export of medicines and their 
clearance". 
- Order of Minister of Health No. 104 of 5 March 2004, "For a change in the Guideline 
No. 180 of 13 August 1993 "On co-operati on for the regimen of import-export of 
medicines and their clearance". 
- Law No. 9928 of 9 June 2008 "On dental health service in the Republic of Albania". - Decision of Council of Ministers No. 415 of 17 August 1993 VKM No. 415, dated 
17 August 1993 "On import, export, wholesale and retail trade licensing of 
disinfectant, disinsektant and deratizing s ubstances" and related Minister of Health 
Order No. 361 of 18 August 2000. 
(e) Indication of whether the licensing procedu re is automatic or non-automatic according 
to definitions contained in Articles  2 and 3 
The procedure is non automatic. G/LIC/N/2/ALB/2 
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  (f) In the case of automatic import licensing  procedures, their administrative purpose 
 There are no automatic procedures 
(g) In the case of non-automatic import licensi ng procedures, indication of the measure 
being implemented through the licensing procedure 
Licensing system aims to control product, insp ecting structures that will enter the country.  
Licensing is seen as a tool to control what pr oducts, in what quantity and with what quality, 
are entering the market. 
(h) Expected duration of the licensing proce dure if this can be estimated with some 
probability, and if not, reason why this information cannot be provided 
Expected duration of licensing procedure is consis tent with Article 3.5(f) of the Agreement on 
Import Licensing Procedure. 
__________