WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/ALB/149 
5 June 2012  
 (12-2943) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  ALBANIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Live animals, food products of animal  origin, animal by-product, feed,  
veterinary medicinal products 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Law No. 10465, date 29.09.2011 "On Veterinary Service 
in the Republic of Albania"  Language(s):  Albanian (Translation of the Law in English is 
available)  Number of pages:  69 
6. Description of content:   
The purposes of this law are: 
1. To protect and improve the health of terrestrial and aquatic animals. 
2. To establish the procedures for preventi on, monitoring, diagnoses, treatment and 
eradication of animal diseases. 
3. To protect public health against z oonotic diseases transmitted from animals as well 
as from harmful residues in animal products used for human consumption.  
4. To ensure implementation of the sanita ry-veterinary measures on the products of 
animal origin, produced at farm level, ra w materials, pastures, water and drinking 
places for animals. 
5. To protect the reproduction health of animals and to ensure the increase of 
production as well as animal breeding. 
6. To protect the environment from infecti ons, poisons, animal wastes and pollutions 
(biological, physical, chemical, radiobio logical) with harmful consequences to 
animal and human health. 
7. To establish the procedures of training and information of the veterinarians, animal 
owners or keepers and the public on veterinary matters. 
8. To protect animals against tort ure and to provide their welfare. G/SPS/N/ALB/149 
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  9. To protect wild animals. 
10. To ensure safe disposal of dead anim als and their carcasses, confiscates, animal 
wastes and by-products not for human consumption. 
11. To establish obligations of farmers, p hysical and legal persons, in implementation 
of this law.   
This law has the following objectives: 
1. Establishing the main principles for the pr otection of animal health and welfare in 
compliance with the international standard s of the International Animal Health 
Organization (OIE) and of the European Union; 
2. Arranging, organizing, financing of the Veterinary Service, definition of 
responsibilities, rules and procedures of the Veterinary Service in the protection of 
animal health and welfare; 
3. Protection of the public health in th e Republic of Albania from zoonotic diseases 
transmittable by animals, approximating the EU legislation. 
This law has the following chapters: Chapter I:  General Provisions 
Chapter II:  Identification and regist ration of animals and livestock farms 
Chapter III:  Protection of animal health and control (based on EU Directive 92/119/EC) 
Chapter IV:  Animal Welfare (based on sever al EU Directives and Regulations such as 
Council Directive 98/58; Council Directiv e 86/609; Council Regulation 1099/2009; 
Council Regulation 1/2005) 
Chapter V:  Disposal of animal products not for human consumption and environment 
protection 
Chapter VI:  Monitoring plan of residues a nd medicated feed (based on EU Directive 96/22 
and EU Directive 96/23) 
Chapter VII:  Veterinary Medicinal Pr oducts (based on EU Directive 2001/82). 
Chapter VIII:  Organization and perform ing of veterinary medicine practice 
Chapter IX:  State veterinary laboratori es and veterinary professional education 
Chapter X:  Organization and competencies of the Veterinary Service 
CHAPTER XI:  Final dispositions 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety , [X] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [ ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)     G/SPS/N/ALB/149 
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  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:      
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Approved by the Albanian Parliament on 
29 September 2011 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  Published in the Official Gazette No. 143, on 
23 October 2011. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  7 November 2011;  15 days after publication in Official Gazette 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:     
Directorate For Food safety and Consumer Protection 
SPS Enquiry Point – Albania Tel:  +(355 4) 2 259 333 Fax:  +(355 4) 2 259 333 E-mail:  mbumk_sps@yahoo.com 
Website:  http://www.mbumk.gov.al