RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.2
17 August 1999
(99-3457)
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 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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Memorandum on Compliance with Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
1.  The Law on Standardization provides for Standstill:
the introduction of new standards, technical regulationsand conformity assessment procedures should be fully
compatible with the TBT Agreement principles.1.  Generally agreed principal in WTO
accession negotiations.
2.  The Law on Standardization and the four Decisions ofthe Council of Ministers that follow assure compliancewith TBT: (1) the "Code of Good Practice for the
Adoption and Application of Standards", Decision of theCouncil of Ministers, Number 242, dated 28.05.99; (2)Criteria and Competencies in the Fields of
Standardization, Certification, and Accreditation; (3)
Exchange of Information on Standards and TechnicalRegulations; and (4) the Preparation, Adoption andApplication of Technical Regulations and the Proceduresfor Assessment of Conformity with TechnicalRegulations and Standards, Number 323, dated08.07.19992.  Article 15.2 and TBT Committee Decision
(G/TBT/1)
Commitment: Albania commits to having the final two Decisions approved and implemented at the end ofOctober 1999.
3.  By Order of the Prime Minister, Number 36, dated06.05.1999, (Paragraph 7) it is officially established thatAlbania will have one enquiry point for information on3.  Articles 10WT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.2
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
standards and technical regulations to be in compliance
with SPS and TBT.  The location of the enquiry point isas follows:
Directorate for Standardization
Rr. "Mine Peza", Nr. 143/3
Tirana, ALBANIA+ 355-42-47176 telephone+ 355-42-26255 faxdsc@icc.al.eu.org e-mail
Commitment:  The Directorate of Standardization, with its authority and responsibility to operate a single
unit inquiry point, commits Albania to having a fully operational single unit inquiry point at the time of
accession.
4.  Relevant ministries (Ministry of Agriculture andFood, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor andImmigration, Ministry of Public Works andTransportation, Ministry of Education and Science) willbe the authorities responsible for 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 thePreparation, Adoption and Application of Technical
Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment of
Conformity with Technica l Regulation and Standards
will define the publications where notices of proposed
technical regulations and conformity assessment
procedures will appear;
(B) the Directorate for Standardization will be the
authority responsible for making the notifications to theWTO, Order of the Prime Minister, Number 36, dated6 May 1999, (Paragraph 7);
(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 Technica l Regulation and Standards
will give guidance for ensuring non-discrimination
consideration of comments in the preparation of a final
regulation and will define the responsible authority; and
(D) the Decision of the Council of Ministers on the
Preparation, Adoption and Application of Technical
Regulations and the Procedures for Assessment of
Conformity with Technica l 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 that
suppliers can adapt;(A) Articles 2.9.1,3.1,5.6.1,7.1,10.1.5
(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) Articles 2.9.4,2.10.3,3.1,3.35.6.4,5.7.3,
7.1,7.3
(D) Articles 2.11,2.12,3.1,5.8,5.9, 7.1WT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.2
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
(E) with regard to standards, the adopted code, letter "J",
will be published by the Directorate of Standardizationwill provide notification of draft standards and provide
an opportunity for public comment.(E) Article 4, Annex 3 (J,K,L,N,O); Article
8.1
5. Development and Application of TechnicalRegulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures:existence of legal and/or administrative underpinnings(or "reasonable measures" as appropriate) to ensureongoing compliance with provisions of the agreementconcerning, in particular:
(A) the Albanian Law on Standardization, Article 4,
provides for non-discrimination with respect to treatmentof products and the Decision of the Council of Ministerson the Preparation, Adoption and Application ofTechnical Regulations and the Procedures forAssessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards;5.  Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
(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 andApplication of Technical Regulations and the Proceduresfor Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards provides for the prohibition ofunnecessary obstacles to international trade and theconsideration of less trade-restrictive alternatives tofulfilling legitimate objectives;
(C) 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 ongoing review oftechnical regulations to ensure they are appropriate toachieve the desired legitimate objective;
(D) the Law on Standardization, Article 4, and the
Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and Applicationof Technical Regulations and the Procedures forAssessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards provides for the consideration of
appropriate international standards, guides and
recommendations as a basis for technical regulations andconformity assessment procedures;
(E) the Decision on the Preparation, Adoption and
Application of Technical Regulations and the Proceduresfor Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards will provide for the consideration ofequivalent technical regulations of other Members;(B) Articles 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
(C) Articles 2.3, 3.1, 7.1
(D) Articles 2.4, 3.1, 5.4, 7.1
(E) Articles 2.7, 3.1, 7.1WT/ACC/ALB/32/Rev.2
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Albanian Compliance Requirements under the WTO
(F) relevant ministries can take the decision to accept the
results of conformity assessment procedures conductedby bodies in an exporting Member country as well as theDecision on the Preparation, Adoption and Applicationof Technical Regulations and the Procedures for
Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulation
and Standards; and
(G) relevant ministries will implement a non-
discriminatory and a cost-based fee structure as well asthe Decision on the Preparation, Adoption andApplication of Technical Regulations and the Proceduresfor Assessment of Conformity with Technical Regulationand Standards.(F) Articles 6, 7.1
(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 "reasonablemeasures" as appropriate) to ensure ongoing compliancewith provisions of the agreement concerning, inparticular:
(A) the Law on Standardization, Article 4, and the
Adopted Code provide for non-discrimination with
respect to the treatment of products;
(B) the Law on Standardization, Article 4, and the
Adopted Code provide for the prohibition of unnecessaryobstacles to international trade;
(C) the Law on Standardization, Article 4, and the
Adopted Code provide for the consideration ofappropriate international standards, guides, andrecommendations as basis for standards;
(D) the Adopted Code provides non-discriminatory and
cost-based fee structure.6.  Article 4 and Annex 3, Article 8
(A) Annex 3 (D), Article 8.1
(B) Annex 3 (E), Article 8.1
(C) Annex 3 (F), Article 8.1
(D) Annex 3 (M), Annex 3 (P), Articles 8.1,
10.4
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