Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.

Standards

In February 2017, the Azerbaijani government established the Food Safety Agency, taking over many of the duties previously executed by the State Veterinary Service, including ensuring basic health standards on imported food and animal products.  Goods subject to inspection include plants, certain foodstuffs, wood, and leather.

The government established the Azerbaijan Standardization Institute (AzStand) in 2017.  In April 2018, the President signed a decree creating the State Antimonopoly and Consumption Market Supervisory Agency, abolishing the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology, and Patents.  Over the course of several years, Azerbaijan has moved from defunct Soviet standards to developing new Azerbaijani standards and adopting some international standards, though this process is not yet complete.  The Government of Azerbaijan is also moving to adopt many European Union standards in agricultural products.
 

Testing, Inspection, and Certification

Azerbaijan is a party to treaties on International Registration of Marks under the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol, the 1999 Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (“Hague Agreement”), and the Patent Cooperation Treaty.  These treaties allow for individuals and legal entities to register industrial property outside of the territory of Azerbaijan and establish protections in the territories of several or all member states.  Based on Azerbaijan’s adoption of the protocol relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks in October 2006, individuals and legal entities in Azerbaijan can file an international application under the Madrid System for international registration of marks.
 

Publication of technical regulations

Following the abolishment of the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology, and Patents, the State Agency for the Control of Antimonopoly and Consumption Market assumed authority for technical regulation, standardization, metrology, conformity assessment, accreditation and quality management in Azerbaijan.  The “Law on Technical Regulation,” which would establish the framework for technical regulations in Azerbaijan, has still not been adopted as of June 2019.
 

Contact Information

Azerbaijan Standardization Institute:  www.azstand.gov.az/
The State Agency for the Control of Antimonopoly and Consumption Market: 
http://www.consumer.gov.az/
 

Trade Agreements

Azerbaijan has had observer status at the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1997 and began negotiations with WTO members on accession in 2004.  Progress on accession stalled following the adoption of import substitution as a policy goal.  Azerbaijan has free trade agreements (FTAs) with Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Belarus.  Under the FTAs, goods can be imported from those countries free of customs duties.
 

Licensing Requirements for Professional Services

A presidential decree signed in December 2015 issued new measures establishing that all licenses, both previously and newly issued, are to be valid for an unlimited period of time.  The decree designated the Ministry of Economy as the state authority responsible for the issuance, suspension, resumption, and cancellation of licenses (except for licenses issued for types of activities related to national security) through ASAN Service Centers (http://www.asan.gov.az/en).  It further established that licenses should be issued within 10 days of application (previous regulations provided for a 15-day period).  Licenses can be granted to both Azerbaijani and foreign citizens and legal entities.  Activities no longer requiring a special license include tourism services and the sale of tobacco and alcoholic drinks. 

Licensable activities include those related to national security, medical services and products, education, and certain telecommunications activities, among others.  The Ministry of Economy issues all business licenses, except those with a national security component, including private security activities, information security systems, biometric technologies, and personal information management systems.  The State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Transportation, Communications, and High Technologies issue these licenses.

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