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.

Overview
Kosovo’s Law on Standardization reflects European and international systems of standards, and outlines procedural rules on drafting, approval, determination, and application of these standards in Kosovo.  Product certification also falls under this law.  Kosovo implements European and international standards as Kosovo standards.  The law is available online in English: Law on Standardization.
The Kosovo Standardization Agency (KSA) identified and adopted construction codes/euro codes.  Kosovo is not a member of the ISO or any other international or regional standardization bodies.  The government is pursuing membership and/or alternatives methods of cooperation with these organizations.

Standards
The KSA and Accreditation Directorate (AD) within the Ministry of Trade and Industry are the only government bodies responsible for standardization and accreditation activities in Kosovo.  The government requires the KSA to:

  • Organize procedures on the formulation of standards; approve and apply such standards; certify products, services, quality systems, and personnel.
  • Organize procedures on standardization, accreditation, and certification based on international and European standardization systems.
  • Approve, adapt, and implement international and European standards, except in the area of telecommunications.
  • Revise existing standards in Kosovo.
  • Maintain and administer a standardizations archive on foreign and local standards; upon request, communicate technical information to domestic and foreign subjects that conduct business activities in the territory of Kosovo.
  • Prepare the laws and by-laws for activities it covers.

Kosovo standards are identified as “SK”, with other letters based on the origin of the product.  For example, a product that complies with Kosovo Standards and was produced in Europe in accordance with ISO standards would be marked “SK EN ISO.” 

Testing, inspection and certification
The KSA and AD are the primary conformity and accreditation assessment bodies in Kosovo. Kosovo does not have a national product certification body, but it has certified experts in ISO 9001 and similar areas cooperating with relevant foreign companies in the certification of Kosovo businesses.  U.S. exporters have not reported problems related to product-certification requirements.  Kosovo has no product certification agreements with the United States.  It is a member of the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), and has adopted the code of conduct of International Accreditation Forum (IAF).  Test certificates are accepted from laboratories in countries that have signed multilateral agreements with ILAC, IAF, and EA and from countries with which AD has agreements.  Seven inspection bodies and 33 testing laboratories are currently accredited by the AD.  All U.S. testing laboratories which are accredited by the American National Standards Institute are assumed to comply with Kosovo regulatory requirements, as they follow the same ISO/IEC standards. 

More information on accreditation is available at the AD’s website: http://dak.rks-gov.net/
Publication of technical regulations

The Government publishes all laws and regulations in the Official Gazette: Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo  Only final regulations are published.  U.S. entities can comment on regulations by attending the relevant working groups or upon invitation by the government agency sponsoring the regulation.  Business associations such as the American Chamber of Commerce also regularly collect comments from members on proposed legislation.  Kosovo maintains an annual legislative program available on the website of the Office of Prime Minister at: The Republic of Kosovo: The Office of the Prime Minister.

Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Pristina
Yllka Bina, Commercial Advisor
Telephone: +383 (0)38 5959 3211
E-mail: PristinaCommercial@state.gov
 
Kosovo Standardization Agency
Hafiz Gara, Chief Executive
Telephone: +383 (0)38 200 36 539; +383 (0)44 626 802
E-mail: hafiz.gara@rks-gov.net; askinfo@ks-gov.net  
 
Kosovo Accreditation Directorate
Gentiana Islamaj, Acting Director of KAD
Telephone: +383 (0)38 200 36 511;
E-mail:  gentiana.islamaj@rks-gov.net   
 
Kosovo Department of Metrology
Agron Shurdhani, Director of Legal Department
Tel: +383 (0)38 512 827
E-Mail:  agron.shurdhani@rks-gov.net
 
Office of the Prime Minister
Kosovo Food and Veterinary Agency
Valdet Gjinovci, Executive Director
Telephone: +383 (0)38 551 957; +383 (0)44 800 444
E-mail: valdet.gjinovci@rks-gov.net
 
Kosovo Medicines Agency
Jeton Shala, CEO
Telephone: +383 (0)38 200 24 267
E-mail: jeton.shala@rks-gov.net
 

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