Trade regime
WTO status and membership in other trade associations | |
Macedonia is member of World Trade Organization since April 2003. During and after this process Macedonia went through a process of harmonization of legislation in conformity with international rules and WTO. The Republic of Macedonia have also signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with EU, EFTA, Turkey and Ukraine. It is also one of the signatories of the CEFTA 2006. Macedonia is member of World Trade Organization since April 2003. During and after this process Macedonia went through a process of harmonization of legislation in conformity with international rules and WTO. The Republic of Macedonia have also signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with EU, EFTA, Turkey and Ukraine. It is also one of the signatories of the CEFTA 2006. | |
Laws and regulations | |
The main legislation on the trade regime in the Republic of Macedonia includes the Customs Code (Official Gazette 39/05; 04/08, 158/10 and 44/11), the Regulation on Customs Code Implementation, Customs Tariff Code and Decision on classification of goods into forms for import and export. | |
Institutions | |
Main institutions for coordination and implementation of trade policy in the Republic of Macedonia are: - Ministry of Economy with competence of formulation and coordination of the implementation of the trade policy; - Customs office/Ministry of Finance with competence of implementation of the Customs code and tariff policies and - Agency for foreign direct investment and export promotion with competence of coordination and implementation of the export promotion of the companies. | |
Export | |
Export of goods from Macedonia is usually free and without restrictions. However, the export of certain goods has been forbidden to provide protection of: - National security and public moral; - Human health, flora, fauna, endangered species and environment; - National wealth with artistic, historical or archaeological value and - Intellectual property. In addition, the export of specific products requires obtaining export licenses and authorizations issued by the competent authorities (Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Culture, etc.) The goods forbiden to export or subject to export licenses are listed in detail in the Decision for Classification of Goods to Import and Export. More details about the institutions issuing licences could be found in the section Licencing. In the Republic of Macedonia, there is one stop shop system for export and import licenses, licenses for transit and tariffs – EXIM. EXIM is an electronic system which links 16 institutions with competence in the field of the foreign trade operations. The licenses issued through EXIM have been listed in the List of licenses 2012. In certain cases, the exporters are faced with the so-called quantity quotas (mostly for agricultural products). EXIM enables evidence of the available tariff quotas in accordance with the free trade agreеments. | |
Import | |
Import of goods into the Republic of Macedonia is subject to payment of customs duty and value added tax in the amount of 18% (regular rate) or 5% (preferential rate for certain products). The tariff rates for specific products are listed in the Customs Tariff Code. Alongside value-added tax, certain products are subject to special taxation through excise taxes and special taxes. The excise products include: alcohol and alcoholic beverages, tobacco and energy products and electricity, cars, etc. Import of goods from economies of the free trade agreements of Macedonia (EU, EFTA, CEFTA 2006, Turkey and Ukraine) is mostly free and without restrictions, apart of the agricultural products which are usually subject to special agreements. In general, Macedonia applies liberal import regime for goods. However, the import of certain goods has been forbidden to provide protection of: - National security and public moral; - Human health, flora, fauna, endangered species and environment; - National wealth with artistic, historical or archaeological value and - Intellectual property. In addition, the import of specific products requires obtaining export licenses and authorizations issued by the competent authorities (Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Culture, etc.) The goods forbiden for import or subject to import licenses are listed in details in the Decision for Classification of Goods to Import and Export. The institutions issuing licences are listed in the section Licencing. In the Republic of Macedonia, there is one stop shop system for export and import licenses, licenses for transit and tariffs – EXIM. EXIM is an electronic system which links 16 institutions with competence in the field of the foreign trade operations. The licenses issued through EXIM have been listed in the List of licenses 2012. In certain cases, the importers are faced with the so-called quantity quotas (mostly for agricultural products). EXIM enables evidence of the available tariff quotas in accordance with the free trade agrements. | |
Documents | |
Customs Code (Official Gazette 39/05)
Documents available only in Macedonian: Водич за царинење на стоките 2012 /Customs Tariff Code 2012 | |
Contact | |
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Jurij Gagarin 15 1000 Skopje Macedonia phone: +389 23 093 408 fax: +389 23 084 472 e-mail: contact@economy.gov.mk web: www.economy.gov.mk MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA – CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION Lazar Licenoski 13 1000 Skopje Macedonia tel. +389 23 116 188 fax: +389 23 237 832 e-mail: info@customs.gov.mk web: www.carina.mk
Nikola Vapcarov 7 1000 Skopje Macedonia tel. +389 23 100 111 fax: +389 23 122 098 e-mail: fdi@investinmacedonia.com |