International Standards

Serbian standards and related documents shall be adopted and published in accordance with the Law on Standardization and rules of the Institute, which are in compliance with the rules of international and European standardization organizations, as well as with the Code of Good Practice for the preparation, adoption and implementation of standards under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade of the World Trade Organization.

Standards are an important instrument for meeting the basic requirements of European technical legislation, which is a condition for export of Serbian products to the EU market, which is why all European standards must be taken as Serbian. The harmonized technical legislation is the basis of the free movement of goods, which is one of the four freedoms that the EU single marketbased on.

The main objectives of harmonization of trade legislation and building appropriate national trade infrastructure in the EU member states are product safety, protection of citizens' health and their safety at work, environmental protection, consumer protection and, in general, the elimination of other risks, which is a significant achievement of the EU. However, no less important objective of the conformity is improving the competitive ability of domestic industry in order to equal participation in international trade of goods and services to the European and world market.

The classification of goods into the Customs Tariff represents determining the tariff position for such goods, in accordance with this law and provisions laid down on the basis of this law. Customs Tariff nomenclature harmonized with the Combined Nomenclature of Euopean Union, shall be applied in classification of goods in the Customs Tariff. 

The Serbian Customs Tariff is harmonized annually with the EU Combined Nomenclature. In Serbia, there are several tariff regulations that are binding:

- Decisions on Tariff Classification published in the Official Journal of the European Union;

- Decisions on Tariff Classification issued by the World Customs Organization (WCO);

- Binding Tariff Information issued by the Serbian Customs Administration, upon request, regarding the classification of certain goods, in case of ambiguity or uncertainty.

LABELING REQUIREMENTS

For each type of food product importer in the country, there is a specific ordinance that spells out labeling requirements. Product specifications must contain a short description of the technological process, the basic quality requirements, report any completed quality testing as well as the data regulated in the “Declaration, Labeling and Marketing of Food” by-law. Labels on foods that have been changed nutritionally for special diets must clearly indicate “dietetic food.”

The label must contain the following information:

1) Product name and brand name;

2) List of the ingredients;

3) Quantities of the ingredients;

4) Product net weight;

5) Expiration date;

6) Storage conditions and way of usage if necessary;

7) Importers name and complete address, country of origin, and the country from where the food is being shipped;

8) Country of origin or from where food was imported;

9) Instruction for correct use of food;

10) Amount of alcohol for beverages that contains more than 1.2% v/v;

11) Lot number;

12) Ingredients that can cause allergies and/or intolerance;

13) Quality and class of the product, if the food is regulated by special categorization and classification rules.

If the original label is in English or any other language, the seller is obliged to prepare stick-on labels with a translation to accompany the imported products. It is the importer’s obligation to place those translated labels on the product prior to retail distribution.

PACKAGING AND CONTAINER REGULATIONS

The Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste Management was adopted in 2009. The Law brings Serbian requirements into compliance with the EU directive on packaging and waste material. The law regulates use of secondary materials, manages their collection, conditions of processing and storage, but do not regulate materials that come into contact with food. Collection and recycling of already used packaging materials is regulated by the Law on Waste Material Handling and by the Rulebook on Secondary Material Collection, Transport, Storage Conditions and Handling. Communal Waste Management, including food and beverage packaging material, is enforced by local and municipal authorities.

Packaging requirements are subject to specific ordinances for each type of food. For example, packaging material for raw coffee packed in ½ kg units must weigh less than 50 g. per square meter. Packaging requirements for different foods are comprehensive and are regulated by the Rulebook on quality control of these products (meat, dairy products, fruit juices, fish etc). 

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION

A product may be placed in the market only if:

- it conforms to the prescribed technical requirements;

- conformity was assessed according to the prescribed procedure;

- it is marked in accordance with the regulations;

- it is accompanied with the prescribed documents of conformity.

There are no existing Mutual Recognition Agreements with any U.S. organization or any other countries.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

Import processing requires the following documents:

- Declaration form based on the Single Administrative Document (SAD);

- Bill of lading;

- Packing list;

- Commercial invoice (original);

- Delivery order (to prove ownership of goods);

- Quietus from the Social Security Office (must not have expired at the day of registration of SAD), required only for commercial and trade establishments;

- Contract of sale between importer and seller in the country of exportation, or a letter of credit from the bank stating that the invoice value is paid or will be paid in a specified time limit (may be requested for value verification only in case customs officers doubt the invoice value);

- Certificate of origin issued by the authorized party of the country of exportation if the invoice does not mention the origin of the goods, or in case the importer wishes to benefit from preferential treatment if the exporter is not approved by the customs authorities of the exporting country;

- Depending on the type of imported good, a number of other documents may also be required, including import licenses, certificates of conformity to mandatory standards, or phyto-sanitary certificates.

Export processing requires the following documents: 

- Declaration form based on the Single Administrative Document (SAD)

- Packing list;

- Commercial invoice (original);

- Export order;

- Quietus from the Social Security Office (must not have expired at the day of registration of SAD), required only for commercial and trade establishments;

- Certificate of origin issued by the Ministry of Industry and certified by the Serbia Customs Authorities for exporting goods to Europe in accordance with protocol number 4 with the EU;

- Depending on the type of exported good, a number of other documents may also be required including export licenses, certificates of conformity and export certificates for quality verification for all food products of plant origin, and agricultural health certificates.

CONTACTS

The Institute for Standardization of Serbia (ISS)

Stevana Brakusa 2

11030 Belgrade

Telephone: +381-11-7541 260

Fax: +381-11-7541 257

E-mail: iss1@iss.rs ; infocentar@iss.rs  

Website: www.iss.rs  

Accreditation Board of Serbia (ATS) 

11070 Novi Beograd

Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 2

Tel: +381-11-3130 373              

Fax : +381-11-3130 374

E-mail: office@ats.rs ; infocentar@iss.rs  

Web: www.ats.rs