Search Results for "kosovo" in "Kosovo" on Export Portal

Exports

Kosovo is a small country with an open economy which focuses on exports and imports. The foreign trade is a good chance for the country to recover the economical situation in the country. As the state building was undertaken, the trade sector including both imports and exports has shown constant increasing trends. 

Even though, at this time the exports cover only a small portion of imports, the aim of the government is to develop this sector through incentives and help the exporters overturn this large gap. 

In 2009, Kosovo joined the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. These collaborations opened the ways to international market, motivating local manufacturers and sellers. In order to help integrate Kosovo into regional economic structures, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo signed its accession to the Central Europe Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) in 2006.

The country is very rich in natural resources. This is the main source of income. Kosovo exports  lead, zinc, silver, cobalt, copper, iron and bauxite. In addition to this, the country owns 14 billion tonnes of lignite.

Other exports include prepared food, plastic and plastic products, rubber and rubber products, machinery, mineral products, materiel products and textiles. 

Kosovo’s main export partners are Italy, Albania, Macedonia, Switzerland, Montenegro and Germany. 

Customs requirements of Kosovo

Kosovo Customs

Website: http://www.itg-rks.com 

Adress: "Bill Clinton" Boulevard p.n. Pristina      

Phone: 038/540350  /  038/541032 / 038/541030

Kosovo’s transition to an open, market-based economy continues with an increasing degree of economic freedom. In a challenging regional economic environment, the landlocked economy has outperformed its neighbors, recording economic expansion every year since independence. Kosovo has adopted a constitutional fiscal rule to keep public debt from rising to unsustainable levels and has implemented competitively low corporate tax rates.

Customs Tariffs

Kosovo is a member state of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and has expressed interest in seeking observer status in the World Trade Organization during 2016.  Most agricultural equipment is imported free of customs duties, while an 18 percent VAT must be paid for construction materials coming from CEFTA members.  Most imports from CEFTA countries are duty free, except for certain agricultural products, such as wheat.  A 10 percent customs duty and 8 percent VAT must be paid on essential goods, while an 18 percent VAT must be paid on all other imported goods.  In April 2016, Kosovo implemented a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), which lifted customs duties on over 1044 agricultural and 487 fishery imports from the EU.  Under the same agreement, customs tariffs on industrial imports will be phased out gradually over a period of 10 years. 

VAT (Value Added Tax)

Almost all imports are subject to the Value Added Tax of 16% on the duty-paid value of the imported goods. However, certain goods are exempt from the VAT, whether either imported into Kosovo, or produced in Kosovo.  TARIK indicates whether VAT is not collected on the importation of specific goods.

Administrative Procedure for Exporting Goods

Administrative procedures for the export of goods are a necessary cost of doing business. They ensure effective compliance with national and international laws and product safety, as well as the collection of accurate trade statistics. Exportation entails the application of exit formalities including all trade policy measures. In this case, customs controls relating to the application of prohibitions and restrictions will take account of the special nature of the situation. With the exception of goods placed under the outward processing procedure, all Kosovo goods intended for export are to be declared and placed under the Customs’ export procedure.

There are several steps before you start exporting the goods. These are:

1. Declaring Exports (Export declarations may be lodged at the customs office responsible for supervising the place where the exporter is established, or the customs office where the goods are packed or loaded for export shipment);

2. Preparing the Necessary Documents (customs goods declaration, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, licence and other certificates, depending on the product)

3. Paying Taxes and Import Duties

Additional Contacts

Kosovo Standardization Agency 

Hafiz Gara, Chief Executive

Telephone: +381 (0)38 200 36 539; +377 (0)44 626 802

E-mail: hafiz.gara@rks-gov.net ; askinfo@ks-gov.net    

Kosovo Accreditation Directorate 

Osman Hajdini, Acting Director

Telephone: +381 (0)38 200 36 563

E-mail: osman.hajdini@rks-gov.net   

Kosovo Department of Metrology 

Blerim Sokoli, Department Director

Telephone: +381 (0)38 200 36 537

E-mail: blerim.sokoli@rks-gov.net  

Sources: 

http://www.itg-rks.com/en-us/Kosovo-Customs  

www.mzv.cz