All exporters, importers, and service providers (brokers, transporters, and financial and technical assistance providers) must register with the Ministry of Trade and Industry before engaging in activities controlled under the Law for the Trade of Strategic Goods and applying for licenses.
The purpose of the registration requirement is:
- To identify all persons in Kosovo engaged in strategic trade
- To ensure that traders are familiar with their obligations and requirements under the Law for the Trade of Strategic Goods
- To enable the Ministry of Trade and Industry to verify the bona fide nature of traders
How to Register
Registration is a pre-condition for an application for a license for export, import, or provision of related services.
Any person that wishes to be entered into the Registry of Strategic Traders must submit a signed standard-format application and related documents to the Department for Control of Trade in Strategic Goods (STGD) in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
All applications must be completed in official languages. The application is available here.
Documents attached to an application are accepted in the official languages or English.
The following documents should be appended to the application:
- A description of past commercial activities and a description of planned activities in the future, including:
- The types of goods produced
- The types of goods, software, or technologies the applicant intends to export or import
- The services the trader intends to offer
- A brief description of previous and current foreign trading activities and countries with which foreign trade has occurred
- A list of employees engaged in providing services related to strategic goods, including their personal identification numbers, dates of birth, addresses, and telephone numbers, if the applicant is a legal person
- A copy of relevant activity licenses that are required to handle strategic goods within country, if applicable
- Any other supplemental information that the STGD may require
How Much Time Does Registration Take?
The STGD will review an application and make a decision within 30 days of accepting the application for processing.
If the Department requires additional information to make a decision, or if the submitted information requires additional verification, then the deadline for application review may be extended for 45 days. Notification will be sent to the applicant.
Decision Making
The STGD will refuse registration if:
- The applicant falsely represents or conceals any material fact or submits misleading information, including the submission of forged documents related to the applicant
- In the past five (5) years, the applicant has been held responsible for violating the Law for the Trade of Strategic Goods, its sub-legislation, or other legal provisions related to national security
- In the past five (5) years, the applicant has been held responsible for violating an international sanction or embargo
- An applicant has been criminally charged on the basis of a violation of the Law for the Trade of Strategic Goods or its sub-legislation, or civil or criminal proceedings related to national security have commenced concerning the applicant
- Any other national security concerns exist
Entry into the Register
If the STGD decides to register the applicant, the Ministry will issue a paper or electronic registration certificate bearing the registration number, validation date, and other relevant information.
Any registered person must provide the registration number when preparing and submitting a license application and other relevant documents and in communicating with the STGD and the Commission.
How to Amend Registration
If any change occurs in the information content of the certificate of registration, the registered trader must apply for amendment of the register entry and submit a written application to the STGD.
The STGD may request additional documentation, if necessary.
The STGD may also refuse to amend a register entry on the following grounds:
- The applicant falsely represents or conceals any material fact or submits misleading information, including the submission of forged documents
- An applicant has been criminally charged on the basis of a violation of the Law for the Trade of Strategic Goods or its sub-legislation, or civil or criminal proceedings related to national security have commenced concerning the applicant
- Any other national security concerns exist
Deletion from the Register
A person may be deleted from the register:
- At the request of the person entered in the register
- If new facts emerge that, had they been known to the STGD when it reviewed the registration application, would have resulted in a denial
- If the person entered into the register is found responsible for violating the Law for the Trade of Strategic Goods, its sub-legislation, or any other legal provisions related to national security
- If the person entered into the register violates an international sanction or embargo binding on Kosovo
- The natural person who is entered into the register dies
- The legal person who is entered into the register is dissolved