Border Phytosanitary Service

Within the Directorate of the Inspectorate of the Food and Veterinary Agency, as an organizational unit, the Border Phytosanitary Service also functions.
 
The Border Phytosanitary Service (BPS) implements its duties and responsibilities based on the legal basis (laws, regulations, administrative instructions and other sub-legal acts), which are drafted by the relevant ministries always in support of the professional staff of the FVA.
 
The Border Phytosanitary Service has the largest number of activities compared to other organizational units within the FVA. The activities relate to regular official controls at Border Inspection Points, through which the BPS aims to: protect plant health, identify and take preventive measures against the entry, establishment and spread of quarantine diseases and pests in plants and plant products in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo.

In addition to the legal duties and obligations mentioned above, the Border Phytosanitary Inspection carries out the control and inspection of all food and non-food items that are included in the Decision No. 01-932/2015 of the FVA, “Decision on the implementation of control according to the established list of goods for veterinary and phytosanitary controls at P.I.K-Border Inspection Points” (List of products subject to medical border control) as well as based on the TARIK Code that specifies the mandatory control of goods in cases of import or transit through the territory of the Republic of Kosovo (TARIK code- https://dogana.rks-gov.net). The Harmonized System of Codes called “TARIK” used by Kosovo Customs determines the types of goods that are subject to border phytosanitary control. LO2 is Border Phytosanitary Control.

The FVA has installed an online application for processing control requests electronically, which facilitates the work of both staff and other stakeholders. (https://auv.rks-gov.net/sq/PhytosanitaryService/List).

 

The phytosanitary service is based on these legal acts:
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Law No. 04/L-120 ON PLANT PROTECTION
Law No. 2004 / 13 ON PLANTING MATERIAL
Law No. 2003/10 ON SEEDS IN KOSOVO
Law No. 2003/22 ON ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS
Law No. 04/L-041 ON THE PRODUCTION, COLLECTION, PROCESSING AND TRADE OF TOBACCO
Law No. 03/L-042 ON PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS
Law No. 03/L-029 ON AGRICULTURAL INSPECTION
Law No. 03/L-016 ON FOOD
Law No. 04/L-114 ON FLOUR ENRICHMENT
Law No. 02/L-8 ON WINES
Law No. 03/L-065 ON INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF THE STATE BORDER

As well as many administrative instructions and other sub-legal acts, a large part of which are available through the website of the Food and Veterinary Agency, as well as through the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (www.mbpzhr.net).

The border phytosanitary service carries out these activities:

Prevention of the entry and spread of harmful organisms in plants, plant products and other objects and measures for their control or eradication.

Performing phytosanitary border services and cooperating with relevant institutions at the border (Kosovo Customs and Police).

Prevents the entry and spread of organisms specified in: List III. A.; List III. B; List IV. A; List V. A. I Law No. 04/L-120.

Inspection of plants, plant products and food products of plant origin at border crossings of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as control of accompanying documentation;

Inspection of non-food products of plant origin and accompanying documentation at border crossings of the Republic of Kosovo;

Border inspection of agro-imports (seeds, artificial fertilizers and plant protection products – PPPs)

Organization of border inspection of other products defined by the TARIK code

Checking accompanying documentation – phytosanitary certificates, health and origin certificates), import licenses and permits, invoices, etc.

Performing border phytosanitary services and cooperating with relevant institutions at the border (Customs and Kosovo Police).

Sampling, preparation of samples for analysis.

Visual inspection, various examinations, inspection of means of transport, goods and packaging, etc.

To achieve all this, the AUV staff has close cooperation with the Customs and the Kosovo Police, within the framework of integrated border management, regular meetings and exchange of information, as well as with a large number of laboratories both inside and outside the country.
 
Additional detailed data about border phytosanitary control procedures, for various importers and other interested parties, will be accessible and usable through the information sheet for “Border Phytosanitary Control Procedures”, which can be found on the AUV website. www.auv-ks.net, under the window: Border Control – Phytosanitary.
 
All these activities at the Border Control Points are carried out by Border Phytosanitary inspectors, who work every working day (Monday – Saturday) from 08:30h to 16:30h.