Advancing Kosovo's Risk Assessment Unit and Benefits for AEO traders: Mission to Pristina

Kosovo’s Food and Veterinary Agency (KFVA) has recently established a Risk Assessment Unit and is now taking concrete steps to institutionalize it. Furthermore, efforts are focusing on enhancing collaboration between the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)authorities, also governed by KFVA, and customs agencies in Kosovo, aiming to optimize operations and generate additional advantages for Authorized Economic Operators (AEO’s) at import border controls. To assist KFVA in its endeavors, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been providing support for some time. In May, we went on a mission to Pristina under an IFC mandate to evaluate progress and define the next steps.

As part of our mission, we conducted a workshop with the Risk Assessment Unit team. The workshop included training on best practices and a discussion session on the next steps for setting up and operating the unit. Establishing and institutionalizing the Risk Assessment Unit is a significant step towards improving food safety standards in Kosovo and will demonstrate the agency’s commitment to adopting international best practices.

In addition, this mission aimed to deepen the understanding of AEO companies' experiences and challenges with import border procedures. By bringing together representatives from SPS, AEO and customs, we sought to explore new collaborative options that can lead to more efficient and beneficial processes for traders. This progress will not only benefit traders but also strengthen Kosovo’s position in international trade.