Mutual Recognition of ADR Certificates
Kosovo and Serbia reached the Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of ADR Certificates on 19 April 2016.
ADR certificate are simply the certificates for the international carriage of the dangerous goods by road. Dangerous goods, in this regard are: explosives; gases; flammable liquids; dangerous solid materials, self-reactive substances and solid desensitized explosives; substances liable to spontaneous combustion; substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases; oxidizing substances; organic peroxides; toxic substances; infectious substances; radioactive material; corrosive substances; and miscellaneous dangerous substances.
ADR treaty or formally the European Agreement of 30 September 1957 concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, is a United Nations treaty that governs the transport of hazardous materials. So far, 52 countries (including Serbia) are part of this treaty. Kosovo nonetheless, is not a contracting party.
There are two types of certificates required in order for a vehicle or a driver to be involved in the carriage of dangerous goods by road:
- Certificate of approval for a vehicle carrying dangerous goods- which confirms that the vehicle meets all necessary technical requirements for the carriage of these goods and which may only be issued by a competent authority of a contracting party to the ADR in which the vehicle is registered, and
- Certificate for the driver of a vehicle carrying dangerous goods- which confirms that the driver meets all specified requirements for operating a vehicle carrying these goods, and which may be issued by a competent body of any contracting parties to the ADR.
Through this agreement, Kosovo and Serbia committed to the free movement of goods, including dangerous goods, without hindrance and in line with international and European standards.
Parties held the first meeting regarding this issue in Vienna, on 4 April 2016, with no results. The second meeting, held in Brussels on 19 April 2016 is the one that resulted with signing the agreement on mutual recognition of ADR certificates.
The agreement on mutual recognition of ADR certificates entered into force on 25 April 2016 and it is implemented successfully by both parties.
Before the agreement, Kosovo citizens were not allowed to transport the dangerous goods to or through the territory of Serbia. Serbia did not accept Kosovo’s ADR certificates, because Kosovo is not a contracting party of ADR treaty, and this, hindered the movement of goods to a large extent.
Now, although Kosovo is not a contracting party to ADR treaty yet, this bilateral agreement between Kosovo and Serbia has enabled the free movement of hazardous goods to and through Serbia.