Legal Framework for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods in Kosovo

Abstract

This paper addresses the transport issues of dangerous goods that relate to the new legislation in Kosovo. The Law on land transport of dangerous goods of 2012, which has repealed the Law on transport of dangerous goods of 2004, as well as other legal acts issued by the Ministry of Infrastructure in accordance with the law, with which have been set the conditions and circumstances in which the dangerous goods can be transported, have been addressed in particular. Through this law, it is aimed to increase the safety during the transportation of dangerous goods by road or railway, the effective assistance in the protection of human life, property and the environment by preventing any contamination that may be caused by accidents during this transport within the territory of Kosovo. In this paper, a special emphasize has been given to harmonization, respectively, to the approximation of the new legislation in Kosovo with the acquis, in the field of transport of dangerous goods, as well as the aspects of direct implementation in Kosovo of EU Legislation and other international acts in this area. In this paper are also addressed the rights and obligations of carriers of dangerous goods arising from the contract for the carriage of dangerous goods, based on national legislation of Kosovo and the international legislation, as is the European Agreement for Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), and the Convention on International Railway Transport (COTIF) Annex C - Rules concerning the international transport of dangerous goods (RID).