Workshop in Skopje Addresses Advancement of Legislation on Pyrotechnics and Explosives

Representatives of Ministries of Interior and Police Directorates from Western Balkans  gathered on 16–17 September 2025 in Skopje for a two-day regional workshop on harmonizing national legislation with the European Union’s framework on pyrotechnics and explosives. 

Organized by UNDP SEESAC, the workshop focused on pyrotechnics and explosives—high-risk products that require strict oversight. Discussions highlighted the importance of EU-harmonized legislation, which establishes clear rules for manufacturers, importers, and distributors in this sensitive sector, ensuring product safety and safeguarding both markets and citizens. 

Participants examined how EU standards, such as the CE marking system, play a vital role in ensuring that products meet essential safety requirements and can circulate freely across borders. They also discussed the shared responsibilities of economic operators along the supply chain, emphasizing accountability, transparency, and consumer protection. 

Special attention was given to the challenges faced by manufacturers in the Western Balkans, where there are no designated EU Notified Bodies, and to ways these companies can navigate the conformity assessment process to meet EU requirements. 

The workshop was organized under the regional project Support for Enhancing the Fight Against the Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans, funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II).