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On TRIPS, the country follows the negotiations regarding public health, extending the list of patents regarding protection of biodiversity and traditional knowledge and achieving a higher level of protection of products with geographical indication. The country ratified the Protocol for Amending the TRIPS Agreement.

On TRIPS, the country follows the negotiations on public health, extending the list of patents regarding protection of biodiversity and traditional knowledge, and achieving a higher level of protection for products with geographical indication. It ratified the Protocol for Amending the TRIPS Agreement.

  Under the Law on Technological Industrial Development Zones, the TIDZs are established with a view to the development of modern technologies and efficient resource utilization by applying high environmental standards.

The Government committed itself to ensuring enforcement of its WTO obligations in its (then) free economic zones, which meant eliminating any requirements for use of local goods or for export performance. In addition, goods produced in these zones with imports and imported inputs free of tariffs and certain taxes, would be subject to normal customs formalities when entering the rest of the country's territory, including payment of tariffs and taxes. These basic principles continue to apply to the TIDZs, established to provide favourable conditions for the development of business activities by offering prepared industrial sites with investor-ready physical and legal infrastructure, support services, and tax, customs, and other incentives. The zones are established to develop modern technologies and efficient resource utilization by applying high environmental standards.

Under the Law on Technological Industrial Development Zones, the zones are established to develop modern technologies and efficient resource utilization by applying high environmental standards

The Government's aim is to attract enterprises that are mainly engaged in manufacturing, information technology, scientific research, and new technologies, with high environmental standards.

Under the Law on Environment, compensation for import permits is paid on used products (such as tyres) and ozone-depleting substances. The authorities maintain that the level of compensation set for used products is to cover the costs of issuing an import permit and ensure adequate removal of the waste, while for ozone -depleting substances the compensation is intended to provide for gradual reduction of the substances in accordance with the obligations of the Montreal Protocol. Some of the funds collected are used under the annual programme for environmental investments.

Until June 2013, fees were levied on tobacco/tobacco products according to the Law on Health Protection, the Law on Environment and the Law on Tobacco and Tobacco Products.

The importation of some products (e.g. certain animals and birds, plants, fertilizers, narcotics, arms and ozone-depleting substances) is prohibited for reasons of the protection of health, the environment, public security and morals, and cultural heritage or the fulfilment of obligations under international conventions. According to the authorities, temporary import prohibitions are in line with relevant EU legislation.

The authorities maintain that the import licensing system is not intended to restrict the quantity or value of imports but is used to protect human, animal or plant life or health, to protect the environment from ozone-depleting substances, and ensure national-security interests.