Construction Law and Starting a Business Support in Kosovo

PMCG is subcontracted by Chemonics International which was implementing the USAID Business Enabling Environment Program (BEEP). BEEP was a three year project to improve the free market legal environment for business through effective implementation of reformed laws and regulations, and enhanced publication and accessibly of legal and economic information by national and local governments leading to increased knowledge and understanding by citizens of the legal framework.

The purpose of this subcontract was to provide short-term technical assistance divided into two phases:

1. in Georgia – Doing Business Study Tour and Batumi Regional Workshop Support; and
2. in Kosovo – Construction Law and Starting a Business Support.

In phase 1, services included the organization of a study tour to Georgia in September 18-24, 2011. The Kosovo delegation, comprising 15 Government of Kosovo (GoK) representatives and municipal government leaders involved in Kosovo’s Doing Business reform efforts, participated in a series of meetings with representatives of the Georgian government and the private sector involved in both the construction sector and business development and regulation.

In phase 2, PMCG’s technical experts provided advice and assistance to BEEP and GoK staff with the implementation of streamlined registration, development of draft laws and administrative instructions for implementation of new business registration procedures, and providing guidance and counsel based experience in Georgia, a previous World Bank Doing Business top reformer. To advance construction reforms, PMCG technical experts helped garner buy-in from the private sector, citizens, and the GoK for the transformative approach that BEEP was recommending for a new construction law and permitting process. PMCG supported the process by obtaining necessary technical inputs and reaching a consensus among diverse groups of stakeholders, while incorporating international best practices to produce a reasonable and workable construction code for Kosovo. Following the adoption of the law, they administrative instructions developed by BEEP were reviewed and the Government to implement the law and support the development of a construction code consistent with international best practice, including Eurocodes, and relevant to Kosovo. These efforts were aimed to advance Kosovo’s progress towards construction permitting reform, and improve Kosovo’s ranking in the World Bank Doing Business report.

Type of services provided by PMCG:

• Technical Assistance in the Area of Construction Permitting
• Technical Assistance in the Area of Starting a Business
• Technical Assistance in Doing Business and Economic Reforms
• Doing Business Study Tours