Fostering the roles of standardization and technical regulations in achieving green and circular economy transition in North Macedonia

Result of Service• Inputs: National legislation, development plans and interview transcripts. • Diagnostic report: Draft report, “North Macedonia’s system of technical regulations and standardization: Diagnostic report” (in English), following a detailed outline that will be provided by the Secretariat. Final report incorporating UNECE’s feedback, with all revisions marked in track‑changes mode. Work LocationHome Country Expected durationStart date: 1 April 2026 Duration: 3 months, part-time Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe UNECE is one of the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It comprises 56 member States and covers Europe and parts of Central Asia and North America. As a multilateral platform, UNECE facilitates greater economic integration and cooperation among its member countries and promotes sustainable development and economic prosperity through policy dialogue, negotiation of international legal instruments, development of regulations and norms, exchange and application of best practices as well as economic and technical expertise, and technical cooperation for countries with economies in transition. This consultancy forms part of the UNECE’s broader effort to support the Government of North Macedonia in increasing the contribution of trade to an inclusive transformative development path, driven by low-carbon, green technologies and circularity and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s strategic ambition to accede the European Union (EU). The objective of this consultancy is to deliver a technical diagnosis of North Macedonia’s system of technical regulation and standardization. The aim is to assess alignment with the SDGs as well as the EU frameworks, including readiness for the EU Green Deal product sustainability requirements, and identify gaps as well as practical steps for facilitating integration into the EU Market. This diagnosis forms part of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) broader assessment study, “Policy Coherence for the Green and Circular Economy Transition in North Macedonia: The Role of Trade,” undertaken at the request of the Government. The consultant will provide a comprehensive technical diagnostic report on North Macedonia’s system of technical regulation and standardization. The aim of the report is to support the Government’s reforms to align with the SDGs and EU acquis, including, inter alia, the horizontal frameworks under Chapter 1 (Free Movement of Goods), and their application across different sectors under Chapters 10 (Information Society and Media), 12 (Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy), 14 (Transport Policy), 15 (Energy), 27 (Environment), and 28 (Consumer and Health Protection). Alignment with these chapters requires the transposition and implementation of EU directives, regulations, and harmonized standards across the entire quality infrastructure system, including technical regulation and standardization. The report will constitute a background document, which will be used by the Secretariat in the preparation of the UNECE study. Working closely with the staff at the UNECE Market Access Section (MAS) of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Division (ECTD), the consultant will undertake the following tasks: A. Technical gap analysis • Legislative mapping: Conduct a detailed mapping of national legislation underpinning North Macedonia’s technical regulations against the EU New Approach product legislation (e.g. machinery), taking into account the conformity assessment framework established under the Global Approach; relevant Old Approach product sectors (e.g. chemicals); and the EU Green Deal product sustainability requirements (e.g., the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation, ESPR). The analysis should cover both horizontal and sector-specific legislation, with the latter focused on the below priority circular economy sectors identified by the Government of North Macedonia: o Construction and building materials o Agriculture o Food and beverages o Textiles and apparel o Mining and metallurgy o Automative industry o Chemical industry • Compliance diagnostic: Identify specific EU Directives and Regulations that remain un-transposed or where national legislation contains conflicting \"measures having equivalent effect\" to restrictions. • Standardization assessment: Assess the extent to which the EU harmonised standards for Chapters 1, 10, 15, 27, 28 have been adopted, identifying gaps and priority areas for alignment. • Institutional capacity diagnosis: Assess the technical expertise, specialized skills, organizational structures and coordination mechanisms required to ensure successful alignment of North Macedonia’s technical regulations and standardization system. B. Methodology • Desk review: Conduct a desk review of the legislative framework and development plans underpinning North Macedonia’s system of technical regulation and standardizations. • In-person interviews: Conduct in-person interviews with representatives from relevant government agencies and line ministries using UNECE Evaluation Methodology. In this respect, the interviews should be guided by the Methodology’s actor-oriented questionnaires. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree in economics, science, public administration, or a related field. • Analytical rigor. • Excellent drafting skills in English. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Strong organizational and coordination abilities. • Ability to work independently. LanguagesFluency in English and Macedonian (written and spoken). Additional InformationExperience • At least 10 years of working experience in the areas of technical regulations and standardization. • Deep understanding of North Macedonia’s development landscape, and its system of technical regulations and standardization. • Proven EU accession experience in Chapters 1, 10, 12, 15, 27, 28, including gap analysis and \"Tables of Concordance\". • Experience in developing technical regulations and associated policies for accreditation, conformity assessment, market surveillance, and metrology, as applied across different sectors, with specific expertise in enforcing sustainability and eco-design requirements. • Advanced understanding of the EU harmonised standards. • Advanced understanding of the EU’s Green Deal. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.