At the event, information was provided on the substance of the new technical regulations, their impact on consumer satisfaction and mechanisms of application, and participants’ comments and proposals were reviewed.

Jointly organised by the Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (the Agency) and the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA), a public hearing and discussion was held at the Baku SME House on the following draft technical regulations: “On Requirements for Automotive and Aviation Petrol, Diesel, Marine and Jet Engine Fuels and Fuel Oil”, “On Requirements for Liquefied Hydrocarbon Gases for Use as Fuel” and “On the Safety of Gas-Fuelled Installations”, prepared by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and “On the Safety of Natural Combustible Gas Prepared for Transportation and/or Use”, prepared by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Elmaddin Guliyev, Head of the Standardisation, Technical Regulation and Certification Department of the Agency, and Rauf Taghiyev, Deputy Head of the SME Friend Department at SMBDA, delivered speeches at the event.

In the speeches, the opportunities created by the draft technical regulations for improving product safety and quality on the local market, protecting consumer rights and increasing the competitiveness of business entities were emphasised. Entrepreneurs were also called on to participate actively in public hearings and discussions and to share their views on technical regulations.

During the event, Elchin Abdulla, Head of Sector at the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Eldar Ahmadov, Head of Department of the Inspectorate for Supervision of the Safe Performance of Work at Liquid and Natural Gas Facilities of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, gave presentations on the areas covered by the draft technical regulations, key safety requirements, their application in the conformity assessment process and their role in raising quality standards.

The question-and-answer session held at the end of the meeting was accompanied by active discussions, and participants’ comments and proposals were reviewed.

For information, the Agency will continue its series of events aimed at the active participation of interested parties in the development of technical regulations, including the organisation of public hearings and discussions of other new draft national technical regulations.

Note: As part of the implementation of the State Programme for 2023–2025 on Aligning the National Standardisation System with International Requirements, approved by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 43 draft national technical regulations have been prepared by the relevant state bodies, and 33 draft technical regulations are currently placed for public hearing and discussion on the Agency’s official website (https://competition.gov.az/az/page/qanunvericilik/texniki-reqlament-layihelerinin-ictimai-dinlenmesi-ve-muzakiresi) in order to obtain comments and proposals from interested parties.