The Regulatory Commission for Energy, Water Services and Waste Management of the Republic of North Macedonia (“Regulatory Commission”) adopted a new Rulebook on Licenses (“Rulebook”), as part of the process of aligning the country’s secondary legislation with the new Energy Law. The Rulebook refines the conditions, criteria and procedures for issuing, renewing and revoking energy‑sector licenses, improving regulatory certainty for applicants and license holders.
Framework for Newly Regulated Activities
The Rulebook updates the licensing framework by specifying in detail the documentation required for each energy activity and by prescribing filing requirements for newly regulated activities. New categories covered include gas storage, biomethane and hydrogen production, biofuel production, filling and sale of pressurised LPG vessels, and trading of compressed gas, LNG and hydrogen.
Procedural Simplifications
Procedural simplifications and expedited tracks are introduced for activities not requiring grid connection and for certain renewable, hydrogen/biomethane, and energy-storage projects. These measures include lower fees, faster processing timelines, streamlined documentary requirements for unregulated activities, and consolidation of separate affidavits into standardised application forms.
Duration of Licenses and Trial Operations
The Rulebook also defines more precisely the license durations, which are set to up to 35 years for transmission, distribution and energy generation, crude oil processing, production of oil derivatives and oil pipeline transport; and up to 10 years for supply, trading, market operation, energy storage, production of biofuels and certain LPG activities. Trial‑operation licenses may be issued for up to nine months, with shorter periods for photovoltaic projects: up to six months for 1-10 MW and up to three months for installations under 1 MW. In line with the Energy Law, the Rulebook removes temporary licenses from the licensing framework.
Fees and Financial Requirements
A standard licensing fee of 60,000 MKD is set with the Rulebook, with a reduced fee of 45,000 MKD for certain renewable-energy projects. Some procedural changes, such as administrative amendments, may be exempt from fees. Applicants for electricity trading and supply licenses must provide evidence of EUR 100,000 held in an account or evidence of fixed assets of equivalent value.
Electronic Processing
As an important step toward digitalisation, the Rulebook also introduces electronic communication and document exchange. This enables licensing procedures to be completed fully via the National e-Services Portal once the necessary technical conditions are met.
The information in this document does not constitute legal advice on any particular matter and is provided for general informational purposes only.
