Recently, the Albanian Council of Minister has approved the Decision no. 268 dated 02.05.2024 (the “DCM”), “On the approval of economic operators’ categories, that own or manage equipment or installations under pressure, that are oblige to enter into civil liability insurance contract and the minimum limit covered by the insurance contract”.
The DCM was enacted upon issuance in the Official Gazette no. 78 dated 07.05.2024. It was issued in accordance with the Law no. 32/2016 “On guaranteeing the safety of the operation of the equipment and installations under pression” (the “Law”).
The Law provides a set of conditions and requirements that must be respected by the economic operators that use or manage equipment and installations under pression, to guarantee the safety of life, health of people and animals, the environment, and material possessions from eventual risk of damage that such equipment and installations present.
Both the Law and DCM purpose is to guarantee the environment, life, health and private property safety from the risks caused due to the use of such equipment and installations.
Among others, the Law provides that before placing and during the use of equipment/installations under pressure, the economic operators, who own or manage them, must be equipped with the civil liability insurance contract. The civil liability insurance contract must be valid during the entire period of use of such equipment/installations, to guarantee coverage of damages that may be caused to the environment, life, health and private property.
In accordance with the Law, the DCM determines the categories of economic operators that are subject to such obligation as well as the minimum threshold of responsibility covered by the civil liability insurance contract. In addition, the DCM provides in more details the specifics of the pressure vessels by type, pressure volume and their risk classification: