Distributing a product

Market shares

In Slovakia, 52% of the population does its food shopping in supermarkets. Hypermarkets have increased their market share. It has risen from 8 to 24% and the share of discounters has doubled (from 14 to 28%) to the detriment of small shops. Discount stores appeared in Slovakia in 2003 and have had great success thanks to the low level of Slovak income.
The principal distribution network is largely dominated by foreign groups:
- The number 1 group Tesco has a turnover of 1,2 billion EUR with 60 stores in January 2008.
- Then follows Metro with a turnover of 465 million EUR.
- The Billa group with a turnover of 440 million EUR.
- Carrefour successfully opened in 2000 with the first supermarket in the country.
The turnover of the 10 top distribution companies increased by about 13% in 2007 and it is estimated that it will increase by 10% in 2008.
In the non-food sectors, national groups continue to be of prime importance; for example, the consumer electronic goods sector is dominated by three companies:
- Omnia.
- Nay.
- Datart.

Organizations in the retail sector

Slovak association for commerce and tourism (in Slovak)

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

Main International economic cooperation

Slovakia is a member of the European Union. It is also a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) which has guaranteed, since 1 January 1993, the free movement of most goods between the European countries.
Multilateral and bilateral agreements with many countries.

Non tariff barriers

In accordance with its European Union membership since May, 1st of 2004, Slovakia applies the European Union trade policy such as antidumping or anti-subsidy measures. The European Union import regime is applied to Slovakia,especially in the  sector of textile products. If Slovakia adopted the main part of the EU regulations on May, 1st of 2004, a transitional period has been defined for the country to transpose other EU rules. 

The European Union has a rather liberal foreign trade policy, and having to obtain import licenses is not common. However, you should make sure that importing a particular product does not call for an import license.

There are some restrictions, especially on farm products, following the implementation of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy): the application of compensations on import and export of farm products, aimed at favouring the development of agriculture within the EU, implies a certain number of control and regulation systems for goods entering the EU territory.

When being introduced into Slovakia, some products must be "CE" marked in application of the European Directives adopted on the basis of the New Approach since 1 May 2004. For further information on CE marking, please consult the Guide to the Implementation of Directives based on New Approach and Global Approach.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

Transactions carried out within the EEA are free of duty.
The Common Customs Tariff (CCT) of the European Union applies to goods originating from outside Europe.
Average Customs duties are not high, 4.8% for manufactured goods for example. However, the sectors of textiles, articles of clothing (high duties and quotas) and agrifood (average duty of 17.3% and many tariff quotas, CAP) still have protective measures.

Customs classification

The combined nomenclature of the European Community (EC) integrates the HS nomenclature or completes it with its own sub-titles with an 8 figure code number and its own legal notes created for Community needs. From a practical point of view, it is the TARIC code (composed of 10 figures) which allows the definition of the Customs duty rate and the Community regulations applicable when importing a product from a country which does not belong to the European Union. To find out the Customs duty on a product according to its country of origin, you should consult the TARIC database.

Import procedures

Trade between the European Union and Slovakia consists of intra-community trade (acquisitions and deliveries), and only VAT must be paid in the country where the product is consumed. Systematic controls of goods at the intra-community borders have been done away with and moved to extra-community borders if the country is concerned, subject to the rules applicable to some sensitive goods. Nevertheless, when goods from within the community are brought into Slovakia, the exporter must fill in, at the end of the month, a Declaration of Exchange of Goods (DEB) or Intrastat Declaration. The Customs declaration (SAD) remains in force for the goods trade between Slovakia and third countries.
Some importers will have to request an import license from the Ministry of the Economy. The import license is necessary especially for basic products or raw materials such as coal, electric energy, livestock and some agricultural products. A certificate of compliance with standards is also necessary for certain specific products which can be considered to be dangerous for health, individual safety or the environment.

As part of the "SAFE" standards advocated by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union has set up a new system of import controls, the "Import Control System" (ICS), which aims to secure the flow of goods at the time of their entry into the customs territory of the EU. This control system, part of the Community Program eCustomer, has been in effect since January 1, 2011. Since then, operators are required to pass an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) to the customs of the country of entry, prior to the introduction of goods into the customs territory of the European Union.

Importing samples

Commercial samples imported for a period of not more than 24 months are exempt from Customs duty.

For further information

Customs Bureau

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

Goods transport in Slovakia is dominated by road transport with 195 million tonnes of goods transported. It is the most used means of transport as Slovakia has no access to the sea. 48 million tonnes of goods are transported by rail, 1.5 million tonnes by waterway and 400,000 by air each year.

Ports

The airport of Bratislava
The airline company Air Slovakia
The Slovak railroad network
Port of Bratislava
Port of Komarno

Airports

Bratislava Airport
Kosice Airport
Propad-Tatry Airport
Sliac Airport
Zilina Airport
Piestany Airport

Sea transport organizations

Ministry of Transport

Air transport organizations

Civil aviation
Ministry of Transport

Road transport organizations

Ministry of Transport

Rail transport organizations

Ministry of Transport

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

The industrial sector represents 33% of GDP and neraly 30% of the active population. The main industrial sectors are the automobile sector, transport material, chemistry, food stuffs, wood, paper and clothing. Slovak industry has traditionally been oriented towards the automobile industry. Slovakia is the country which produces the most cars per capita in the world.

Business directories

Directory of Slovak companies
Slovak yellow pages
Slovak Telecom Directory

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

Slovak automobile industry association (ZAP, in Slovak)
Slovak textile and clothing industry association (ATOP)
Slovak chemical and pharmaceutical industry association (ZCHFP)
Slovak electrotechnical industry association (ZEP)
Slovak paper industry association (ZCPP)

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Enterprises federation

Agency for the development of SMEs
Slovak businessmen's association (ZPS)
SME Union Slovakia

Standards

National standards organizations

Slovak office for standards, metrology and testing (UNMS)
Slovak institute for technical standards (SUTN)

Integration in the international standards network

At the European level:
- Member of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
- Member of the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC),
- Member of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)  

At the international level:
- Member of the International Standard Organization (ISO)
- Member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC),
- Member of the International Telecommunication Union  (ITU),

Classification of standards

STN is the Slovak certification mark.
CE is the European certification mark. It is obligatory so that a product can be sold in the country.

Online consultation of standards

The STN catalog
The catalog of European standards
The ISO catalog

Certification organizations

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products

Intellectual Property

National organizations

Patents are granted by the Office of industrial property (the period of validity varies and may go up to 20 years). The AOC name exists in Slovakia and comes under the same Office. The Slovak organization for the protection of copyright is the Copyright Office which is dependent on the Ministry of Culture.

Regional organizations

Slovakia is a member of the European Patents Office (EPO) and of the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHMI).