Job Description
Providing subject-matter expertise and capacity-building support to national authorities to accelerate alignment and approximation with the EU acquis in areas relevant to the free movement of goods and transport, with a specific focus on the EU Acquis related to motor vehicles and for regulation of equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX).
The Project “Support to European Integration of North Macedonia” is designed to support North Macedonia’s accession negotiations and successful management of the overall European Union (EU) integration process.
The Project is funded by Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Ministry for European Affairs and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
The Project’s goal is to enhance preparedness for EU membership by strengthening institutional capacities, coordination mechanisms, good governance, and public engagement in the reform process. Within this context, the Project supports reforms linked to alignment and approximation with the EU acquis, including areas related to the free movement of goods and transport.
Recent assessments by the European Commission have highlighted persistent gaps and the need for renewed efforts to strengthen alignment, implementation readiness, and institutional coordination in these areas. The assignment will provide senior expert support to accelerate reform delivery, improve coherence of the legal and policy framework, and strengthen inter-institutional coordination and capacities.
The project aims to support the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources in North Macedonia and other relevant institutions in aligning its national framework with the EU acquis in areas relevant to the free movement of goods and transport, with a specific focus on the EU Acquis related to motor vehicles and for regulation of equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX).
Under the direct supervision of Project Manager, the Capacity Building Specialist will provide subject-matter expertise and capacity-building support to national authorities to accelerate alignment and approximation with the EU acquis in areas relevant to the free movement of goods and transport, with a specific focus on the EU Acquis related to motor vehicles and for regulation of equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX)
The objective is to enable the beneficiary institution, Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, to advance the preparation of a coherent and implementable national framework by: (i) conducting a structured review of the existing legislation and institutional set-up; (ii) identifying key gaps, inconsistencies, and priorities for alignment; and (iii) delivering clear, actionable recommendations that will be used in the drafting of primary and secondary legislation. In parallel, the assignment will strengthen institutional readiness for implementation by identifying capacity needs and delivering tailored trainings and knowledge-transfer support to relevant institutions, improving understanding of roles, responsibilities, and monitoring requirements.
Functions
1. Strategic and analytical support
- Review the existing national framework relevant to free movement of goods and transport (laws, by-laws, strategies, procedures, and institutional arrangements).
- Identify priority gaps and reform needs, focusing on alignment, implementation readiness, and coordination mechanisms.
- Contribute to preparing a structured set of recommendations, including sequencing and practical steps for reform delivery.
2. Support to alignment and approximation processes
- Provide recommendations for improvement of draft legal, policy, or procedural instruments required to advance approximation (as requested by the beneficiary).
- Provide guidance to ensure coherence across instruments and alignment with EU requirements in a practical, implementable manner.
- Propose transitional measures and implementation considerations to support feasible roll-out.
3. Capacity building and knowledge transfer for implementation and monitoring
- Identify capacity needs and propose a practical approach for strengthening institutional readiness to implement the requirements related to the EU Acquis and other reform priorities
- Design and deliver tailored training sessions/workshops for relevant institutions (including practical examples, roles/responsibilities, and implementation considerations).
- Provide capacity building to the relevant institutions for addressing the recommendations and harmonisation with the legislative framework and EU standards, with the latest EU ‘old approach’ EU product acquis, on motor vehicles and equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX).
- Improved institutional understanding of implementation requirements, roles, and monitoring needs.
4. Coordination and stakeholder engagement
- Support coordination among involved institutions and stakeholders through technical meetings, consultations, and structured feedback processes.
- Help prepare agendas, briefing materials, and clear action points to drive follow-up and implementation.
- Support consolidation of stakeholder feedback and facilitation of agreement on next steps.
Expected outputs
- Provide strategic, analytical, and advisory support to the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources and other relevant institutions responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the legislation package.
- Develop actionable recommendations, guidance, and written technical inputs to strengthen the legislative framework, supporting procedures, and coordination mechanisms related to the EU acquis in general but also on motor vehicles and equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX).
- Submit regular progress updates and concise reports on the implementation of the assignment.
- Prepare minutes and meeting summaries capturing key discussions, decisions, and agreed follow-up actions from coordination meetings.
- Draft, upon request of the beneficiary, relevant documents within the scope of this ToR (e.g., implementation plans, analytical notes, reports, briefing notes, and talking points).
- Prepare briefing packages for capacity-building activities, including agendas, concept notes, presentation materials, and supporting handouts for workshops and training sessions.
- Produce a final assignment report summarising activities delivered, outputs produced, key findings, and recommendations for next steps, for approval by the Project Manager.
