Skopje, 12^th November 2026 - As part of the Western Balkans Six Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF) project, a one-day training, “GS1 Standards in the New Era of Global Trade,” was held in Skopje.

The content was presented by GS1 Macedonia, the national organisation for GS1 standards.

Representatives of 40 companies learned how products and shipments are identified under international standards, and why this matters more and more for companies that export or supply European value chains. The training covered:

•       the European Logistics Label: identification of products, logistics units and locations (the Global Trade Item Number, the Serial Shipping Container Code and the Global Location Number), and how the pallet label simplifies work for the sender, the distributor and the receiver;

•       traceability and 2D barcodes: why traceability counts in product recalls, consumer protection and the fight against counterfeiting, and how the shift from 1D to 2D barcodes is unfolding;

•       the Digital Product Passport and the European Union’s new regulation;

•       practical examples and software solutions for using GS1 standards in day-to-day business.

Expert presentations, practical examples and discussion showed participants what their products and shipments need in order to meet the requirements of international markets.

The training was intended for representatives of manufacturing companies, exporters, distributors, trading companies and logistics operators.

The activity was implemented as part of the project “EU Support for WB6 CIF for the Development of a Common Regional Market.”