From May 13 to 15, 2026, the city of Ohrid hosted the 10th anniversary edition of the Regional Symposium of Petroleum Laboratories. Once again, the forum proved to be a key platform for dialogue among leading experts, analytical laboratories, and regulatory specialists from the Balkan Peninsula.

The biennial event brought together over 70 representatives from numerous countries to discuss the current challenges facing the petroleum industry. The main highlights of the program focused on the harmonization of analytical practices, the application of current European standards, and the implementation of modern technologies in the quality control of petroleum products.

Central Chemical Laboratory, a member of the CERB Group, took an active part in the symposium, reaffirming its commitment to the highest standards in the sector. The company was represented by Chemical Engineer Stefka Mancheva, Head of the Laboratory. This marks her second consecutive participation in the forum, highlighting the team’s consistent policy of exchanging experience with regional peers.

“Regional cooperation and the continuous transfer of knowledge are vital for our field. The discussions in Ohrid confirmed that exchanging best practices among laboratories in the region is the most effective way to meet the dynamically changing quality and safety requirements” , noted Eng. Mancheva following the conclusion of the forum.

The Symposium of Petroleum Laboratories has an established history and a significant presence in the professional calendar of the Balkans. It is worth recalling that the previous edition, held in May 2024, was hosted by Bulgaria, with the meeting taking place in the city of Pleven. At that time, the host organizers of the prestigious format were Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Plc and Bulgarian Petroleum Refinery Ltd, supported by an international organizing committee featuring specialists from Okta AD Skopje, INA Croatia, Jugoinspekt Novi Sad, NIS Serbia, and Petrol Ljubljana.

The 9th edition in Pleven also gathered 70 participants from 28 laboratories across Greece, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Bulgaria. The event featured 15 presentations delivered by leading experts from regional giants and state institutions, including Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, Prista Oil Holding, Astra Bioplant, Insa Oil, INA (Croatia), Hellenic Petroleum (Greece), the Bulgarian Accreditation Service, and the State Agency for Metrological and Technical Control (SAMTC), with the financial support of sponsors such as INSA OIL, ASTRA BIOPLANT, GTA PETROLEUM, SALINA-7, PRISTA OIL, EKO, and JUGOINSPEKT.

The discussions this year in North Macedonia built directly upon the achievements and shared experience from the forum in Bulgaria. The next milestone for this significant regional format will take place in 2028, when the hosting duties will be assumed by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Central Chemical Laboratory’s participation in such forums is an integral part of the company’s strategy to maintain the highest level of competence and integration into European networks for petroleum product quality control.