Key Benefits:
The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of the Argentine Nation assembled in Congress, etc. strongly sanction Law:
ARTICLE 1 Appropriate the Agreement for ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION ENTRE THE ARGENTINA REPUBLIC AND THE REPUBLIC DE GUYANA, signed in Georgetown, REPUBLIC OF GUYANA, on February 24, 2006, which consists of TEN (10) articles, whose authenticated photocopy is part of this law. ARTICLE 2 Contact the national executive branch.IN THE SESSION OF THE ARGENTINE CONGRESS, IN GOOD AIRES, TO THE THREE DAYS OF THE YEAR TWO MIL OCHO.
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JULY C. C. COBOS. EDUARDO A. FELLNER. . Enrique Hidalgo. . Juan H. Estrada.
ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION AGREEMENT AGENCY REPUBLIC AND GUYANA REPUBLIC
The Argentine Republic and the Republic of Guyana (hereinafter referred to as "the Parties").
Bearing in mind that the Argentine Republic is a Member State of the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), established by the Treaty of AsunciĆ³n signed in March 1991; and that the Republic of Guyana is a Member State of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), established by the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Taking into account the cordial relations between the two countries.
Recognizing that trade cooperation is of significant importance to economic development.
Recognizing the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding between MERCOSUR and the Republic of Guyana in the Area of Trade and Investment, signed in Rio de Janeiro on 28 June 1999.
In response to the rights and obligations of the Parties under the 1994 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Marrakesh Agreement), establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO).
With a view to developing and strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, through friendly consultations, they have agreed:
ARTICLE I
The Parties shall take appropriate measures to promote trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and endeavour to reduce and phase out all obstacles to the exchange of goods and services in accordance with their respective laws and regulations, as well as the international agreements to which they are a party.
ARTICLE II
The cooperation referred to in this Agreement shall specifically include the following activities:
(a) Exchange of goods and services;
(b) Bank and financial operations;
(c) Transport;
(d) communications;
(e) Establishment of joint ventures for the production and sale of products of mutual interest;
(f) Exchange of economic and commercial experiences and information;
(g) any other activity agreed upon between the Parties.
ARTICLE III
1. In accordance with their obligations under the 1994 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the Parties shall mutually grant the most-favoured-nation treatment with respect to:
I. Customs fees and other tariffs and taxes that seriously import and export goods.
ii. Regulations, procedures and formalities relating to the import or export of goods.
2. However, the provisions of paragraph (1) shall not apply to:
i. advantages and privileges that have been or are granted by any Party to neighbouring countries in order to facilitate border trade;
ii. Privileges or preferences granted or to be granted by any of the Parties arising from their participation in an area of free trade, customs union or any other better form of economic integration or any provisional agreement for their establishment.
iii. The advantages or franchises granted by the Argentine Republic under bilateral agreements with the Italian Republic on 10 December 1987 and with the Kingdom of Spain on 3 June 1988.
ARTICLE IV
1. The Parties shall encourage their companies and companies involved in foreign trade to negotiate and conduct operations in accordance with the usual trade conditions and terms.
2. Payment for operations between the two countries shall be made in any currency of free convertibility in accordance with the respective laws and regulations of exchange.
3. In order to facilitate trade, other forms of payment may be considered.
4. Bilateral trade shall be carried out, within the framework of this Agreement, in accordance with the laws in force in each country, in accordance with the provisions governing international trade, in particular the commitments of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and on the basis of contracts concluded by the natural or legal persons of both countries.
5. Similarly, bilateral trade in the field of services will be carried out on the basis of the obligations assumed by both countries under the General Agreement on Trade Exchange of Services of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
ARTICLE V
1. The Parties shall encourage their enterprises to develop different forms of economic and commercial cooperation and to establish favourable conditions for such cooperation in accordance with their respective existing laws and regulations.
2. The Parties agree to encourage the exchange of visits by industrial or commercial groups or delegations, as well as trade fairs and exhibitions.
3. The Parties have agreed that both import and export licences shall be granted in compliance with the laws and regulations in force in both countries, while the import and export of the following goods shall be exempt from customs duties, taxes and other similar tariffs:
(a) samples and goods without commercial value and advertising materials;
(b) Temporary objects and goods imported for fairs and exhibitions whenever they cannot be sold;
(c) Scientific evidence and research equipment in compliance with programmes established under this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
1. In order to coordinate activities for the achievement of the objectives of this Agreement and to ensure the optimal conditions for its implementation, the Parties shall establish an Argentine-Guyana Joint Commission composed of the representatives they designate.
2. The functions of the Joint Commission shall include, in particular, the following matters:
(a) Consideration of all matters relating to the implementation of this Agreement;
(b) Consideration of possibilities for increasing and diversifying economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and the formulation, where necessary, of specific programmes and projects for that purpose; and
(c) Submission and study of proposals in order to propose to Parties measures to increase economic and commercial cooperation.
3. The Joint Commission will meet alternately in the Argentine Republic and the Republic of Guyana on the dates agreed by diplomatic means.
4. The Joint Commission may, where both Parties deem it necessary, designate working groups and convene experts, advisers and entrepreneurs from the public and private sectors.
ARTICLE VII
This Agreement does not preclude prohibitions or restrictions that the Parties adopt on imports, exports or goods in transit, if they are based on:
Public morals, political or security reasons;
Protection of health and human, animal and plant life;
Environmental protection;
- national heritage with artistic, historical or archaeological value; or the provisions applicable to gold and silver.
However, such prohibitions or restrictions shall not constitute an instrument of arbitrary discrimination.
ARTICLE VIII
1. The Parties shall resolve disputes that may arise from the implementation of this Agreement through negotiation and in a spirit of mutual cooperation and understanding.
2. The date and place of the negotiations shall be decided by the Parties through consultations.
ARTICLE IX
This Agreement shall not affect the obligations of the Argentine Republic as a State Party to the Treaty of AsunciĆ³n, which established the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), nor the obligations of the Republic of Guyana as a State Party to the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which created the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) including the Single Market and Economy of that Community.
ARTICLE X
1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of receipt of the last notification by which the Parties are notified by diplomatic channels, compliance with the legal requirements for their entry into force.
2. This Agreement shall have a duration of 5 (five) years and shall be renewed automatically for periods of 1 (one) year, unless one of the Parties reports it through the diplomatic channels, which shall be effective at 6 (six) months of receipt of the notification.
3. In the event of an Amendment or the termination of this Agreement, ongoing transactions will not be affected and will continue until completion, unless otherwise provided by the Parties.
Made in Georgetown, Republic of Guyana, on 24 February 2006 in two original copies in Spanish and English, both equally authentic.