Νόμος 3642/2008

Άρθρο 11 Δαπάνες συνδρομής

1. Τα Συμβαλλόμενα Μέρη παραιτούνται αμοιβαία από κάθε αξίωση για απόδοση δάπανών τις οποίες συνεπάγεται η εφαρμογή της παρούσας Συμφωνίας με εξαίρεση τις δαπάνες για μάρτυρες και την αμοιβή εμπειρογνωμόνων και μεταφραστών, οι οποίοι δεν είναι κυβερνητικοί υπάλληλοι, οι οποίες θα καλύπτονται από το αιτούν Συμβαλλόμενο Μέρος.

Άοθοο 12 ΕΦαουονή me Συ υ Φωviae

1. Αρμόδιες αρχές για την εφαρμογή της παρούσας Συμφωνίας είναι η Γενική Διεύθυνση Τελωνείων και Ειδικών Φόρων Κατανάλωσης της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας και η Κρατική Επιτροπή Τελωνείων της Δημοκρατίας του Αζερμπαϊτζάν, οι οποίες μπορούν να επικοινωνούν απευθείας για την αντιμετώπιση θεμάτων που προκύπτουν από την παρούσα Συμφωνία και, μετά από διαβουλεύσεις, εκδίδουν διοικητικές οδηγίες για την εφαρμογή της παρούσας Συμφωνίας και προσπαθούν με κοινή συναίνεση να επιλύουν προβλήματα ή θέματα που ανακύπτουν στην ερμηνεία της Συμφωνίας ή κατά την εφαρμογή της.

2. Τα Συμβαλλόμενα Μέρη συμφωνούν να συναντώνται τουλάχιστον μία φορά ετησίως με σκοπό την εξέταση της εφαρμογής της παρούσας Συμφωνίας εκτός εάν συμφωνήσουν αμοιβαία γραπτώς ότι τέτοιες συναντήσεις δεν είναι αναγκαίες.

3. Με την σύμφωνη γνώμη και των δύο Συμβαλλομένων Μερών μπορούν να γίνουν αλλαγές ή προσθέσεις στη Συμφωνία, με τη μορφή ξεχωριστών Πρωτοκόλλων. Αυτές οι τροποποιήσεις ή προσθέσεις θα τεθούν σε ισχύ σύμφωνα με τη διαδικασία που" προβλέπεται στο Άρθρο 13 της παρούσας Συμφωνίας.

Άρθρο 13 Ισχύς της Συμφωνίας και λήξη

1. Ή παρούσα Συμφωνία τίθεται σε ισχύ την ημέρα παραλαβής της τελευταίας γραπτής γνωστοποίησης, μέσω της διπλωματικής οδού, ότι έχουν εκπληρωθεί όλες οι εσωτερικές διαδικασίες για τη θέση σε ισχύ της παρούσας Συμφωνίας.

2. Η παρούσα Συμφωνία θα παραμείνει σε ισχύ για απεριόριστο χρονικό διάστημα.

AGREEMENT

BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN ON MUTUAL' ASSISTANCE IN CUSTOMS MATTERS

The Government of the Hellenic Republic and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, hereinafter referred to as "the Contracting Parties",

Recognizing that the offenses of Customs legislation are prejudicial to the social, economic, fiscal and other interests of their countries,

Confident that the reinforcement of the cooperation between the Customs Administrations of the countries will contribute to a more effective action for the prevention, investigation and suppression of the Customs offences, including the illicit traffic of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors, the illicit traffic through the borders of arms, explosives and ammunition, nuclear material, as well as objects of cultural value and archaeological treasures,

Having regard to the Conventions of the United Nations on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances,

Having regard also to the relevant international Conventions in force encouraging bilateral mutual assistance and the Recommendations of the Customs Cooperation. Council,

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 Definitions

For the purposes of this Agreement:

a) the term "Customs legislation" shall mean all legislative and regulatory provisions applied by the Customs Administrations of the two Contracting Parties governing the import, export and transit of goods and their placement under any customs procedure, including measures of prohibition, restriction and control;

b) the term "Customs Administration" shall mean for the Hellenic Republic - the Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Ministry of Economy and Finance; for the Republic of Azerbaijan ;-the State Customs Committee;

c) the term "Customs offence" shall mean any breach or attempted breach of the Customs legislation;

d) the term "Customs duties and taxes" shall mean Customs duties and all other duties, taxes, fees or other charges which are collected on or in connection with the importation or exportation of goods but not including fees and charges which are limited in amount to the approximate cost of services rendered;

e) the term "person" shall mean either a natural person or a legal entity;

f) the term "personal data" shall mean all information concerning an identified or identifiable individual;

g) the term "narcotic drugs" shall mean any substances, natural or synthetic, enumerated in Lists t and II of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs with the relevant amendments;

h) the term "psychotropic substances" shall mean any substances, natural or synthetic, enumerated in Lists I, II, III, and IV of the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971;

i) the term "precursors" shall mean controlled chemical substance used in the production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, enumerated in Lists I and II of the 1988 United Nations Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances;

j) the term "requested Administration" shall mean the Customs Administration from , which assistance is requested;

k) the term "requesting Administration" shall mean the Customs Administration which requests assistance.

ARTICLE 2 Scope of the Agreement

1. By this Agreement the Contracting Parties establish mutual assistance between their Customs Administrations for the prevention, investigation and combating of customs offences and for the proper application of Customs legislation.

2. The mutual assistance between the two Contracting Parties is provided in accordance with the provisions of their national legislation, in the framework of their competence and available resources.

3. The application of this Agreement shall not affect the obligations of the Contracting Parties under any other, international Agreements in which they are Contracting Parties.

ΦΕΚ 00

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ARTICLE 3 Scope of mutual assistance

1. Upon request, the Customs Administrations of the Contracting Parties inform each other:

a) whether goods imported into the territory of the State of the requesting^ Contracting Party have been lawfully exported from the territory of the State of the other Contracting Party;

b) whether goods exported from the territory of the State of the requesting Contracting Party have been lawfully imported into the territory of the State of the requested Contracting Party.

Upon request, the information shall contain the customs procedures used in the clearance of the goods.

2. The Customs Administration of one Contracting Party shall provide, upon request of the Customs Administration of the other Contracting Party and to the extent of its ability information concerning:

a) means of transport for which there are reasonable grounds for believing that they have been, are or may be used in the contravening of customs legislation;

b) goods known or suspected by the requesting Administration to be the object of illegal activities;

c) persons known or suspected by the requesting Administration of being involved in illegal activities;

d) new methods and channels known or suspected . by the requesting Administration of being involved in illegal activities.

Such information shall be supplied by request or by its own initiative in cases which could involve substantial damage to the economy, public health, public security or any other vital interest of the other Contracting Party, such as the illicit traffic of arms, explosives and ammunition, nuclear material, narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors, archaeological treasures, works of art or other cultural treasures.

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3. The Customs Administration of one Contracting Party shall provide, upon request of the Customs Administration of the other Contracting Party all available information regarding activities, which may result in customs offences and other illegal activities within the territory of the State of the requesting Administration.

4. The Customs Administrations of the Contracting Parties shall provide upon request the necessary data relating to the transportation and shipment of goods^ such as administrative, shipping, commercial documents or any other information regarding the value, origin and the destination of these goods.

5. Upon request of the Customs Administration of one of the Contracting Parties the Customs Administration of the other Contracting Party, within the scope of its competence and capacity, exerts special surveillance for a certain period of time on the movements of goods, known to be the object of customs offences, including movements of persons and means of transport involved in them.

ARTICLE 4 Channels of communication

1. Mutual assistance is effected through direct communication between the officials designated by the Heads of the corresponding Customs Administrations.

2. In case that the Customs Administration of the Contracting Party to which the request is addressed is not competent to respond to the request, it shall transmit the request to the-competent authority.

3. Correspondence exchanged under this Agreement shall be conducted in the official languages of the Contracting Parties with the translation in the English language.

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ARTICLE 5 Form and content of assistance requests

1. Assistance; requests under this Agreement shall be submitted in writing. Documents necessary for their execution shall accompany the request. By exception when required because of urgency of the situation oral requests may be accepted, but these later shall be confirmed in writing.

2. Assistance requests shall include the following information:

a) the name of the Customs Administration submitting the request;

b) the object and the reason of the request;

c) the names and addresses of the persons which are objects of investigations, if known;

d) a brief description of the case under consideration and the relevant legal elements involved.

ARTICLE 6 Execution of requests

1. The Customs Administration to which the request is addresssed shall make the necessary efforts to respond to the request. The provided information may be transmitted by electronic means. The transmission shall contain explanations, necessary for the interpretation and use of this information.

2. Assistance requests submitted under this article shall be executed in accordance with the national legislation of the requested Customs Administration. In case that the execution of the request is not possible the requested Administration informs the requesting Administration in relation to that.

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3. The Customs Administration of one Contracting Party may, following a request submitted by the Customs Administration of the other Contracting Party carry out ail necessary customs investigations including the examination of persons suspected of having committed customs offences.

4. The Customs Administration of one Contracting Party may, following a request submitted by the Customs Administration of the other Contracting Party, proceed, to verification, control and investigation in order to find out facts related to cases falling under the scope of this Agreement and for which the requested Administration is competent

5. With the consent of the requested Administration, officials of the Requesting Administration may have consultation with officials in the territory of the State of the requested Administration in relation to customs investigations or reports about customs offences of interest to the requesting Administration and may examine the relevant data.

6. In cases where the requesting Administration submits a request for assistance which itself would be unable to execute, it shall then be to the discretion of the requested Administration to decide about its execution and inform the requesting Administration about this fact.

ARTICLE 7 Confidentiality

1. Intelligence, documents and other information received in the framework of the provisions of mutual assistance may be used by the receiving Contracting Party solely for the purposes defined in the present Agreement and only by the competent authorities, including their use in judicial or administrative proceedings. Such intelligence, documents and other information may be used by the..receiving Contracting Party for other purposes only with the consent of the providing Contracting Party for that.

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2. At the request of the providing Contracting Party, intelligence, documents and other information supplied to the other Contracting Party under this Agreement shall be regarded as confidential by the receiving Contracting Party.

3. intelligence, documents or other information provided on the basis of this Agreement shall be accorded the same degree of confidentiality that this State applies as regards intelligence, documents and other information obtained in its territory.

4. In cases where personal data are exchanged under this Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall provide the same protection as that applied by the Contracting Party fumishirKj them, in accordance with the national legislation within the territory of its State.

ARTICLE 8 Files and Documents

1. Originals of files, documents and other data shall be requested only in case where certified copies are insufficient. Upon specific request, copies of such files, documents and other data shall be properly certified.

2. Files, documents and other data,, which have been tiansrnitted, shall be returned at the eadiest opportunity.

3. The rights of the requested Administration or of third Parties mentioned in the files and documents shall remain unaffected.

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ARTICLE 9 Experts and Witnesses

1. The Customs Administration of one Contracting Party may authorize its officials upon request of the Customs Administration of the other Contracting Party, to appear as experts or witnesses in judicial or administrative proceedings relating to the issues covered by the present Agreement in the territory of the State of the other Contracting Party and produce files, documents or certified copies there of, as may be needed for the proceedings.

The request for appearance must indicate specifically before which judicial or administrative authority the official will have to appear, on what matters and by virtue of what title or qualification the official will be questioned.

2. The requesting Administration is duty bound to take all necessary measures for the full protection of the personal security of the officials during their stay in the territory of its State and the confidentiality of the testimony, under paragraph (1) Of this article. The transport and the daily expenses of these officials shall be covered by the requesting Administration.

3. The request for appearance of Customs officials as experts and witnesses shall be made in accordance with the national legislation, of the Contracting Parties.

ARTICLE 10

Exceptions to the obligation to provide assistance

1. In cases where the Contracting Party to which the assistance request is addressed, considers that responding to the redUfcst may be prejudicial to its sovereignty, security, public order or other essehiial areas of its national interests, it may refuse to provide the assistance or subject the satisfaction of this redijest to certain conditions.

2. If the assistance is refused, the reason for the refusal shall be given in written form to the requesting Administration without delay.

ARTICLE 11 Costs of assistance

The Contracting Parties mutually waive any claim for reimbursement of costs incurred during the implementation of this Agreement, except for expenses for witnesses and fees for experts and translators who are not government officials which shall be covered by the requesting Contracting Party..

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ARTICLE 12 Implementation of the Agreement

1. Competent authorities for the implementation of this. Agreement are the Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Hellenic Republic and the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan which shall communicate directly in order to settle matters arising from this Agreement and which after consultations issue administrative directives for the implementation of this Agreement and endeavour. by mutual accord to resolve problems or questions arising from its interpretation or during its implementation. ■

2. The Contracting Parties agree to meet at least once a year in order to review the implementation of this Agreement, unless they mutually agree in writing that such meetings are not necessary.

3. Upon the Contracting Parties mutual consent amendments or additions formalized ip the separate Protocols may be introduced to this Agreement These amendments or additions shall enter into force according to the procedure described in Article 13 of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 13 Entry Into Force and termination

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of receipt of the last written notification through diplomatic channels about the completion of the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement

2. This Agreement shall remain in force for an unspecified period of time.

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3. This Agreement shall be terminated on written notification of one of the Contracting Parties through diplomatic channels. In this case the Agreement shall cease its validity six months after receipt of such notification.

Done at Baky on June 21, 2004 in two originals, in the Greek, Azerbaijani and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence the English text shall prevail.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF-AZERBAIJAN

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Άρθρο δεύτερο

Η ισχύς του παρόντος νόμου αρχίζει με τη δημοσίευση του στην Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως και της Συμφωνίας που κυρώνεται από την πλήρωση των προϋποθέσεων του άρθρου 13 αυτής.

Παραγγέλλομε τη δημοσίευση του παρόντος στην Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως και την εκτέλεσή του ως νόμου του Κράτους.

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Θεωρήθηκε και τέθηκε η Μεγάλη Σφραγίδα του Κράτους

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I Ijlllilllljlllilll^

ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΕΘΝΙΚΟ ΤΥΠΟΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ

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