Дополнительный протокол к Соглашению между правительствами государств-участников Черноморского экономического сотрудничества о сотрудничестве в борьбе с преступностью, особенно в ее организованных формах [англ.]

(Подписан в г. Киеве 15.03.2002)

ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL ТО THE AGREEMENT AMONG THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION PARTICIPATING STATES ON COOPERATION IN COMBATING CRIME, IN PARTICULAR IN ITS ORGANIZED FORMS

Preamble

The Governments of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Member States — Parties to the present Additional Protocol, hereinafter referred to as «the Parties»,

According to the provisions of Articles 2, 4, 6 and 10 point of the Article 5 of the Agreement among the Governments of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Participating States on Cooperation in Combating Crime, in particular in its Organized Forms, signed in Kerkyra on October 2nd 1998, hereinafter referred to as «the BSEC Agreement»,

Conscious of the growing role and importance of the regional initiatives with regard to cooperation in the field of combating crime,

Reiterating their determination to achieve through joint efforts the constant improvement of the implementation of the provisions of the BSEC Agreement,

With a view to securing the due level of coordination of cooperation between the authorities of the Member States,

The Parties shall set up the BSEC Network of Liaison Officers on Combating Crime, hereinafter referred to as «the Network», consisting of liaison officers appointed by Member States, as their representatives.

The objectives of the Network are as follows:

1. To enhance the cooperation in the field of crime control and provide for coordination of interaction between the competent bodies of the Parties;

2. To establish an information exchange network among the Law Enforcement Bodies of the Member States to effectively fight against crimes and criminals in accordance with the BSEC Agreement.

The Liaison Officers of the Network have the following tasks and functions:

1. To send the requests forwarded by other Liaison Officers to their respective countries for urgent cases in one day and for the other cases in three days, in accordance with the provisions of Article 5 of the BSEC Agreement;

2. To send the required information to the Parties upon their requests in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 of the BSEC Agreement;

3. To meet periodically to consider the trends of transnational crime in the region in order to identify new forms of cooperation among the Law Enforcement Agencies of the BSEC Member States;

4. To report and propose to the respective bodies the ways of further enhancing cooperation;

5. To facilitate the exchange of legislative documents and practical experience among the Law Enforcement Agencies of the BSEC Member States in the field of combating transnational crime.

The Network is a cooperation group in the sphere of combating crime, established in conformity with the provisions of Article 6 of the BSEC Agreement.

The Network shall hold its meetings at the BSEC Permanent International Secretariat premises, unless it is otherwise decided upon the initiative of the BSEC Chairman-in-Office.

1. The Network will operate in accordance with the BSEC Charter and Rules of Procedure, as well as the provisions of the BSEC Agreement.

2. Each BSEC Member State, Party to the present Additional Protocol, shall appoint a Liaison Officer and his/her Alternate to the Network.

3. In order to appoint or to withdraw Liaison Officers to the Network, the Parties will notify the BSEC Permanent International Secretariat in order to inform all Member States.

All expenses of the Liaison Officers related to the implementation of the provisions of the present Additional Protocol will be met by the sending Party.

Parties will determine a national point of contact inside their national law enforcement authorities, preferably dealing with international cooperation (Interpol, SECI Center for Combating Trans-border Crime, etc.).

1. Information obtained under this Additional Protocol shall be afforded the same degree of confidentiality by the requesting authority that applies to similar information in custody.

2. Without prejudice to the relevant international commitments of the ВSEC Member States — Parties to the ВSEC Agreement and to the present Additional Protocol, personal data received under the present Additional Protocol will have protection at least equivalent to that afforded by the supplying Party.

1. Representatives of the BSEC Observer States may attend the work of the Network, in accordance with the BSEC Charter and Rules of Procedure.

2. Relevant international institutions or agencies may be invited to the meetings of the Network.

Article 11

Final Provisions

1. The present Additional Protocol shall be open for signature or accession by any BSEC Member State.

2. The BSEC Permanent International Secretariat shall be the Depository of this Additional Protocol. The original of the present Additional Protocol in a single copy in the English language shall be deposited with the Permanent International Secretariat, which shall transmit a certified copy to each Party.

3. The present Additional Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following the date, on which the third document of ratification or approval is deposited with the BSEC Permanent International Secretariat.

4. For each Party, ratifying or approving the present Additional Protocol, after the deposition of the third document of ratification or approval, the present Additional Protocol shall enter into force, on the thirtieth day after the date of the deposition of the document of ratification or approval by this Party.

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