Статья 17«Рамочное соглашение между Российской Федерацией и Европейским инвестиционным банком, регулирующее деятельность Банка в Российской Федерации» [рус., англ.]

Адрес для направления сообщений

Сообщения в связи с настоящим Соглашением направляются в письменной форме по следующим адресам:

для Российской Федерации: Российская Федерация, Министерство финансов Российской Федерации, Москва, 109097, ул. Ильинка, 9

для Банка: Великое Герцогство Люксембург, Л-2950, Люксембург, Бульвар Конрада Аденауэра, 100.

В удостоверение чего нижеподписавшиеся, должным образом на то уполномоченные, подписали настоящее Соглашение в трех подлинных экземплярах, каждый на английском и русском языке, каждая страница которого парафирована начальником отдела Министерства финансов Российской Федерации М. Калугиной от имени Российской Федерации и заместителем Генерального юрисконсульта К.Дж. Андреопулосом от имени Банка.

6 декабря 2002 года в Москве.

К РАМОЧНОМУ СОГЛАШЕНИЮ МЕЖДУ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИЕЙ И ЕВРОПЕЙСКИМ ИНВЕСТИЦИОННЫМ БАНКОМ, РЕГУЛИРУЮЩЕМУ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ БАНКА В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ, ОТ 6 ДЕКАБРЯ 2002 ГОДА

1. Относительно статьи 3 Рамочного соглашения между Российской Федерацией и Европейским инвестиционным банком, регулирующего деятельность Банка в Российской Федерации (далее — «Соглашение»), Российская Федерация заявляет, что по действующим законам и нормам никакие косвенные налоги не подлежат применению к видам деятельности Европейского инвестиционного банка (далее — «Банк»), предусмотренным Соглашением. В случае если в будущем какой-либо косвенный налог будет введен или применен в отношении какого-либо конкретного проекта, покрываемого Соглашением, Российская Федерация будет сотрудничать с Банком с тем, чтобы найти удовлетворяющее решение. В любом случае Банк пользуется не менее благоприятным режимом, чем другие международные финансовые учреждения.

2. В отношении пункта «i» статьи 4 Соглашения Российская Федерация подтверждает, что процедуры, установленные действующим валютным законодательством Российской Федерации, не сделают конвертируемость валют невозможной или необоснованно сложной. В случае если в будущем в результате изменений в законодательстве возникнет вопрос относительно этой статьи, Российская Федерация будет сотрудничать с Банком с тем, чтобы найти удовлетворяющее решение.

В отношении пунктов «iii» и «v» статьи 4 Соглашения Российская Федерация подтверждает, что в соответствии с действующим валютным законодательством Российской Федерации Банк вправе осуществлять операции по конвертации в иностранную валюту ресурсов в рублях и их перевод за пределы Российской Федерации.

Термин «действующий рыночный обменный курс», используемый в статье 4 Соглашения, будет относиться к обменному курсу, действующему на дату направления Бенефициарами или Банком запроса на конвертацию.

3. В отношении термина «международное финансовое учреждение», используемого в Соглашении, Российская Федерация подтверждает понимание Сторон, что указанный термин относится к Всемирному банку, Международному валютному фонду, Европейскому банку реконструкции и развития, Северному инвестиционному банку и другим аналогичным организациям.

4. Соглашение устанавливает, что Банк будет иметь доступ на национальный финансовый рынок Российской Федерации в соответствии с действующим законодательством Российской Федерации. Банк подчеркнул важность получения легкого доступа на рынок капитала в будущем. Российская Федерация подтверждает свое намерение всесторонне сотрудничать с Банком по этому вопросу и обсуждать параметры возможных будущих выпусков облигаций и связанных вопросов при их возникновении и, в особенности, подтвердила свое намерение обеспечить возможным будущим выпускам облигаций Банка недискриминационный режим.

5. В отношении статьи 5 Соглашения понимается, что Соглашение не будет исключать экспроприацию, которая осуществляется в соответствии с принятыми международными юридическими нормами.

6. В отношении статьи 8 Соглашения Российская Федерация обратила внимание Банка, что она потребует от Банка предоставить и обновлять время от времени список должностных лиц и сотрудников, на которых распространяется действие статьи 8 Соглашения.

7. В отношении статьи 12 Соглашения Стороны подтвердили, что согласие на рассмотрение споров в арбитраже не создает и не означает отказа какой-либо из Сторон от какой-либо привилегии или права иммунитета от исполнения решения и обе Стороны специально оставляют за собой такую привилегию и право.

8. Любое уведомление или иной документ, подлежащий направлению в соответствии или в связи с Соглашением, подписывается на английском или на русском языках. Такое уведомление или документ на русском языке сопровождаются соответствующим переводом на английский язык. Финансовые контракты и гарантийные соглашения, подписываемые по проектам, финансируемым Банком в соответствии с Соглашением, оформляются на английском языке в качестве превалирующего языка.

BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK GOVERNING THE BANK'S ACTIVITIES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Made between the Russian Federation, represented by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation having its office at 9, Ilyinka, Moscow, the Russian Federation, 109097 and represented by Mr. Alexei Ulyukaev, the First Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, hereinafter called: «the Russian Federation» of the first part, and

European Investment Bank having its Head Office at 100, boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, represented by Mr. Philippe Maystadt, President, hereinafter called: «the Bank» of the second part.

Having regard to the Agreement on partnership and cooperation establishing a partnership between the European Communities (hereinafter referred to as «EC») and their Member States, of one part, and the Russian Federation, of the other part, signed on 24 June 1994;

desiring, within the framework set by decisions of the Council of the European Union, to facilitate the granting of loans by the bank for investment projects of interest to the Russian Federation and for that purpose to extend certain protection to such projects and to ensure certain rights and privileges for the Bank;

having regard to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 5th December 2002 «About signing the Framework Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Investment Bank governing the Bank's activities in the Russian Federation»;

have agreed as follows:

For the purposes of this Agreement:

«Beneficiary» (or collectively «Beneficiaries») means any person, including but not limited to the Russian Federation, entities having legal personality or a natural person, receiving the benefit of financing provided by the Bank for any Project, and includes a borrower from the Bank, a co-debtor, a guarantor or an owner of a Project financed by the Bank;

«Project» (or collectively «Projects») means any investment project, which the Bank finances in the Russian Federation, and which satisfies the following criteria:

(i) it is located on the territory of the Russian Federation; and

(ii) the Government of the Russian Federation requests financing for it or acknowledges in writing that the financing falls within the scope of this Agreement; and

(iii) the Bank agrees to the financing thereof on a date after the date of entry into force of this Agreement or expressly in expectation of its execution or entry into force.

The Bank may consistent with this Agreement pursue within the territory of the Russian Federation the activities envisaged by its Statute in effect as of this date including, but not limited to, the conclusion of finance contracts and security agreements and, as permitted under the laws and regulations of the Russian Federation, the borrowing of funds by means of all instruments permitted under the laws and regulations of the Russian Federation, the holding, use and disposal of such funds and the operation of accounts in any currency. On the basis of its appraisal of a Project, the Bank may freely decide whether, and on what terms and conditions, to grant credit in support of it.

Within the scope of its activities as stipulated in the Bank's Statute, the Bank, its assets, property and income shall be exempted from all direct taxes, levies and mandatory imposts, including withholding taxes, in the territory of the Russian Federation, except for taxes and duties which are charges for actual services rendered.

Throughout the life of any financial operation concluded pursuant to Article 2 of this Agreement the Russian Federation shall ensure that:

(i) Beneficiaries may convert the amounts in the national currency of the Russian Federation necessary for the timely payment of all sums due to the Bank in respect of loans and guarantees in connection with any Project into any convertible currency, at the applicable market exchange rate;

(ii) such amounts in the foreign currency shall be freely and immediately transferable outside the territory of the Russian Federation;

(iii) the Bank may convert into any convertible currency, at the applicable market exchange rate, the amounts in the national currency of the Russian Federation received by the Bank by way of payments arising in respect of loans and guarantees and that the Bank may freely and immediately transfer the amounts so converted outside the territory of the Russian Federation; or, at the Bank's option, that it may freely dispose of such amounts within the territory of the Russian Federation;

(iv) that the Bank may convert into the national currency of the Russian Federation, at the applicable market exchange rate, any of the above mentioned amounts in any convertible currency, and

(v) the operations referred to in indents (i) and (iii) shall be performed in accordance with the procedures established by the foreign exchange laws and regulations of the Russian Federation and that the treatment accorded to such operations shall be not less favourable than the treatment accorded by the Russian Federation to the most favoured international financial institution.

The Russian Federation shall, to the extent within its power and authority, ensure that Projects financed by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement, as well as contracts awarded for the execution thereof, shall benefit, in respect of fiscal, customs and similar matters, from treatment no less favourable than that which is accorded by the Russian Federation to comparable projects or contracts financed by any international financial institution.

The Russian Federation shall extend to each Project protection and security against expropriation insofar as is necessary to preserve the capacity of the Project to generate income that is available to service the debt incurred in connection with the Project.

The Bank may make its financing of Projects conditional upon arrangements for procurement of goods and services for Projects in accordance with the Bank's rules and procedures.

The Bank shall possess full legal capacity of a juridical person in the territory of the Russian Federation, inter alia, to contract, to acquire, and dispose of, immovable and movable property, and to institute legal proceedings.

The Bank shall enjoy in respect of its activities in the territory of the Russian Federation the treatment accorded to the international financial institution which is most favoured in respect of any such activity.

The Bank shall have access to the national financial market in the Russian Federation in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of the Russian Federation, and its obligations, securities and other financial instruments shall be treated on terms, including, but not limited to, terms as to tax treatment, at least as favourable as those accorded by the Russian Federation to the most favoured international financial institution.

The assets of the Bank shall be exempt:

(a) from search and all forms of expropriation;

(b) from the levy or imposition of any measure of execution or distraint prior to the award of a final, unappealable judgement against the Bank, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Officials and employees of the Bank, while they are engaged in activities connected with or in implementation of this Agreement, shall enjoy at least the following immunities and privileges:

(a) immunity from legal and administrative proceedings in respect of acts performed by them in their official capacity, except in cases where the Bank waives such immunity;

(b) diplomatic privileges and facilities accorded by the Russian Federation for official communications, for the transmission of documents and travel.

This immunity, however, shall not apply to:

(i) civil liability in the case of damage arising from a road traffic accident caused by the Bank's officials and employees and/or by a means of transportation belonging to the Bank or to such official or employee;

(ii) liability in case of injuries or death caused by the Bank's officials or employees.

Any dispute arising between the Bank and the Russian Federation regarding the financing of a Project shall be settled by final and binding arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL Rules.

In respect of any dispute arising between the Bank and a Beneficiary other than the Russian Federation regarding the financing of a Project, the Russian Federation undertakes, in accordance with its applicable national laws and procedures (including Article 437 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation or any successor provision) to ensure that, to the extent provided under an applicable international treaty concerning the recognition and enforcement of judgements and arbitral awards in civil cases:

(i) the courts and other appropriate instances of the Russian Federation have the authority to recognise a final decision delivered by due process by a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction, including the Court of Justice of the European Communities or any national court of a member state of the EC, or any arbitration tribunal; and

(ii) such decision can be executed in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The rights, privileges and other advantages hereunder shall inure to the benefit of (i) the Bank acting in its own name and on its own behalf or, to the extent that the EC has made payment to the Bank pursuant to any guarantee or insurance concerning any loan concluded in accordance with this Agreement, to the Bank acting in the name and on behalf of the EC; or (ii) as the case may be, to the EC itself by virtue of a right of subrogation.

The Russian Federation and the Bank shall discuss and exchange views, on a regular basis, on the objectives, the lending criteria and the activities of the Bank in the Russian Federation. At the request of the Russian Federation, the Bank shall consider financing of Projects through co-financing with other international financial institutions, public and private financial institutions of its member countries, and other interested sources.

The Russian Federation agrees to respond in writing within 60 days to requests made by the Bank for its acknowledgement that a financing proposal for a Project falls within the scope of this Agreement.

Both the Russian Federation and the Bank undertake to inform each other in a timely manner of any measure or proposed measure on their part, or of any other circumstance that may be reasonably expected to affect materially the rights and interests of the other party under this Agreement.

Any dispute, disagreement, controversy or claim (together referred to as a «Dispute») arising in connection with the existence, validity, interpretation, implementation or termination of this Agreement shall to the extent possible be settled amicably between the Russian Federation and the Bank.

If the Dispute cannot be amicably settled by the Russian Federation and the Bank within 60 (sixty) days of the notification of the Dispute by either of those parties, the Dispute shall be settled by final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration Rules for Voluntary Arbitration between International Organisations and States in effect at the date of this Agreement, by application of the provisions of this Agreement, as supplemented by the applicable rules of international law. The parties may, however, agree to replace this procedure by another.

The number of arbitrators shall be three. The language of the arbitral procedure shall be English. The arbitration proceedings shall take place in the Hague, the Netherlands. The nominating authority shall be the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Unless otherwise agreed, all submissions shall be made and all hearings shall be completed within six months of the constitution of the arbitral tribunal. The tribunal shall render its decision within 60 (sixty) days following the delivery of the final submissions.

This Agreement shall be ratified and/or approved by the parties in accordance with their respective internal legal requirements and procedures.

This Agreement shall enter into force on the day following the date on which the last of the following acts has been performed: (i) written confirmation by the Bank that it has received a certified copy of the instrument of ratification of this Agreement by the Russian Federation or any other instrument mutually agreed between the Russian Federation and the Bank, (ii) written confirmation by the Russian Federation that it has received a certified copy of the instrument of approval by the Bank, and (iii) written confirmation by the Bank that it has received a legal opinion acceptable to the Bank as to the legal force of this Agreement.

At the request of either party consultations shall take place concerning the implementation of or any modification to this Agreement. To this effect the parties may amend this Agreement or may enter into any supplementary agreements as may be necessary.

This Agreement is concluded for an unlimited period of time.

Each party may terminate this Agreement by giving the other party six months written notice to this effect. The giving of any such notice and the termination of this Agreement as a result thereof shall not affect the rights and interests acquired by the Bank in respect of Projects and financial operations outstanding at the date of taking effect of such notice in the territory of the Russian Federation.

This Agreement shall be executed in both the English and the Russian language. The English and Russian texts shall be equally authentic.

Following ratification by the Russian Federation this Agreement will be published in accordance with the Russian legislation in the Official Gazette of the Russian Federation.

Communications arising in connection with this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be addressed to their respective addresses set out as follows:

For the Russian Federation: the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, 9 Ilyinka, Moscow, the Russian Federation, 109097.

For the Bank: 100 boulevard Konrad Adenauer L-2950, Luxembourg, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.

In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorised thereto, have signed the present Agreement both in the English and in the Russian language, in three originals each, each page having been initialled by M.V. Kalugina, Head of Division of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation on behalf of the Russian Federation and by K.J. Andreopoulos, Deputy General Counsel on behalf of the Bank.

This 6th day of December 2002, at Moscow.

FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK GOVERNING THE BANK'S ACTIVITIES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, DATED 6 DECEMBER 2002

1. With regard to Article 3 of the Framework Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Investment Bank governing the Bank's activities in the Russian Federation (hereinafter «the Agreement») the Russian Federation declares that under the current laws and regulations of the Russian Federation no indirect tax would be applicable on the European Investment Bank's (hereinafter «the Bank») activities envisaged by the Agreement. If, in the future, any indirect tax would be introduced or applied with regard to a specific project covered by the Agreement the Russian Federation will cooperate with the Bank to find a satisfactory solution. In any event, the Bank shall not be treated less favourably than any other international financial institution.

2. With reference to Article 4 indent (i) of the Agreement, the Russian Federation confirms that the procedures established under the current foreign exchange laws and regulations of the Russian Federation do not render the conversion impossible or unduly difficult. If, in the future, an issue arises in relation to this Article as the result of changes in law or regulations, the Russian Federation will cooperate with the Bank to find a satisfactory solution.

With reference to Article 4 indents (iii) and (v) of the Agreement, the Russian Federation confirms that under the current foreign exchange laws and regulations of the Russian Federation the Bank is entitled to carry out transactions to convert resources in roubles into foreign currency and to transfer them outside the Russian Federation.

The term «applicable market exchange rate» used throughout Article 4 of the Agreement shall refer to the exchange rate applicable on the date, when the request for conversion is filed by the Beneficiaries or the Bank.

3. With regard to the term «international financial institution» used throughout the Agreement, the Russian Federation confirms the understanding of the parties that this term refers to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Nordic Investment Bank and other comparable institutions.

4. The Agreement sets out that the Bank shall have access to the national financial market of the Russian Federation in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Russian Federation. The Bank stressed the importance of an easy access to the capital market in the future. The Russian Federation confirms its intention to fully co-operate with the Bank in this matter and to discuss the modalities of possible future bond issues and related questions once they arise and, in particular, confirmed its intention to ensure for possible future bond issues by the Bank a treatment that would be non-discriminatory.

5. With regard to Article 5 of the Agreement, it is understood that the Agreement shall not exclude an expropriation that is carried out in accordance with accepted international legal norms.

6. With regard to Article 8 of the Agreement, the Russian Federation pointed out that it would require the Bank to provide a list of the officials and employees covered by Article 8 to be updated from time to time.

7. With regard to Article 12 of the Agreement, the parties confirm that the agreement to submit disputes to arbitration does not constitute or imply a waiver by either party of any privilege or right of immunity from execution, and both parties expressly reserve any such privilege or right.

8. Any notice or other document to be provided under or in connection with the Agreement shall be in English or in Russian. If such notice or document is in Russian, it shall be accompanied by an adequate translation into English.

Finance Contracts and Guarantee Agreements signed for projects financed by the Bank pursuant to the Agreement shall be executed with English as the prevailing language.

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