Статья 18«Соглашение между Правительством Российской Федерации и Правительством Республики Индии о мерах по охране технологий в связи с сотрудничеством в области исследования и использования космического пространства в мирных целях и в создании и эксплуатации средств выведения и наземной космической инфраструктуры» [рус., англ.]

1. Настоящее Соглашение вступает в силу с даты получения по дипломатическим каналам последнего уведомления в письменной форме о выполнении Сторонами внутригосударственных процедур, необходимых для его вступления в силу, и заключается на неопределенный срок.

2. В настоящее Соглашение могут вноситься изменения в письменной форме по взаимному согласию Сторон.

3. Каждая из Сторон может прекратить действие настоящего Соглашения, направив другой Стороне по дипломатическим каналам соответствующее уведомление в письменной форме. В таком случае настоящее Соглашение прекращает действие через год с даты получения такого уведомления другой Стороной. В течение этого года Стороны проводят консультации и при необходимости определяют практические меры в связи с прекращением действия настоящего Соглашения.

4. Прекращение действия настоящего Соглашения не затрагивает выполнения в полном объеме мероприятий, не завершенных на дату прекращения его действия, включая должное урегулирование всех договорных отношений в связи с совместной деятельностью. Обязательства Сторон и участников совместной деятельности, предусмотренные настоящим Соглашением, касающиеся безопасности, использования и обращения со всеми охраняемыми изделиями и технологиями, включая информацию и технические данные, переданные на законных основаниях, и возвращения всех охраняемых изделий и технологий, их компонентов и (или) обломков (фрагментов) в случае аварийной ситуации или происшествия, за исключением тех из них, которые продолжают использоваться или были утилизированы на территории государства импортирующей Стороны на законных основаниях, в государство экспортирующей Стороны или в иное место, одобренное экспортирующей Стороной, продолжают действовать в полном объеме и во всех отношениях после прекращения действия настоящего Соглашения в течение периода времени, оговоренного в ходе передачи охраняемых изделий и технологий или в ходе определения практических мер, предусмотренных пунктом 3 настоящей статьи.

В подтверждение этого нижеподписавшиеся, должным образом уполномоченные соответствующими правительствами, подписали настоящее Соглашение.

Совершено в г. Москве и г. Бангалоре 1 декабря 2021 г. в трех экземплярах, каждый на русском, хинди и английском языках, при этом все тексты имеют одинаковую силу. В случае возникновения любых разногласий в толковании положений настоящего Соглашения используется текст на английском языке.

The Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of India, hereinafter jointly referred to as the Parties and individually as a Party,

Taking into account the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of India on Cooperation in the field of Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes dated December 3, 2004,

Taking into account the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of India on Mutual Protection of Confidential Materials dated October 3, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement on Mutual Protection of Confidential Materials),

Expressing mutual desire to ensure the conditions for development of new forms of cooperation in the field of space activities between the organizations of the Russian Federation and the Republic of India,

Considering the fact that cooperation of the Parties in relation to goods and services associated with advanced technologies in the field of launch vehicles and ground-based space infrastructure makes necessary its legal regulation in the spirit of mutual responsibility and based on mutual assistance,

Intending to make such regulation effective through legal means and organizational methods to ensure protection of products and technologies under protection in the terms of joint activities for exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and for building and operation of launch vehicles and ground-based space infrastructure,

Being guided by the legislation of the Russian Federation and the legislation of the Republic of India in the field of export controls,

Have mutually agreed as follows:

For the purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall be used:

«protected products and technologies» means «protected products and technologies» in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and «Controlled/restricted products and technologies» in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of India and shall include any goods (items, materials and products) and technologies in relation to which export licenses and (or) other permits for exporting to the territory of the State of other Party shall be issued by state bodies authorized in accordance with the legislation of the States of the Parties, and control shall be exercised by the exporting Party through its authorized body (authorized bodies) in accordance with the legislation of the State of the exporting Party and under this Agreement;

«joint activities» means actions related to treatment of protected products and technologies in connection with their engineering, construction, development, production, manufacture, use, operation, overhaul, current repair, maintenance, modification or modernization;

«modification» means the type of product development using the basic product in order to expand or specialize the field of its application by changing its design, configuration of its components etc.;

«modernization» means the set of works performed in order to improve certain technical characteristics and quality parameters of the basic product by means of limited change in its design;

«reverse engineering» means engineering analysis of the product manufacturing technology (disassembly and recovery) through which it can be reproduced;

«service» means result of direct interaction between the contractor and the customer, as well as of the contractor's own activities for meeting the needs of the customer;

«control» means any requirement or condition in relation to export or re-export of protected products and technologies (including export licenses (permits), other permits, requirements for accounting, reporting and control over access to protected products and technologies) corresponding to the purposes of effective export control and technology protection measures;

«consignees» means any legal entities and (or) individuals who, in accordance with the legislation of the States of the Parties, obtained export licenses (permits) for export and (or) import of protected products and technologies and (or) other permits for export and (or) import thereof;

«participants in joint activities» means consignees, any other legal entities and (or) individuals, their representatives, contractors or subcontractors who, under legislation of the States of the Parties and (or) third countries, obtained licenses (permits) for export (and) import of protected products and technologies and (or) other permits for export and (or) import thereof and who are indicated in such licenses (permits) and (or) other permits and are authorized to carry out joint activities;

«Russian representatives» means civil servants in the Russian Federation, and (or) legal entities and (or) individuals authorized by the Russian Party and (or) its authorized body (authorized bodies) to carry out joint activities and actions pursuant to this Agreement, including any duly authorized representatives of the Russian Party and (or) the authorized body (authorized bodies) acting on behalf of the Russian Party who participate in joint activities and (or) have or may have access to protected products and technologies and are under jurisdiction and (or) control of the Russian Federation;

«Indian representatives» means civil servants in the Republic of India, and (or) legal entities and (or) individuals authorized by the Indian Party and (or) its authorized body (authorized bodies) to carry out joint activities and actions pursuant to this Agreement, including any duly authorized representatives of the Indian Party and (or) the authorized body (authorized bodies) acting on behalf of the Indian Party who participate in joint activities and (or) have or may have access to protected products and technologies and are under jurisdiction and (or) control of the Republic of India;

«representatives of the third State» means civil servants in the third State, and (or) legal entities and (or) individuals authorized by the government of the third State to carry out joint activities and actions pursuant to agreements and arrangements provided for by Clause 2 of Article 4 of this Agreement, including any duly authorized representatives of the government of the third State and (or) its authorized body (authorized bodies) who participate in joint activities and (or) have or may have access to protected products and technologies and are under jurisdiction and (or) control of the third State;

«representatives of the exporting (importing) Party» means the Russian representatives or the Indian representatives;

«re-exporting Party» means the importing Party performing subsequent transfer of protected products and technologies to the third State for the purposes of joint activities on legal grounds and in accordance with export licenses (permits) issued by state bodies authorized in accordance with the legislation of the State of the exporting Party and (or) other permits of the exporting Party, on the one hand, and import licenses (permits) issued by state bodies authorized under the legislation of the third State and (or) other permits of the government of the third State, on the other hand;

«legally authorized officials» means employees of state bodies and other Russian and Indian officials as well as officials of third States whose functions are provided for by law, who obtain special permits from the Russian Party and the Indian Party respectively through their authorized bodies, as well as from the government of the third State through the procedures adopted in such State, indicating that such officials exercise specific functions that may affect joint activities within the territory and in accordance with the legislation of their States;

«technology protection plans» means the plans containing, in the form of written instructions or other mandatory provisions, detailed description of specific measures to meet the requirements for physical and legal protection of protected products and technologies on a permanent basis, including special conditions and restrictions in case of emergency situations, description of operations in respect of all facilities, premises, vehicles or their special areas where protected products and technologies are located, with indication of procedures for security and access to such places;

«information» means data (regardless of form of their presentation and medium) about persons, objects, facts, events, phenomena and processes, including commercial and financial details, scientific and technical data relating to the joint activities, the progress of their implementation and the obtained results;

«confidential information» means information of limited access that is not secret information but that is designated as confidential in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation and the legislation of the Republic of India, with the media containing the following designation:

in the Russian Federation — «Для служебного пользования» («For internal use only»);

in the Republic of India — «Restricted»;

«secret information» means information containing details deemed in the Russian Federation or in the Republic of India to be state secret disclosure of which may diminish the security of the States of the Parties.

1. Pursuant to this Agreement, the following bodies shall be the authorized bodies:

On behalf of the Russian Party — State Space Corporation «Roscosmos» and Federal Service for Technical and Export Control;

On behalf of the Indian Party — Indian Space Research Organisation and Directorate General of Foreign Trade of Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The authorized bodies shall act within their competence determined in accordance with the respective legislation of the States of the respective Parties and on the terms and conditions hereof.

2. The Parties may replace their authorized bodies or additionally appoint other authorized bodies by notifying each other through diplomatic channels.

3. The authorized bodies may involve other interested bodies and organizations of the States of the Parties to carry out activities within hereof.

4. The Parties, through their authorized bodies, in accordance with the respective legislation of the States of the Parties, shall take the respective measures in order to create and ensure the proper mechanism of interaction hereunder, elaborate and introduce all necessary operational executive and administrative procedures.

5. The Parties and/or their authorized bodies may, if necessary, create advisory groups. The competence of these groups, meetings of which shall be held as necessary, shall include drafting reviews about how the principles, rules and procedures provided for hereby are practically implemented and examination of proposals aimed at elaboration of additional procedures and interaction mechanisms hereunder, including:

drafting advisory opinions and recommendations regarding practice of cooperation in pursuance of this Agreement;

drafting agreed statements in the form of documents accepted by mutual consent of the Parties or their authorized bodies, including action plans and (or) guidelines.

The Parties, through their authorized bodies, may, as necessary, adopt normative documents regulating the activities of the advisory groups.

Unless the Parties reach any mutual agreement, or any Party decides otherwise in accordance with the legislation of its State, the activities of the advisory groups shall not constitute the basis for making any payments and reimbursement of any costs by the Parties and exchange of funds between the Parties in connection with such activities.

The purpose of this Agreement is to establish cooperation relations with respect to taking technology protection measures due to implementation of joint programs and projects in the field of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and building and operation of launch vehicles and ground-based space infrastructure. The Parties shall take measures to ensure that such activities meet the requirements of ensuring safety and security of protected products and technologies claimed as such. For this purpose, the Parties shall engage the means available to them and enabling them to implement the set of legal, organizational and technical measures related to ensuring in both the Russian Federation and the Republic of India, and providing mutual assistance in ensuring in third States, the conditions in respect of protected products and technologies for:

a) prevention of any unauthorized access to the protected products and technologies, any unauthorized transfer and risk of export (re-export) of protected products and technologies for their misuse or improper use by end-user;

b) performance of proper functions by the Russian and Indian representatives for physical and legal protection of protected products and technologies in order to ensure the regime of their effective control and treatment and in order to take specific measures on all matters within their competence hereunder.

1. The cooperation hereunder shall be maintained without prejudice to fulfilment of the obligations by the Parties under other international treaties to which the Russian Federation and (or) the Republic of India are parties.

2. The Parties shall cooperate with governments of third States and, if necessary, with international organizations which have the respective competence, on issues of ensuring safety and security of protected products and technologies in relation to joint activities involving legal entities and individuals that are under jurisdiction and (or) control of third States, on the terms and conditions compatible with this Agreement. For this purpose, the Parties, based on agreed proposals of their authorized bodies, shall apply this Agreement in relation to the protected products and technologies originating from third States and for which the third States issue export licenses (permits) and other permits issued by the state bodies through conclusion of agreements or reaching arrangements in writing, on a reciprocal basis, with the governments of third States and (or) international organizations, for implementation of conditions and procedures that shall be as compatible as possible with the conditions and procedures stipulated hereby.

3. The Parties, through their authorized bodies, shall cooperate in creating favourable conditions for concluding agreements and reaching arrangements between the participants in joint activities for the purpose of implementation of this Agreement.

4. The Parties through their authorized bodies shall ensure that the respective contracts related to joint activities and concluded by participants in joint activities being in the jurisdiction and (or) under control of their States comply with the provisions hereof.

The participants in joint activities on behalf of both Parties shall develop the technology protection plans («Plans») that shall comply with the requirements hereof and shall be approved by the authorized bodies of both Parties and, if the circumstances of joint activities and conditions for issuing export (import) licenses (permits) by the authorized body of the third State require so, in advance before the beginning of joint activities. The plans shall contain, in the form of written instructions or other mandatory provisions, a detailed description of specific measures for compliance with the requirements for protection of protected products and technologies on a permanent basis with specification of procedures of safety and access, including methods and systems for technical control and registration, to special areas or any other places within the territory of the State of the importing Party where the protected products and technologies are located. The plans shall also provide for guidelines and standards for protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights related to protected products and technologies.

1. Each Party acting through its authorized bodies shall make all possible efforts in order to ensure continuous validity of export or import licenses, end-user certificates and other permits issued in its State in relation to protected products and technologies, and shall inform other Party through its authorized body about contents of such authorization documents.

2. The Parties agree that the re-exporting Party through its authorized body (its authorized bodies) shall ensure compliance with the requirements for protected products and technologies through provision of export licenses (permits) and other permits in relation to protected products and technologies in accordance with the legislation of their State and through taking appropriate measures in pursuance of agreements and written arrangements with the governments of the third States that shall provide for the terms and conditions of treatment of protected products and technologies that shall be as compatible as possible with the terms and conditions stipulated hereby.

3. If either Party discovers the breach of the provisions of this Agreement and the technology protection plans, such Party shall request other Party to give explanations and shall consult other Party. Such Party may suspend its own export license or withdraw it and introduce restrictions on export of protected products and technologies and on provision of relevant services for the purposes of joint activities until violations committed by the importing Party are eliminated.

4. If the exporting Party finds out that any provisions of the agreement of the re-exporting Party with the government of the third State in terms of treatment of protected products and technologies may have been violated, or if the exporting Party has information expressly indicating the circumstances that may cause such violation or that do not properly ensure the conditions and procedures for treatment of protected products and technologies provided for herein, such Party shall request other Party to give explanations and shall consult other Party. Such Party may suspend its own export license or withdraw it and introduce restrictions on export of protected products and technologies and on provision of relevant services for the purposes of joint activities until violations committed by the re-exporting Party are eliminated.

5. The procedure for issuance, suspension or withdrawal of licenses and (or) other permits by the Parties in accordance with the legislation of their States in all respects shall comply with the requirements of this Agreement and shall mean that each Party shall take all necessary measures for protection of the rights and interests of other Party, individuals and legal entities of the State of other Party, to the extent that it relates to implementation of this Agreement in the event of liquidation (shut-down) of its own participants in joint activities being end users of protected products and technologies for ensuring unhampered return of protected products and technologies to the territory of the State of the exporting Party and, in the event of reorganization (re-registration) of the specified own participants in joint activities for ensuring unhampered return of protected products and technologies to the place proposed by the importing Party and approved by the exporting Party.

Each Party through its authorized bodies shall make all possible efforts in order to ensure re-issue (issue) of export or import licenses, international import certificates, end-user certificates and other permits in its State in relation to protected products and technologies in case of reorganization (re-registration) of its own participants in joint activities.

1. The Parties shall oblige the end users to issue and submit to the exporting Party the end-user certificates signed by the authorized officials of the importing Party and certified by its authorized body and containing the following obligations:

to use protected products and technologies only for the stated purposes of joint activities;

not to copy, including reverse engineering, modification, including modernization, re-export of protected products and technologies, including export from the territory of their own respective States to any controlled companies, branches, representative offices, associates or partners, or any other subsequent transfer of such protected products and technologies to third countries or individuals (or) legal entities without prior written consent of the exporting Party and issuance of the respective license (the respective permit) by its authorized bodies.

2. The international import certificate, after its approval by the authorized body of the importing Party, shall be sent to the end user for submission to the authorized body of the exporting Party.

3. The importing Party, through the authorized bodies, shall immediately inform the exporting Party of details obtained from the participant in joint activities about any changes of facts or intentions contained in the international import certificate, and shall not deem such changes valid without written confirmation of the exporting Party.

1. In order to ensure permanent compliance with the conditions of implementation of export licenses (permits) and other permits issued in their States for protected products and technologies, the Parties shall allow (subject to compliance with confidentiality if requested) inspections of treatment of protected products and technologies. The guidelines and detailed procedures for prompt inspections shall be agreed upon by the authorized bodies of both Parties as recommended by the consignees.

2. The Russian representatives and the Indian representatives may support works related, respectively, to the Russian and Indian protected products and technologies when they are located in the territory of the State of the importing Party and at the facilities under the jurisdiction and (or) control of such State. In the framework of agreements and arrangements with the governments of the third States, the Parties shall provide for, in case of re-export of protected products and technologies to third States, exercising these powers by the Parties, and shall instruct the participants in joint activities to provide for such a right of the Russian and Indian representatives.

The protected products and technologies shall be dealt with in conditions ensuring their necessary protection. The level of protection shall be determined for each specific case taking into account the nature of protected products and technologies. By mutual agreement of the participants in joint activities of both Parties, the special areas shall be created access to which shall be limited and controlled by the representatives of both Parties in accordance with the technology protection plan.

The Parties shall require the participants in joint activities that all protected products and technologies be marked and accompanied by notices or be marked in a different special way. Such markings or notices shall contain the specific conditions under which protected products and technologies shall be used in the framework of joint activities, and shall contain a warning on prohibition of any unauthorized actions regarding protected products and technologies in accordance with this Agreement.

1. The prior receipt of all necessary permits for importing into the territory and moving within the territory of its State from the importing Party, and enactment of the technology protection plans shall be the condition for export of the protected products and technologies by the exporting Party. Export licenses and/or other permits of the Parties and (or) their authorized bodies for any transportation of protected products and technologies from the territory of the State of the exporting Party to the territory of the State of the importing Party and from the territory of the State of the importing Party to the territory of the State of the exporting Party or to another place approved by the exporting Party shall be obtained in advance according to the legislation of the States of the Parties.

2. The protected products and technologies shall be transported subject to compliance with the measures for their protection set out in the technology protection plans. The consent of the Parties to transportation through the territories of their States shall include all the necessary special restrictions and conditions related to the specific circumstances of transportation and action plans developed for emergency situations and compatible with this Agreement.

Customs control and customs operations in respect of goods related to protected products and technologies shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation of each of the States of the Parties and in accordance with this Agreement.

The written assurance of the authorized body of the exporting Party that the sealed containers and other packages do not contain any cargo that is not related to joint activities hereunder and is not declared as such shall be provided to the customs authorities of the State of the importing Party.

The customs authorities of the States of the Parties shall reserve the right to inspect the protected products. The Parties shall proceed from the understanding that under normal circumstances implying absence of facts or signs of violation of customs regulations in connection with import (export) of protected products and technologies, customs inspection shall be refrained from subject to the respective application of the authorized body of the importing Party to the customs authorities of the importing Party. In other circumstances inspection shall be made taking into account comprehensive assessment of risk of damaging protected products and technologies and damaging technical data falling under «protected products and technologies» using methods and means that do not damage them, neither disclose nor copy their technical and technological features and parameters (in particular, with preservation of integrity and tightness of technological packaging and physical condition) and that are agreed and approved by the Parties' representatives.

1. No coercive measures (e.g. recourse or attachment pending adjudication) shall be applied to the exported protected products and technologies within the territory of the State of the importing Party and at the facilities under jurisdiction and (or) control of such State, including when they are used by the participant in joint activities and when they are under control of such participant. The protected products and technologies shall not be used as collateral or other security in proceedings and investigation into the actions of the participant in joint activities of either Party concerning any established or suspected violations during such activities.

2. The importing Party, in the framework of procedures for issuing licenses and (or) other permits in relation to the protected products and technologies that are valid in its State, shall take all necessary legal measures so that exported protected products and technologies legally used by its participants in joint activities and under their control are guaranteed against sale, lease (sub-lease), hypothecation, alienation or placement into trust to other individuals or legal entities in violation of the terms and conditions on which they were exported. In case of disputes arising from contractual obligations between both Parties' participants in joint activities the protected products and technologies shall not be a means of securing any obligations and may not be otherwise encumbered.

3. In case of legal events and (or) facts that are or may be basis for a claim or a lawsuit affecting protected products and technologies the Parties shall immediately conduct consultations through their authorized bodies and, if necessary, through diplomatic channels in order to take all necessary legal and practical measures of protection against such claims or lawsuits. The Parties shall take measures to ensure that any possible contradictions between the requirements set forth in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article and the requirements presented in the framework of judicial or other proceedings be resolved on the basis of practical arrangements according to the procedure consistent with this Agreement.

4. The provisions of Clause 1 of this Article shall apply unless the exporting Party refuses them in a specific case related to, in particular, necessity to exclude, at the request of the exporting Party, unlawful use of the protected products and technologies by the importing Party's joint-activity participant and any unlawful possession of them, and to place the protected products and technologies under temporary safe custody that shall be consistent with the principles and norms of this Agreement.

5. The provisions of this Section shall not affect performance of proper administrative functions in relation to protected products and technologies within the territory of the State of the importing Party in accordance with the procedures compatible with this Agreement.

In the event within the jurisdiction of the State of the importing Party an emergency situation occurs affecting protected products and technologies, the Parties, through their authorized bodies, shall co-operate in defining proper joint measures and agreed technical methods for conducting emergency operations or search-and-rescue operations in order to find, detect and collect any and all components and/or wreckage (fragments) of protected products and technologies as well as in reaching all necessary practical agreements about procedure, terms and conditions of carrying out such works (including, if required, conducting consultation with the third State the interests of which may be affected). The representatives of the exporting Party, in the event of obtaining a request from them, shall be entitled to control evacuation of components and (or) wreckage (fragments) of protected products and technologies identified by them from the accident scene. Identification and evacuation shall be carried out with the use of methods and means in respect of which the consent of the mentioned representatives is present.

In order to carry out events prescribed by law within the territory of the State of the importing Party at the facilities, in the premises and on the vehicles, or in the special zones where protected products and technologies are located, the Parties, through their authorized bodies, in order to ensure safety of protected products and technologies, in a coordinated manner, shall apply procedures of regulated access to the venue of such events, taking into account the obligations of all their participants and the restrictions and valid requirements concerning access to protected items and technologies and their handling. Such procedures shall include reaching agreements with representatives of the exporting Party about the procedure of conduct these activities (including photographing and videotaping), taking into account specific aspects of safety of protected products and technologies.

Protection of Information

1. The participants in joint activities from both Parties shall determine the lists of technical data related to protected products and technologies that they intend to share. Such lists shall be approved by the authorized body (bodies) of the disclosing Party, subject to compliance with the legislation of its State.

2. Nothing in the present Agreement shall be considered as an obligation of any Party to provide information under this Agreement if disclosure of such information contradicts the interests of security of its State.

3. In the framework of joint activities provided for this Agreement the Parties shall not exchange secret information. If provision of specific information that is deemed to be secret information in the State of any Party is found by the Parties necessary for joint activity of the Parties, then the procedure for transfer and protection of such information and its handling shall be regulated in accordance with the Agreement on Mutual Protection of Confidential Materials.

4. Confidential information shall be handled in accordance with the legislation of the State of each of the respective Parties. Such information shall be neither disclosed nor transmitted to any third parties (third persons) in relation to this Agreement without written consent of the Party, its authorized body (bodies) and participants in joint activities provided (providing) this information.

5. The Parties, through their authorized bodies, shall take all necessary measures to protect all correspondence containing confidential information that shall be transferred in the frame of implementation of this Agreement.

6. Each Party, through its authorized body (bodies), shall minimize the number of persons having access to confidential information that shall be transferred by another Party for the purpose of implementing this Agreement — through limiting the range of such aware persons to employees and specialists being citizens and civil servants of its State and needing access to such information for fulfilment of their official and employees duties in accordance with this Agreement. The receiving Party may transfer such information further to any third parties (third persons) only with the disclosing Party's written consent obtained through its authorized body (authorized bodies). In so doing, the authorized bodies of the States of the Parties shall not be deemed as third parties (third persons).

Each Party shall oblige its participants in joint activities to minimize the number of persons having access to confidential information that shall be transferred by another Party in the frame of implementation of this Agreement — through limiting the range of such aware persons to employees and specialists being citizens and civil servants of its State and needing access to such information for fulfilment of their official and employees duties in accordance with this Agreement. Without prejudice to the provisions of Clause 4 of this Article, if the receiving participants in joint activities wish to transfer such information further to any other entity than the above-mentioned entity, then they can do so only under written consent of the disclosing participants in joint activities.

7. The Parties shall oblige the participants in joint activities to maintain the regime of ensuring effective protection against disclosure of any confidential information concerning protected products and technologies that may become known to them in the course of carrying out their joint activities.

Article 17

Any disagreements arising in relation to interpretation and application of this Agreement shall be resolved by the Parties through negotiations and consultations.

Article 18

Final Provisions

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of receipt through diplomatic channels of the last written notification of completion by the Parties of the domestic State procedures that are necessary for its entry into force and shall be valid for an indefinite period.

2. This Agreement may be amended in writing by mutual agreement of the Parties.

3. Each Party may terminate this Agreement by sending a written notice through diplomatic channels to the other Party. In this case the present Agreement shall be terminated one year after the date of receipt of such a notification by another Party. During this year, the Parties shall conduct consultations and, if necessary, define practical measures related to termination of this Agreement.

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