( March 2003)

          The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), referred to hereinafter as “the Parties”:

RECOGNIZING that the ECO and WCO wish to establish a mutually supportive relationship,

RECOGNIZING also that the ECO and WCO wish to establish appropriate arrangements for co-operation,

          The two Parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

          The Parties shall co-operate in the discharge of their respective mandates in accordance with the provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding.^[ii]

ARTICLE II

          The Parties agree to establish and maintain effective, systematic consultation, co-operation and exchanges of information between each other in support of this Memorandum of Understanding.

ARTICLE III

          The Parties shall invite each other to their meetings of common interest as observers.

ARTICLE IV

          The Parties agree to actively promote the modernization of Customs administrations in the ECO region through the adoption and implementation of Customs instruments and tools sponsored or administered by the WCO.

ARTICLE V

          Wherever possible, the ECO Secretariat and WCO Secretariat shall, within the limits of the resources available to them, co-ordinate joint training activities for Customs officers of ECO.

ARTICLE VI

1. This Memorandum of Understanding shall enter into force on the date of its signature.  

              

2. It shall be reviewed upon the request of either the Secretary General of ECO or the Secretary General of the WCO, and may be amended by mutual agreement.  

              

3. This Memorandum of Understanding may be terminated by either Party at any time, by written notification.  

             

4. This Memorandum of Understanding shall be regarded as an administrative arrangement between the Parties thereto. Any dispute over the interpretation or application of any provision herein contained shall be settled through negotiations or by such other means as the Parties shall mutually agree.

Done at Brussels on 17 March 2003.

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[i] Established as the Customs Co-operation Council

[ii] For the purposes of this Memorandum, any reference to the ECO or WCO (and not explicitly to the ECO Secretariat or the WCO Secretariat or) or to the institution or the organization, is understood to refer to the decision-making bodies of the ECO and WCO, respectively.

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