Status of Ratification of ECO Agreements / MoUs

Signed Among The Member States  

 (As of May 21, 2003) 

 

So far, twelve agreements and two MoUs have been signed among the member states. Among the agreements the Simplification of Visa Procedures Agreement, Transit Trade Agreement (TTA), Trade and Development Bank Agreement and Treaty of Izmir have been ratified by the signatory member states and the instruments of ratification have been deposited with the depository authority. As a result four agreements have entered into force. However, TTA due to procedural formalities (i.e. nomination of guaranteeing associations, lack of institutional experience with regard to these associations, pending issues related to ECO Passage Document) is not being implemented. To overcome this situation, Transit Trade Committee established under the provisions of TTA is working to operationalize the Agreement. To this end a sub-committee composed of customs officials, transporters and chambers is expected to meet and discuss the implementation issues.  The agreement on Trade and Development Bank and Reinsurance Company has been conditionally ratified by the Iranian legal concerned bodies and the implementation of the agreement needs to accommodate the condition set for in this context.  Although, the agreement on simplification of Visa Procedures for Businessmen of ECO member states has entered into force, there seems a need to upgrade the agreement in accordance with the changes/ improvements in visa policies of the member states. 

 

The Charter of ECO Cultural Institute has already come into force and the Institute has become functional. The Charter of the Science Foundation has been ratified by sufficient number of signatory member states. However, the basic document of ECO Science Foundation needs to be finalized and, thereafter, the first meeting of the Board of Trustees which comprises the concerned Ministers shall meet. The remaining agreements and Charters have not entered into force due to lack of ratification/deposit of instrument of ratification of the member states.

 

The following Table presents an overview of the Status on ECO Agreements/MoUs. Moreover, the Chart depicts detailed country-wise information on ratification/implementation is enclosed herewith.

 

Table: Status of ECO Agreements/MoUs

Agreements / MoUs

Status

I.    Charter

Treaty of Izmir

Is being implemented.

 

 

 

 

II.  Trade 

     Sector

TTA

All signatories ratified, but not being implemented.

Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures

5 ratified and being implemented.

Bank and Reinsurance  Company

All signatories ratified.

MoU on Smuggling and Customs Frauds

Ratification  not  needed; under consideration by the ECO Customs for    implementation: e.g. a Data Bank on Smuggling and Customs Offences will be established.  

 FAT

5 ratified; under implementation: a HLEG is working to draft ECOTA, for removal of tariff and NTBs. 

III. Transport

     Sector

TTFA

5 ratified; 1 more  needed for entry into force.

 

IV. Spec. 

     Agencies 

     & 

     Institutions 

Cultural Institute

Under operation.

Shipping Company.

Under operation.

Science Foundation

5 ratified; awaiting streamlining of its basic documents with other spec. agencies. 

Educational Institute

4  Ratified.

 

 

Status Chart of ECO Signed Agreements / MoUs 

  

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8  

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

Member State 

Treaty

 of 

Izmir 

Transit 

Trade 

Agree- 

ment. 

Agree-

ment 

on 

Simpli- 

fication 

of 

Visa 

Proce-

dures. 

Agree- 

ment 

and  

Article 

of 

Asso-

ciation 

on ECO  

Shipp-

ing 

Co. 

Article 

of 

Agreement of ECO

Trade &

Develop- 

ment 

Bank and

Reinsur-

ance 

Company 

MoU 

on 

ECO 

Reinsur-

ance 

Co. 

Charter  

of ECO 

Cultural 

Institute 

Charter of ECO 

Science 

Founda- 

tion. 

Charter 

of ECO 

Educa- 

tional 

Institute 

MOU 

on 

Smug-

gling 

and 

Custo-

ms 

Frauds 

Transit 

Trans-

port 

Frame- 

Work 

Agree- 

ment. 

(TTFA) 

Legal 

Status of  

ECO 

National 

Represen- 

tatives 

and Inter- 

national 

staff.  

Frame- 

Work 

Agree- 

ment on 

ECO 

Trade 

Co-

opera- 

tion. 

 

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Afghanistan 

√

√

√

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Azerbaijan 

√

√

√

√

√

 

  

 

 

 

 

√

 

√

√

√

 

√

√

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Iran 

√

√

√

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√

√

√

√

√

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Kazakhstan 

√

√

√

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√

√

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√

 

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√

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Kyrgyzstan 

√

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√

√

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