STATUS REPORT ON AGREEMENTS/MOUS SIGNED BY THE ECO MEMBER STATES
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As of 22nd December, 2010
Legal Adviser’s Office
STATUS REPORT
ON
AGREEMENTS/MOUS SIGNED BY
THE ECO MEMBER STATES
1) Treaty of Izmir:
Signed: Izmir, 14th September 1996
Signatories: All member states
Parties (Ratified): 8 (all Signatories except Afghanistan and Uzbekistan).
Entry into force: September 24, 2002, as per Art.16 (2) of the Treaty
Depository: The Government of the I. R. of Iran
The Treaty of Izmir is the founding document and principal agreement of the Economic Cooperation Organization.
2) Agreement on Legal Status of the ECO National Representatives and International Staff
Signed: Izmir, 14th September 1996
Signatories: all ECO member states
Parties (Ratified): 4 ECO member states (Turkey, Tajikistan,
Kazakhstan and Iran).
Entry into force: not yet
Depository: The Government of the I. R. of IRAN
This document shall enter into force after two-third of the member states deposit their instrument of ratification with the depository.
3) Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for Businessmen of ECO Member States:
Signed: Islamabad, 15 March 1995
Signatories: 7 member states (all ECO member states except Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan)
Parties (Ratified): 5 states (Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Turkey)
Entry into force: year 2002
Depository: The ECO Secretariat
Note:
1. The document came into force in 2002, as per Article 8 of the Agreement, on the sixtieth day of the date of depositing the Instrument of Ratification by three States. However, problems such as lack of visa policies in some member states have impeded effective measures for implementation.
2. Subsequently, the Draft of "Additional Protocol on Simplification of Visa Procedures for Businessmen and Transit Drivers of the ECO Member States" and the Plan of Action were drawn up by the Working Group Meeting held in the ECO Secretariat on August 18-19, 2008.
4) Additional Protocol on Simplification of Visa Procedures for
Businessmen and Transit Drivers of the ECO Member States
Signed: Tehran, 9th March, 2009
Signatories: Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan
Parties (Ratified): None
Entry into force: Not yet
Depository: The ECO Secretariat
Notes:
1. In order to bring in harmony with the internal procedures of the Member States for implementation of the "Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for Businessmen of ECO Member States" this Additional Protocol was approved by the 18th COM meeting on 9th March, 2009 in Tehran.
2. The document will come into force, as it's per Article VIII, on the day of the date of Ratification by at least five ECO member States.
5) Articles of Agreement of the Trade and Development Bank (TDB)
Signed: Islamabad, 15 March 1995
Signatories: Iran, Pakistan and Turkey
Parties (Ratified): Three signatory states
Entry into force: August 3, 2005
Depository: Principal Office of the Bank
This document has been signed by the three shareholders, and after their unconditional ratification came into force in accordance with Article 44. The Bank became fully operational in year 2008. Its representative offices started functioning in Iran in 2009 and Pakistan in 2010.
6) The Charter of ECO Cultural Institute
Signed: Islamabad, 15 March 1995
Signatories: 8 Member States except Kyrgyzstan and
Uzbekistan
Parties (Ratified): 4 states (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan)
Entry into force: The document entered into force immediately after signing.
Depository: The Government of the I. R. of IRAN
The Institute became functional as per Article VIII of the Charter which says: “Following its approval by the ECO Council of Ministers, the Charter of the Institute will come into force for each country according to its ratification of approval procedure based on its national regulation.”
7) The Charter of ECO Science Foundation
Signed: Islamabad, 15 March 1995
Signatories: All ECO member states
Parties (Ratified): 5 (Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan).
Depository: the Government of the I. R. of Pakistan
Notes:
1. The Charter ratified by required number of signatory States and entered into force. However, some amendments were proposed by Azerbaijan, Iran, Tajikistan and Turkey.
2. The amended version was discussed and finalized at the 1st Experts Group Meeting (Sep 3-4, 2007, Islamabad). Subsequently the 17th meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) approved the Additional Protocol to the Charter of the ECO Science Foundation.
3. The 2nd Experts Group Meeting on establishment of the ECO Science Foundation (August, 2010-ECO Secretariat) inter alia finalized the draft Working Formula, draft Initial Budgetary estimates, draft Rules of Procedure and draft Staff Regulations of the Foundation.
4. Pakistan will host the 1st meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) in Dec, 2010 to give final approval to the draft Basic documents and to render the Foundation operational.
8) The Charter of ECO Educational Institute
Signed: Almaty, 9th May 1998
Signatories: All ECO Member States except Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan
Parties (Ratified): 5 states (Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Turkey and Tajikistan)
Entry into force: In accordance with Article VIII of the Charter it came into force after deposition of the instruments of ratification by three member states.
Depository: The Government of the R. of Turkey
Notes:
1. According to information provided by the Republic of Turkey as depository of this document, it has been registered in the UN Secretariat as per Article 102 of the UN Charter on 1 July, 2009 under No.46360. Multilateral.
2. According to its Charter, the Institute will be headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. At the 20th RPC (Feb, 2010-Antalya), the Republic of Turkey offered to host the 1st meeting of the Board of Trustees in October, 2010. The Secretariat has requested the host authorities to convey exact dates and venue of the meeting. It is expected that the Institute will become operational in the near future.
9) Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA):
Signed: Almaty, 9th May 1998
Signatories: 9 (All member states except Uzbekistan)
Parties (Ratified): 8 states (all ECO member states except Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)
Entry into force: 19th May 2006
Depository: ECO Secretariat
Notes:
1. In line with the provisions of the Annex-VIII of the TTFA, the Transit Transport Coordination Council (TTCC) and its five technical committees on road, railway, insurance, Transit trade and legal issues have convened several meetings and taken long strides in implementation of the TTFA.
2. The ECO Fund for implementation of the TTFA has already been established with contribution of 100,000 $ from the ECO Feasibility Study and General Purposes Fund.
3. The Secretariat and Islamic Development Bank (IDB) have already started implementation of a regional project aiming at preparation of a regional program for implementation of the TTFA worth 512,000 US$. The project is in its final stages of implementation.
10) Framework Agreement on ECO Trade Cooperation
Signed: Tehran, 6th March 2000
Signatories: 8 states (all ECO member states except
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)
Parties (Ratified): 6 states (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Pakistan and Turkey).
Entry into force: The document entered into force
as per Article 14 after ratification by five member states
Depository: ECO Secretariat
Note:
An umbrella instrument, this document defines broad areas of trade cooperation among member states. Various measures provided for in the Agreement have been further developed in frameworks and institutional arrangements. These include ECOTA, ECO-TDB, ECO Reinsurance Company, ECO-CCI and the setting up Trade Network and holding Trade Fairs, workshops and seminars.
11) ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA):
Signed: Islamabad, 17th July 2003
Signatories: 5 Member States namely Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey
Parties (Ratified): 5 states (All signatory States)
Entry into force: 24th April, 2008
Depository: ECO Secretary General
Notes:
1. A Protocol regarding Annexes to the ECOTA was signed in Istanbul in July, 2005.
2. Para I of the Article 39 of the Agreement, requires it shall entered into force on the 30th day of the receipt of the fifth instrument of ratification. Considering that Iran as fifth member state, has deposited its Instrument of Ratification with the Secretariat on 24th March, 2008, therefore ECOTA came into force on 24th April, 2008.
3. During the first meeting of ECOTA Cooperation Council (Mersin, Turkey, May 2008), the Contracting Parties made firm commitments to provide their final lists by October 31, 2008. Three of the Contracting Parties Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey) have provided their lists. Pakistan and Turkey have decided to grant tariff concession bilaterally. The 2nd Meeting of the Cooperation Council offered to be hosted by Turkey would decide on effective date of tariff concessions.
12) Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment (APPI)
Signed: Istanbul, 7 July 2005
Signatories: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey
Parties (Ratified): Iran
Entry into force: Not yet
Depository: ECO Secretary General
Notes:
1. Paragraph 7 of Article 9 of the APPI was amended in the 2nd Ministerial Meeting on Finance and Economy (5-7 April 2007 – Antaliya). The amended version in the form of a Protocol was circulated among the Member States for confirmation, but so far, the Islamic Republic of Iran has conveyed its consent.
2. This Agreement shall come into force after two months of the deposit of the fourth Instrument of Ratification (Article 12).
13) Agreement on the Establishment and Operation of ECO Smuggling and Customs Offences Data Bank:
Signed: Istanbul, 7 July 2005
Signatories: 6 member states (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan,
Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey)
Parties (Ratified): Turkey
Entry into force: Not yet
Depository: ECO Secretariat
The Republic of Turkey has deposited its instrument of Ratification on 17th August 2009 with Secretariat as depository of this Agreement. It shall come into force on the 30th day of the receipt of the fourth instrument of ratification (Article IX- 2).
14) MoU on Cooperation Against Smuggling and Customs Frauds
Signed: Almaty, 9th May 1998
Signatories (Parties): All 10 ECO member states
Entry into force: Immediately after signing the MoU
The MoU was valid till 8th May 2008 as per Article 15 which requires that the MoU is valid for five years and, if no written notice received before the expiry of that date it will be extended automatically for another five years period. As no written notice was received before the expiry of the date, the MOU will be valid now up to 8th May, 2013.
15) MoU on ECO Reinsurance Company
Signed: Islamabad, 15th March 1995
Signatories (Parties): 3 states Iran, Pakistan and Turkey
Entry into force: Immediately after signing the MoU
The MoU was attached to a constitution for establishing the ECO Reinsurance Company. In compliance with Para 1 of the MoU, the Headquarters of the ECO Reinsurance Pool (established under Art. IV of the Treaty Izmir of 12th March 1977) were transferred from Ankara to Karachi on 1st January, 1996. Pakistan Reinsurance Company has since been acting as Manager of the Pool.
16) Articles of Agreement on the Establishment of ECO Reinsurance Company
Signed: Islamabad, 10th February 2010
Signatories: 3 states; Iran, Pakistan and Turkey
Parties (Ratified): Pakistan
Entry into force: Immediately after ratification by Iran and Turkey.
Depository: ECO Secretariat
Notes:
1. The HLEG/Trilateral Interim Committee meeting, held in Islamabad, in May 2007, finalized the Articles of Agreement for the Establishment of the ECO Reinsurance Company.
2. Upon ratification by Iran and Turkey, the Company would launch its commercial operations.
17) MoU on the establishment of Regional Center for Risk Management
of Natural Disasters (ECO-RCRM)
Signed: Mashhad, 4th September, 2007
Signatories (Parties): All ECO member states except
Uzbekistan
Entry into force: Immediately after signing the MoU
Depository: ECO Secretariat
Notes:
1. In accordance with Article 2 of the MoU this Centre shall be established as an as hoc body affiliated to the ECO. Moreover in the Article VI of the MoU, it has been stipulated
that a draft Statute of the centre shall be prepared by the member states in order to transform it into a full fledged ECO Specialized Agency.
2. 142nd CPR meeting allocated US$50,000 as seed money to support the activities and programmes of the Regional Centre for Risk Management of Natural Disasters Centre.
3. Turkey signed this MoU in 19th COM meeting on 22nd December, 2010 in Istanbul.
18) the ECO Regional Institute for Standardization, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation and Metrology (RISCAM)
Signed: Tehran, 9 March 2009
Signatories: Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey
Parties (Ratified): None
Entry into force: Not yet
Depository: ECO Secretariat/ Secretary General
1. The Statute of ECO Regional Institute for Standardization, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation and Metrology (RISCAM) was approved by the 18th Council of Minister (COM) along with the Road Map for its provisional implementation. The Headquarters of RISCAM will be located in Iran. The Secretariats of the Technical Management Board (TMB) of Standardization and Accreditation will be located in Turkey, Metrology in Kazakhstan and Conformity Assessment in Iran.
2. As per Road Map for provisional Implementation of Statute of RISCAM, an Interim Coordination Unit (ICU) should be established at the ECO Secretariat under the Directorate of AIT.