- the conclusion, where appropriate, by the Member States and Bulgaria of agreements for the promotion and protection of investment,
- the conclusion, where appropriate, of agreements between Member States and Bulgaria to avoid double taxation,
- to implement suitable arrangements for the transfer of capital,
- to proceed with deregulation and to improve economic infrastructure,
- to exchange information on investment opportunities in the form of trade fairs, exhibitions, trade weeks and other events,
- to exchange information on laws, regulations and administrative practices in the field of investment.
3. Bulgaria shall honour the rules on trade related aspects of investment measures (TRIMs), once these have been adopted within the GATT.
Article 75.
Agro and industrial standards and conformity assessment
1. The Parties shall cooperate with the aim to reduce differences in the fields of standardization and conformity assessment procedures.
2. To this end, the cooperation shall seek:
- to promote the use of Community technical regulations and European standards and conformity assessment procedures,
- where appropriate, to conclude agreements on mutual recognition in these fields,
- to encourage Bulgaria's active and regular participation in the work of specialized organizations (CEN, Cenelec, ETSI, EOTC),
- to support Bulgaria in the European measurement and testing programmes,
- to promote the exchange of technical and methodological information in the field of quality control and production process.
3. The Community will provide Bulgaria with technical assistance where appropriate.
Article 76. Cooperation In Science and Technology
1. The Parties shall promote cooperation in research and technological development activities. They shall devote special attention to the following:
- the exchange of information on each other's science and technology policies,
- the organization of joint scientific meetings (seminars and workshops),
- joint R& D activities aimed at encouraging scientific progress and the transfer of technology and know-how,
- training activities and mobility programmes for researchers and specialists from both sides,
- the development of an environment conducive to research and the application of new technologies and adequate protection of intellectual property of the results of research,
- participation of Bulgaria in the Community programmes in accordance with paragraph 3.
Technical assistance shall be provided where appropriate.
2. The Association Council shall determine the appropriate procedures for developing cooperation.
3. Cooperation under the Community's framework programme in the field of research and technological development shall be implemented according to specific arrangements to be negotiated and concluded in accordance with the legal procedures of each Party.
Article 77. Education and Training
1. Cooperation shall aim at a harmonious development of human resources and at raising the level of general education and professional qualifications in Bulgaria, both in public and private sectors, taking into consideration the priorities of Bulgaria. Institutional frameworks and plans of cooperation will be established (building on the European Training Foundation, when established, and the Tempus programme). Participation of Bulgaria in other Community programmes shall also be considered in this context.
2. The cooperation shall focus in particular on the following areas:
- reform of the education and training system in Bulgaria,
- initial training, in-service training and retraining, including the training of public and private sector executives and senior civil servants, particularly in priority areas to be determined,
- cooperation between universities, cooperation between universities and firms, and mobility for teachers, students, administrators and young people,
- promoting teaching in the field of European Studies within the appropriate institutions,
- mutual recognition of periods of studies and diplomas,
- teaching Community languages and the Bulgarian language,
- training translators and interpreters and promoting the use of Community linguistic norms and terminology.
Article 78.
Agriculture and the agro-industrial sector
1. Cooperation in this area shall have as its aim the modernization, restructuring and privatization of agriculture and the agro-industrial sector in Bulgaria. It shall endeavour notably to:
- develop private farms and distribution channels, methods of storage, marketing, management etc.,
- modernize the rural infrastructure (transport, water supply, telecommunications),
- improve land-use planning, including construction and urban planning,
- improve productivity and quality by using appropriate methods and products; provide training and monitoring in the use of anti-pollution methods connected with inputs,
- restructure, develop and modernize processing firms and their marketing techniques,
- promote complementarity in agriculture,
- promote industrial cooperation in agriculture and the exchange of know-how, particularly between the private sectors in the Community and Bulgaria,
- develop cooperation on animal and plant health, agrifood health (in particular ionization) including veterinary legislation and inspection, vegetal and phytosanitary legislation with the aim of bringing about gradual harmonization with Community standards through assistance for training and the organization of checks,
- develop ecologically clean regions, technologies and crops,
- develop and promote effective cooperation on quality assurance systems compatible with the Community models,
- promote integrated rural development in Bulgaria,
- exchange information in respect of agricultural policy and legislation.
2. To these ends, technical assistance shall be provided by the Community as appropriate.
Article 79. Energy
1. Within the framework of the principles of the market economy and the European Energy Charter, the Parties shall cooperate to develop the progressive integration of the energy markets in Europe.
2. Cooperation shall include among others technical assistance when appropriate in the following areas:
- formulation and planning of energy policy, including its long-term aspects,
- management and training for the energy sector,
- the promotion of energy saving and energy efficiency,
- the development of energy ressources,
- improvement of distribution as well as improvement and diversification of supply,
- the environmental impact of energy production and consumption,
- the nuclear energy sector,
- opening up the energy market to a greater degree, including facilitating transit of gas and electricity,
- the electricity and gas sectors, including the consideration of the possibility of the interconnection of the supply networks,
- modernization of energy infrastructures,
- the formulation of framework conditions for cooperation between undertakings in this sector,
- the transfer of technology and know-how.
Article 80. Nuclear Safety
1. The aim of cooperation is to provide for a safer use of nuclear energy.
2. Cooperation shall mainly cover the following topics:
- improvement of the operational safety of Bulgarian nuclear power plants,
- evaluation of the feasibility of backfitting the existing power plant equipped with VVER-440 reactors,
- upgrading training of management and other personal of nuclear installations,
- upgrading Bulgaria's laws and regulations on nuclear safety and strengthening the supervisory authorities and their resources,
- nuclear safety, nuclear emergency preparedness and management,
- radiation protection, including environmental radiation monitoring,
- fuel cycle problems and safeguarding of nuclear materials,
- radioactive waste management,
- decomissioning and dismantling of nuclear installations,
- decontamination.
3. Cooperation will include exchange of information and experience and R& D activities in accordance with Article 76.
Article 81. Environment
1. The Parties shall develop and strengthen their cooperation on environment and human health, which they have judged to be a priority.
2. Cooperation shall concern:
- effective monitoring of pollution levels; systems of information on the state of the environment,
- combating local, regional and transboundary air and water pollution,
- sustainable, efficient and environmentally effective production and use of energy; safety of industrial plants,
- the management of water resources for border waterways, including transboundary waterways, in compliance with the principles of international law and in particular in conformity with the provisions of the Convention on the protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes,
- classification and safe handling of chemicals,
- water quality, particularly of transboundary waterways (including the Danube and of the Black Sea),
- effective prevention and reduction of water pollution, especially of sources of drinking water,
- waste reduction, recycling and safe disposal, implementation of the Basle Convention,
- the environmental impact of agriculture; soil degradation, salinity and acidification,
- the protection of forests and flora and fauna; restoring ecological stability of the countryside,
- land-use planning, including construction and urban planning,
- coastal zone management,
- use of economic and fiscal instruments,
- global climate change and its prevention,
- environment education and awareness,
- implementation of regional international programmes, inter alia of the Danube Basin and the Black Sea.
3. Cooperation shall take place notably through:
- exchange of information and experts, including information and experts dealing with the transfer of clean technologies,
- training programmes,
- harmonization of laws (Community standards) regulations standards, norms and methodology,
- cooperation at regional level, possibly including the implementation of joint programmes at international level, particularly as regards the management, the protection and quality of the waters of transboundary waterways; cooperation within the framework of the European Environment Agency once it comes into existence,
- development of strategies, particularly with regard to global and climatic issues,
- environmental impact studies,
- improvement of the environmental management, inter alia water management.
4. Protocol 8 lays down the arrangements applicable to the management, protection and quality of the waters of transboundary waterways.
Article 82. Transport
1. The Parties shall develop and strengthen their cooperation so as to enable Bulgaria to:
- restructure and modernize transport,
- improve the movement of passengers and goods and the access to the transport market by removing administrative, technical and other obstacles,
- facilitate Community transit through Bulgaria by road, rail, inland waterway and combined transport,
- achieve operating standards comparable to those in the Community.
2. Cooperation shall include the following in particular:
- economic, legal and technical training programmes,
- the provision of technical assistance and advice, and exchange of information.
3. Cooperation shall include the following priority areas:
- road transport, including the gradual easing of transit conditions,
- the management of railways and airports, including cooperation between the appropriate national authorities,
- the development of a road network and the modernization, on major routes of common interest and trans-European links, of road, inland waterway, railway, combined transport port and airport infrastructure,
- land-use planning including construction and urban planning,
- the upgrading of technical equipment to meet Community standards, particularly in the fields of road and rail transport, multimodal transport and transhipment,
- the setting up of consistent transport policies compatible with those applicable in the Community,
- the promotion of joint technological and research programmes in accordance with Article 76.
Article 83. Telecommunications and Postal Services
1. The Parties shall expand and strengthen cooperation in this area, and shall to this end initiate notably the following actions:
- exchange information on telecommunications and postal services policies,
- exchange technical and other information and organize seminars, workshops and conferences for experts of both sides,
- conduct training and advisory operations,
- carry out transfers of technology and know-how in all elements of telecommunications and postal services,
- have the appropriate bodies from both sides carry out joint projects,
- promote European standards, systems of certification and regulatory approaches,
- promote new communications facilities, services and installations, particularly those with commercial applications.
2. These activities shall focus on the following priority areas:
- development and application of a sectorial market policy in telecommunications and postal services in Bulgaria, of legal and regulatory acts and procedures,
- the modernization of Bulgaria's telecommunications network and its integration into European and world networks,
- cooperation within the structures of European standardization,
- the integration of trans-European systems; the legal and regulatory aspects of telecommunications,
- the management of telecommunications in the new economic environment: organizational structures, strategy and planning, purchasing principles.
Article 84. Banking, Insurance and other Financial Services
1. The Parties shall cooperate with the aim of establishing and developing a suitable framework for the encouragement of a banking, insurance and financial services sector in Bulgaria.
2. Cooperation shall focus on:
- the improvement of efficient accounting and audit systems in Bulgaria based on European Community standards,
- the strengthening and restructuring of the banking and financial systems,
- the improvement and harmonization of supervision and regulation system of banking and financial services,
- the preparation of glossaries of terminology,