2. The particular aims of cooperation shall.be:
- the conclusion, where appropriate, between the Member States and the Republic of Belarus, of agreements for the promotion and protection of investment;
~ the conclusion, where appropriate, between the Member States and the Republic of Belarus, of agreements to avoid double taxation;
- the creation of favourable conditions for attracting foreign investments into the Belarusian economy;
- to establish stable and adequate business law and conditions, and to exchange information on laws, regulations and administrative practices in the field of investment;
- to exchange information on investment opportunities in the form of inter alia trade fairs, exhibitions, trade weeks and other events.
Article 39. Public Procurement
The Parties shall co-operate to develop conditions for open and competitive award of contracts for goods and services in particular through calls for tenders.
Article 40. Cooperation In the Field of Standards and Conformity Assessment
1. Cooperation between the Parties shall promote alignment with internationally agreed criteria, principles and guidelines followed in the field of quality. The required actions will facilitate progress towards mutual recognition in the field of conformity assessment, as well as the improvement of Belarusian product quality.
2. To this end they shall seek: - to promote appropriate cooperation between organisations and institutions specialised in these fields; - to promote the use of Community technical regulations and the application of European standards and conformity assessment procedures; - to permit the sharing of experience and technical information in the field of quality management.
Article 41. Mining and Raw Materials
1. The Parties shall aim at increasing investment and trade in mining and raw materials.
2. The cooperation shall focus in particular on the following areas:
- exchange of information on the prospects of the mining and non-ferrous metals sectors,
- the establishment of a legal framework for cooperation,
- trade matters,
- the adoption and implementation of environmental legislation,
- training.
- the development of legislative and other measures in the field of environméntal protection - safety in the mining industry
Article 42. Cooperation In Science and Technology
1. The Parties shall promote cooperation in civil scientific research and technological development (RTD) on the basis of mutual benefit and, taking into account the availability of resources, adequate access to their respective programmes and subject to appropriate levels of effective protection of intellectual, industrial and commercial property rights (IPR).
2. Science and technology cooperation shall cover:
- the exchange of scientific and technical information;
- joint RTD activities;
- training activities and mobility programmes for scientists, researchers and technicians engaged in RTD in both sides.
Where such cooperation takes the form of activities involving education and/or training, it should be carried out in accordance with the provisions of article 48.
The Parties, on the basis of mutual agreement, can engage in other forms of cooperation in science and technology.
In carrying out such cooperation activities, special attention shall be devoted to the redeployment of scientists, engineers, researchers and technicians which are or have been engaged in research on/and production of weapons of mass destruction.
3. The Cooperation covered by this article shall be implemented according to specific arrangements to be negotiated and concluded in accordance with the procedures adopted by each party, and which shall set out, inter alia, appropriate IPR provisions.
Article 43. Education and Training
1. The Parties shall co-operate with the aim of raising the level of general education and professional qualifications in the Republic of Belarus, both in the public and private sectors.
2. The cooperation shall focus in particular on the following areas: - updating higher education and training systems in the Republic of Belarus;
- the training of public and private sector executives and civil servants in priority areas to be determined;
- cooperation between educational establishments and between educational establishments and firms;
- mobility for teachers, graduates, administrators young scientists and researchers and young people;
- promoting teaching in the field of European Studies within the appropriate institutions;
- teaching Community languages;
- training journalists;
- postgraduate training in conference interpretation;
- training of trainers.
3. The possible participation of one Party in the respective programmes in the field of education and training of the other Party could be considered in accordance with their respective procedures and, where appropriate, institutional frameworks and plans of cooperation will then be established building on participation of the Republic of Belarus in the Community's TEMPUS programme.
Article 44. Agriculture and the Agro-industrial Sector
The purpose of cooperation in this area shall be the pursuance of agrarian reform; the modemisation, privatisation and restructuring of agriculture, the agro-industnal and services sectors in the Republic of Belarus; and the development of domestic and foreign markets for Belarusian products, in conditions that ensure the protection of the environment, and taking into account the necessity to improve security of food supply. The Parties shall also aim.at the gradual approximation of Belarusian standards to Community technical regulations concerning industrial and agricultural food products including sanitary and phytosanitary standards. :
Article 45. Energy
1. Cooperation shall take place within the principles of the market economy and the European Energy Charter against a background of the progressive integration of the energy markets in Europe.
2. The cooperation shall include among others the following areas:
- the environmental impact of energy production supply and consumption, in order to minimise the environmental! damage resulting from these activities;
- improvement of the quality and security of energy supply including diversification of suppliers, in an economic and environmentally sound manner;
- formulation of energy policy;
- improvement in management and regulation of the energy sector in line with a market economy;
- the introduction of the range of institutional, legal, fiscal and other conditions necessary to encourage increased energy trade and investment;
- promotion of energy saving and energy effectiveness;
- modernisation, development and diversification of energy infrastructure;
- improvement of energy technologies in supply and end use across the range of energy types;
- management and technical training in the energy sector.
Article 46. Environment
1. Bearing in mind the European Energy Charter and the Declaration of the Luzern Conference 1993, the Parties shall develop and strengthen their cooperation in the broad field of environmental protection, including disaster planning and other emergency situations as well as to address the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.
2. Cooperation shall aim at combating the deterioration of the environment and in particular :
- effective monitoring of pollution levels and assessment of environment; system of information on the state of the environment;
- combatting local, regional and transboundary air and water pollution;
- ecological restoration;
- sustainable, efficient and environmentally effective production and use of energy; safety of industrial plants;
- classification and safe handling of chemicals;
- water quality;
- waste reduction, recycling and safe disposal, implementation of the Basle Convention;
- the environmental impact of agriculture, soil erosion, and chemical pollution;
- the protection of forests;
- the conservation of biodiversity, protected areas and sustainable use and management of biological resources;
- land-use planning, including construction and urban planning;
- use of economic and fiscal instruments;
- global climate change;
- environmental education and awareness;
- implementation of the Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a transboundary context.
3. Cooperation shall take place particularly through :
- planning for the handling of disasters and other emergency situations;
- exchange of information and experts, including information and experts dealing with the transfer of clean technologies and the safe and environmentally sound use of biotechnologies;
- joint research activities;
~ improvement of laws towards Community standards;
- cooperation at regional level, including cooperation within the framework of the European Environment Agency, and at international level;
- development of strategies, particularly with regara to global and climatic issues and also in view of achieving sustainable development;
- environmental impact studies.
Article 47. Transport
1. The Parties shall develop and strengthen their cooperation in the field of transport.
2. This cooperation shall, inter alia, aim at restructuring and modemising transport systems and networks in the Republic of Belarus and developing and ensuring, where appropriate, compatibility of transportation systems in the context of achieving a more global transport system.
The cooperation shall include, inter alia :
- the modernising of management and operations of road transport, railways, ports and airports
- modernisation and development of railways, waterways, road, port, airport and air navigation infrastructure including the modernisation of major routes of common interest and the trans-European links for the above modes;
- promotion and development of multi-modal transport;
- the promotion of joint research and development programmes;
- preparation of the legislative and institutiogal framework for policy development and implementation including privatisation of the transport sector.
3. The Parties agree to promote, through technical assistance, the improvement of conditions, the reduction of waiting times and the easing of transit at the border crossings on the Belarusian sections of the multimodal Crete corridors n° 2 and n° 9.
Such technical assistance could consist of appropriate training schemes as well as studies of necessary infrastructure, administrative, organisational and personnel requirements.
The Parties agree to adhere to the norms set by international agreements of the European Union to secure interoperability.
4. For the purpose of establishing favourable conditions for rail transport between the Parties, it is agreed that both Parties will, in the framework of this Agréement and through appropriate bilateral and muttilateral mechanisms, promote:
- the facilitation of customs and other border clearance procedures for freight and for rolling stock;
- cooperation in the creation of suitable rolling stock meeting the requirements of international traffic;
- the approximation of regulations and procedures which govern international transport;
- the development of international passenger traffic between the Member States and Belarus.
Article 48. Postal Services and Telecommunications
Within their respective powers and competences the Parties shall expand and strengthen cooperation in the following areas:
- the establishment of policies and guidelines for the development of the telecommunications sector and postal services;
- development of principles of a tariff policy and marketing in telecommunications and postal services;
- encourage the development of projects for telecommunications and postal services and attracting investment;
- enhancing efficiency and quality of the provision of telecommunications and postal services, amongst others through liberalization of activities of sub-sectors; .
- advanced application of telecommunications, notably in the area of electronic funds transfer;
- management of telecommunigations networks and their "optimization";
- an appropmiate regulatory basis for the provision of telecommunications and postal services and for the use of a radio frequency spectrum;
- training in the field of telecommunications and postal services for operations in market conditions.
Article 49. Financial Services
Cooperation shall in particular aim at facilitating the involvement of the Republic of Belarus in universally accepted systems of mutual settlements. Technical assistance shall focus on:
- the development of banking and financial services, the development of common market of credit resources, the involvement of the Republic of Belarus in universally accepted systems of mutual settlements;
- the development of the fiscal system, fiscal institutions in the Republic of Belarus and the exchange of experience and personnel training on fiscal matters; .
- the development of insurance services, which would inter alia create a favourable framework for the. Community's companies' participation in the establishment of joint ventures in the insurance sector in the Republic of Belarus, as well! as the development of export credit insurance.
This cooperation shall in particular contribute to foster the development of relations between the Republic of Belarus and the EC Member States in the financial services sector.
Article 49a. Monetary Policy
At the request of the Belarusian monetary policy authorities, the Community shall provide technical assistance designed to support the efforts of Belarus towards the strengthening of its own monetarn: system, achieving the eventual convertibility of its currency and the gradual adjustment of its policies to those of the European Monetary System. This will include informal exchange of views conceming the pminciples and the functioning of the European Monetary System.
Article 50. Money Laundering
1. The Parties agree on the necessity of making efforts and co-operating in order to prevent the use of their financial systems for laundering of proceeds from criminal activities in general and drug offences in particular.
2. Cooperation in this area shall include administrative and technical assistance with the purpose of establishing suitable standards against money laundering equivalent to those adopted by the Community and international fora in this field, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Article 51. Regional Development
1. The Parties shall strengthen cooperation on regional development and land-use planning. 2. To this end, they shall encourage exchange of information by national, regional and local authorities on regional and land-use planning policy and on methods of formulation of regional policies with special emphasis on the development of disadvantaged areas.
They shall also encourage direct contacts between the respective regions and public organizations responsible for regional development planning with the aim, inter alia, to exchange methods and ways of fostering regional development.
Article 52. Social Cooperation
1, With regard to health and safety, the parties shall develop cooperation between them with the aim of improving the level of protection of the health and safety of workers.
The cooperation shall include notably:
- education and training on health and safety.issues with specific attention to high risk sectors of activity;
- development and promotion of preventive measures to combat work related diseases and other work related ailments;
- prevention of major accident hazards and the management of toxic chemicals;
- research to develop the knowledge base in relation to working environinent and the health and safety of workers.
2. With regard to employment, the cooperation shall include notably technical assistance to:
- optimization of the labour market;
- modernisation of the job-finding and consulting services;
- planning and management of the restructuring programmes;
- encouragement of local employment development;
- exchange of information on the programmes of flexible employment, including those stimulating self-employment and promoting entrepreneurship.
3. The Parties shall pay special attention to cooperation in the sphere of social protection which, inter alia, shall include cooperation in planning and implementing social protection reforms in the Republic of Belarus.
These reforms shall aim to develop in the Republic of Belarus methods of protection intrinsic to market economies and shall comprise all directions of social protection.
Article 53. Tourism
The Parties shall increase and develop cooperation between them, which shall include:
- facilitating the tourist trade;
- increasing the flow of information;
- transferring know-how;
- studying the opportunities for joint operations;
- cooperation between official tourism bodies.
Article 54. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
1. The Parties shall create conditions for developing, strengthening and supporting small and medium- sized enterprises and cooperation between SMEs in the Community and the Republic of Belarus.
2. Cooperation shall include technical assistance, in particular in the following areas:
- the development of a legislative framework for SMEs;
- the development of an appropriate infrastructure (an agency to support SMEs, communications, assistance to the creation of a fund for SMEs);
- the development of technology parks.