(a) recognising the importance of competition law and competition authorities and striving to proactively enforce the law in order to create an environment for fair competition;
(b) sharing information and enhancing cooperation between competition authorities.
Article 15. Information Society
1. Recognising that Information and Communication Tech- nologies are key elements of modern life and of vital importance to economic and social development, the Parties agree to exchange views on their respective policies in this field.
2. Cooperation in this area shall, inter alia, focus on:
(a) exchanging views on the different aspects of the Information Society, in particular electronic communi- cations policies and regulation including universal service, licensing and general authorisations, protection of privacy and personal data, and the independence and efficiency of the regulatory authority;
(b) interconnection and interoperability of research networks and services, including in a regional context;
(c) standardisation and dissemination of new information and communication technologies;
(d) promotion of research cooperation between the Parties in the area of Information and Communication Technologies;
(e) security issues and aspects of information and communi- cation technologies including promotion of online safety, combating cyber crime and the misuse of information tech- nology and all forms of electronic media.
3. Business-to-business cooperation shall be encouraged.
Article 16. Science and Technology
The Parties shall encourage, develop and facilitate cooperative activities in the areas of science and technology for peaceful purposes, in accordance with the Agreement on the Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of Korea.
Article 17. Energy
1. The Parties recognise the importance of the energy sector to economic and social development and shall endeavour, within the scope of their respective competences, to enhance cooperation in this field with a view to:
(a) diversifying energy supplies in order to strengthen energy security and to develop new, sustainable, innovative and renewable forms of energy, including, inter alia, biofuels and biomass, wind and solar energy as well as hydro power generation;
(b) supporting the development of policies to render renewable energy more competitive;
(c) achieving rational use of energy with contributions from both supply and demand sides by promoting energy efficiency in energy production, transportation, distribution and end-use;
(d) fostering the transfer of technology aimed at sustainable energy production and energy efficiency;
(e) enhancing capacity-building and facilitation of investment in the field of energy taking into account principles of trans- parency, non-discrimination and market-compatibility;
(f) promoting competition in the energy market;
(g) exchanging views on developments in the global energy markets, including impact on developing countries.
2. To these ends, the Parties will work as appropriate to promote, particularly through existing regional and international frameworks, the following cooperative activities:
(a) cooperation in energy policy-making and exchange of information relevant to energy policies;
(b) exchange of information on status and trends in the energy market, industry and technology;
(c) conduct of joint studies and research;
(d) increase of trade and investment in the energy sector.
Article 18. Transport
1. The Parties shall endeavour to cooperate in all relevant areas of transport policy, including integrated transport policy, with a view to improving the movement of goods and passengers, promoting maritime and aviation safety and security, environmental protection, and increasing the efficiency of their transport systems.
2. Cooperation between the Parties in this area shall aim to promote:
(a) exchanges of information on their respective transport policies and practices, especially regarding urban, rural, inland waterway, air and maritime transport, including their logistics and the interconnection and interoperability of multimodal transport networks, as well as the management of road, railways, ports and airports;
(b) a dialogue and joint actions in the field of air transport in areas of mutual interest, including the agreement on certain aspect of air services and the examination of possibilities for further development of relations, as well as technical and regulatory cooperation in areas such as aviation safety, security, environment, air traffic management, application of competition law and economic regulation of the air transport industry, with a view to supporting regulatory convergence and removal of obstacles to doing business. On this basis, the Parties will explore more comprehensive cooperation in the area of civil aviation;
(c) cooperation on the reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions in transport sector;
(d) cooperation in terms of international transport fora;
(e) the implementation of security, safety, and pollution prevention standards, notably as regards maritime transport and aviation, in line with the relevant international conventions applicable to both Parties, including cooperation in the appropriate international fora aimed at ensuring better enforcement of international regulations.
3. As regards civil global satellite navigation, the Parties shall cooperate in accordance with the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part.
Article 19. Maritime Transport Policy
1. The Parties undertake to move towards the goal of unrestricted access to the international maritime market and traffic based on fair competition on a commercial basis, in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
2. In pursuit of the goal of paragraph 1, the Parties shall:
(a) not introduce cargo-sharing arrangements in future bilateral agreements with third countries concerning maritime transport services, including dry and liquid bulk and liner trade, and not activate such cargo-sharing arrangements in case they exist in previous bilateral agreements;
(b) abstain from implementing, on entry into force of this Agreement, administrative and technical and legislative measures which could have the effect of discriminating between their own nationals or companies and those of the other Party in the supply of services in international maritime transport;
(c) grant no less favourable treatment for the ships operated by nationals or companies of the other Party, than that accorded to its own ships, with regard to access to ports open to international trade, the use of infrastructure and auxiliary maritime services of the ports, as well as related fees and charges, customs facilities and assignment of berths and facilities for loading and unloading;
(d) allow the shipping companies of the other Party to have their commercial presence in its territory for the purpose of carrying out shipping agency activities under conditions of establishment and operation no less favourable than those accorded to its own companies or to subsidiaries or branches of companies of any non-member country, whichever is the better.
3. For the purpose of this Article, access to the international maritime market shall include, inter alia, the right for inter- national maritime transport providers of each Party to arrange door-to-door transport services involving a sea leg, and to this effect to directly contract with local providers of transport modes other than maritime transport on the territory of the other Party without prejudice to applicable nationality restrictions concerning the carriage of goods and passengers by those other transport modes.
4. The provisions of this Article shall apply to European Union companies and Korean companies. Beneficiaries of the provisions of this Article shall also be shipping companies established outside the European Union or the Republic of Korea and controlled by nationals of a Member State or of the Republic of Korea, if their vessels are registered in that Member State or in the Republic of Korea in accordance with their respective legislations.
5. The issue of the operations in the European Union and in the Republic of Korea of shipping agency activities shall be dealt with by specific agreements, where appropriate.
6. The Parties shall pursue a dialogue in the field of maritime transport policy.
Article 20. Consumer Policy
The Parties shall endeavour to cooperate in the field of consumer policy in order to secure a high level of consumer protection. The Parties agree that cooperation within this field may involve to the extent possible:
(a) increasing the compatibility of consumer legislation in order to avoid barriers to trade while ensuring a high level of consumer protection;
(b) promoting exchange of information on consumer systems, including consumer laws, consumer product safety, enforcement of consumer legislation, consumer education and empowerment, and consumer redress;
(c) encouraging the development of independent consumer associations and contacts between consumer representatives.
Title V. COOPERATION IN THE AREA OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Article 21. Health
1. The Parties agree to encourage mutual cooperation and information exchange in the fields of health and the effective management of cross-border health problems.
2. The Parties shall seek to promote information exchange and mutual cooperation, inter alia, as follows:
(a) information exchange on the surveillance of infectious diseases, including pandemic influenza, and on the early warning and countermeasures;
(b) information exchange on the health strategies and the public health plans;
(c) information exchange on health promotion policies, such as anti-smoking campaigns, obesity prevention and disease control;
(d) information exchange to the extent possible in the field of pharmaceutical safety and approval;
(e) information exchange to the extent possible, as well as joint research in the field of food safety such as food laws and regulations, emergency alert, etc.;
(f) cooperation in R&D related aspects, such as advanced treatment and innovative, orphan drugs;
(g) information exchange and cooperation regarding e-health policy.
3. The Parties shall endeavour to promote implementation of international health agreements such as the International Health Regulations and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Article 22. Employment and Social Affairs
1. The Parties agree to enhance cooperation in the field of employment and social affairs, including in the context of globalisation and demographic change. Efforts shall be made in promoting cooperation and exchanges of information and experiences regarding the employment and labour matters. Areas of cooperation may include regional and social cohesion, social integration, social security systems, lifelong skills development, health and safety at the workplace, gender equality and decent work.
2. The Parties reaffirm the need to support a process of globalisation which is beneficial to all and to promote full and productive employment and decent work as a key element of sustainable development and poverty reduction.
3. The Parties reaffirm their commitments to respect, promote and realise internationally recognised labour and social standards, as laid down in particular in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Rights and Principles at Work.
4. The forms of cooperation may include, inter alia, specific programmes and projects, as mutually agreed, as well as dialogue, cooperation and initiatives on topics of common interest at bilateral or multilateral level.
Article 23. Environment and Natural Resources
1. The Parties agree on the need to conserve, and manage in a sustainable manner, natural resources and biological diversity as a basis for the development of current and future gener- ations.
2. The Parties shall endeavour to continue and to strengthen their cooperation on protection of the environment, including in a regional context, specifically as regards:
(a) climate change and energy efficiency;
(b) environmental awareness;
(c) participating in and implementing multilateral environmental agreements, including biodiversity, biosafety and the Convention on International Trade in endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Hora;
(d) promoting environmental technologies, products and services, including environmental management systems and environmental labelling;
(e) prevention of illegal transboundary movement of hazardous substances, hazardous wastes and other forms of waste;
(f) coastal and marine environment, conservation, pollution, and degradation control;
(g) local participation in environmental protection as a key element of sustainable development;
(h) soils and land management;
(i) the exchange of information, expertise and practices.
3. The outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Devel- opment and the implementation of relevant multilateral envi- ronmental agreements shall be taken into account, as relevant.
Article 24. Climate Change
1. The Parties recognise the common global threat of climate change and the need to take action to cut emissions in order to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Within the scope of their respective competences, and without prejudice to discussions on climate change in other fora, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Parties shall enhance cooperation in this field. Such cooperation shall aim at:
(a) combating climate change, with the overall goal of a rapid transition to low-carbon societies, through nationally appro- priate mitigation and adaptation actions;
(b) advocating the efficient use of resources, inter alia through widespread use of best available and economically viable low carbon technologies and standards for mitigations and adaptation;
(c) exchanging expertise and information regarding benefits and architecture of trading schemes;
(d) enhancing public and private sector financing instruments, including market mechanisms and public private part- nerships which could effectively support action to combat climate change;
(e) collaborating on low-carbon technology research, development, diffusion, deployment and transfer in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining economic growth;
(f) exchanging experience and expertise, where appropriate, in monitoring and analysing greenhouse gases' effects and developing mitigation and adaptation programmes;
(g) supporting, where appropriate, mitigation and adaptation action of developing countries, including through the Flexible Mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol.
2. To these ends, the Parties agree to intensify dialogue and cooperation at political, policy and technical levels.
Article 25. Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry
The Parties agree to encourage cooperation in agriculture, rural development and forestry. The Parties will exchange information and develop cooperation in particular on:
(a) agricultural and forestry policy and international agricultural and forestry outlook in general;
(b) the registration and protection of Geographical Indications;
(c) organic production;
(d) research in the field of agriculture and forestry;
(e) development policy for rural areas and in particular diver- sification and restructuring of agricultural sectors;
(f) sustainable agriculture, forestry and integration of environ- mental requirements into agricultural policy;
(g) the links between agriculture, forestry and environment and the development policy for rural areas;
(h) promotion activities for agricultural food products;
(i) sustainable forest management to prevent deforestation and encourage the creation of new woodland, including due regard to interests of developing countries where timber is sourced.
Article 26. Marine and Fisheries
The Parties shall encourage marine and fisheries cooperation, at bilateral and multilateral level, particularly with a view to promoting sustainable and responsible marine and fisheries development and management. Areas of cooperation may include:
(a) the exchange of information;
(b) supporting sustainable and responsible long term marine and fisheries policy including conservation and management of coastal and marine resources; and
(c) promoting efforts to prevent and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices.
Article 27. Development Assistance
1. The Parties agree to exchange information on their devel- opment assistance policies with a view to establishing a regular dialogue on the objectives of these policies and their respective development aid programmes in third countries. They will study to what extent more substantial cooperation is feasible, in accordance with their respective legislations and the conditions applicable to the implementation of these programmes.
2. The Parties reaffirm their commitment to the Paris Declaration of 2005 on Aid Effectiveness and agree to strengthen cooperation with a view to further improving devel- opment performance.
Title VI. COOPERATION IN THE AREA OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE
Article 28. Cooperation In Culture, Information, Communication, Audiovisual and Media
1. The Parties agree to promote cooperation in order to increase mutual understanding and the knowledge of their respective cultures.
2. The Parties shall endeavour to take appropriate measures to promote cultural exchanges as well as to carry out joint initiatives in this area.
3. The Parties agree to cooperate closely in relevant inter- national fora, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), and the ASEM, in order to pursue common objectives and promote cultural diversity, respecting the provisions of the Unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
4. The Parties will consider means of encouraging exchanges, cooperation and dialogue between relevant institutions in the areas of audiovisual and media.
Article 29. Education
1. The Parties acknowledge the crucial contribution of education and training to the development of human resources capable of participating in the global knowledge- based economy; and recognise that they have a common interest in cooperation in education and training.
2. In accordance with their mutual interests and the aims of their policies on education, the Parties undertake to support jointly appropriate cooperative activities in the field of education, training and youth, with particular emphasis on higher education. This cooperation may take the form of, in particular:
(a) support to joint cooperation projects between education and training institutions in the European Union and the Republic of Korea, with a view to promoting curriculum development, joint study programmes and student mobility;
(b) dialogue, studies, and exchange of information and know- how in the field of education policy;
(c) promotion of exchange of students, academic and administrative staff of higher education institutions, and youth workers, including through the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus programme;
(d) cooperation in education sectors of common interest.
Title VII. COOPERATION IN THE AREA OF JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
Article 30. Rule of Law
In their cooperation in the area of justice, freedom and security, the Parties shall attach particular importance to the promotion of the rule of law, including the independence of the judiciary, access to justice, and the right to a fair trial.
Article 31. Legal Cooperation
1. The Parties agree to develop judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters, in particular as regards the ratification and implementation of multilateral conventions on civil judicial cooperation, including the Conventions of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in the field of inter- national legal cooperation and litigation as well as the protection of children.
2. The Parties agree to facilitate and encourage the arbitral solution of civil and private commercial disputes whenever possible according to the applicable international instruments.
3. As regards judicial cooperation in criminal matters, the Parties will seek to enhance arrangements on mutual legal assistance and extradition. This would include, where appro- priate, accession to, and implementation of, the relevant inter- national instruments of the United Nations including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as referred to in Article 6 of this Agreement.
Article 32. Personal Data Protection
1. The Parties agree to cooperate in order to improve the level of protection of personal data to the highest international standards such as that contained in the UN Guidelines for the Regulation of Computerized Personal Data Files (UN General Assembly Resolution 45/95 of 14 December 1990).
2. Cooperation on protection of personal data may include, inter alia, exchange of information and expertise.
Article 33. Migration
1. The Parties agree to strengthen and intensify cooperation in the areas of the illegal migration, smuggling and trafficking in human beings, as well as the inclusion of the migration concerns in the national strategies for economic and. social development of the areas from which migrants originate.
2. In the framework of the cooperation to prevent and control illegal immigration, the Parties agree to readmit their nationals who stay illegally in the territory of the other Party. To this end, the Parties will provide their nationals with appro- priate identity documents for such purposes. In cases where the nationality is in doubt, the Parties agree to identify their alleged nationals.
3. The Parties endeavour to conclude, if necessary, an agreement regulating the specific obligations for readmission of their nationals. This will also address conditions relating to nationals of other countries and stateless persons.
Article 34. Combating Illicit Drugs
1. In accordance with their respective laws and regulations, the Parties will aim at reducing the supply and trafficking of, and demand for, illicit drugs as well as their impact on drug users and society at large and to achieve a more effective prevention of diversion of drug precursors used for the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. In their cooperation, the Parties shall ensure that a comprehensive and balanced approach is taken in pursuing this aim through legal market regulations and effective action and coordination between the competent authorities including those from the health, education, social, law enforcement and justice sectors.
2. The Parties shall agree on means of cooperation to attain these objectives. Actions shall be based on commonly agreed principles along the lines of the relevant international conven- tions, the Political Declaration and the Special Declaration on the guiding principles of drug demand reduction, approved by the Twentieth United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs in June 1998.
Article 35. Combating Organised Crime and Corruption
The Parties agree to cooperate on and contribute to the fight against organised, economic and financial crime and corruption, counterfeiting and illegal transactions, through full compliance with their existing mutual international obligations in this area including on effective cooperation in the recovery of assets or funds derived from acts of corruption. The Parties will promote the implementation of the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime and its supplementing Protocols and the UN Convention against Corruption.
Article 36. Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing
1. The Parties agree on the need to work towards and to cooperate on preventing the use of their financial systems to launder the proceeds of all criminal activities including drug trafficking and corruption and to the financing of terrorism. This cooperation extends to the recovery of assets or funds derived from the proceeds of crimes.
2. The Parties may exchange relevant information within the framework of respective legislations and apply appropriate standards to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism equivalent to those adopted by relevant international bodies active in this area, such as the Financial Action Task Force on money laundering (FATF).
Article 37. Combating Cyber Crime
1. The Parties will strengthen cooperation to prevent and combat high technology, cyber and electronic crimes and the distribution of terrorist content via the Internet through exchanging information and practical experiences in compliance with their national legislation within the limits of their responsibility.
2. The Parties will exchange information in the fields of the education and training of cyber crime investigators, the inves- tigation of cyber crime, and digital forensic science.