ACT

(August 4)

Official Journal 43,656, 5 August 1999

By means of which the " Trade Agreement, between the Republic of Colombia and

the Government of Romania, signed in Bucharest, the thirty-one (31) July of a thousand

nine hundred and ninety-seven (1997).

COLOMBIA CONGRESS

Having regard to the text of the "Trade Agreement between the Republic of Colombia and the Government of Romania", signed in Bucharest on 30 and one (31) July of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven (1997), which the letter says.

(To be transcribed: photocopy of the full text of the international instrument mentioned, duly authenticated by the Head of the Legal Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC

FROM COLOMBIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF ROMANIA

The Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of Romania, hereinafter referred to as "the Parties", encouraged by the common desire to promote and strengthen trade relations between the two countries, taking into account the possibilities offered by their economies for the continuous development of trade;

reaffirming its commitment to respect multilateral principles and obligations, in accordance with the provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement, of which both countries are members;

Ensuring that their mutual trade relations conform to the obligations and rights arising out of the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its annexed agreements,

agree the following:

ARTICLE 1o. The Parties reaffirm their decision to create favorable conditions for the expansion of economic relations, and to encourage the exchange of goods between natural and/or legal persons. qualified to conduct foreign trade operations, in accordance with the national law of each of the two countries.

ARTICLE 2o. The Parties in order to facilitate trade, will mutually grant the most-favoured-nation treatment and adjust their bilateral trade relations to the obligations and rights arising from the Agreement on the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and its multilateral agreements annexed thereto.

ARTICLE 3o. The most-favored Nation's Deal stipulations will not apply to:

(a) The advantages and facilities that any Party has granted or shall grant to any State bordering on the purpose of facilitating traffic and border trade;

(b) The advantages and facilities that either Party has granted or grants to another country or group of countries as a result of their participation in customs unions or free trade zones, economic unions or economic conventions international, including regional, sub-regional and inter-regional;

(c) The advantages and facilities that either Party has granted or granted under the system of trade preferences between developing countries from which the other Party is or becomes a signatory;

(d) The advantages and facilities that either Party has granted or will grant to imported products, within the aid programmes provided to the respective party, by third countries, institutions and other organizations

ARTICLE 4. The Parties shall authorize the importation, in the form of exemption or reduction of customs duties, of the following articles, in accordance with the regulations in force in each of the two countries:

a) Samples of products with no commercial value, commercial advertising materials, and

documentation;

b) Goods repaired abroad or goods that replace those that do not comply

with the quality, returned to foreign companies in the warranty period;

(c) Articles and goods for trade fairs and exhibitions, provided that such goods and goods are not sold and returned;

(d) Reps provided free of charge in respect of guarantees granted for contracts concluded between authorised persons;

e) Tools and equipment intended for services in the territory of one of the Parties, provided that they are not sold and are returned in the country of origin.

ARTICLE 5o. The payments resulting from the concerted transactions within the framework of this Agreement shall be made in currency of free convertibility, in accordance with the current exchange rules of each of the Parts.

ARTICLE 6o. In matters of intellectual property, the parties shall be governed by the rules in force in each country, as well as by those of the international agreements in which they are members, including those signed in the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

ARTICLE 7o. In order to facilitate trade, the Parties, in accordance with their national laws, shall encourage:

a) The organization of trade fairs and exhibitions;

(b) The establishment of commercial representations and offices of legal persons authorized to carry out foreign trade operations, applying non-discriminatory treatment to the agreed third countries for the activities of these representations;

c) The foundation of commercial companies with own or mixed capital, mixed banks, technical-commercial offices, service and technical assistance workshops, product and spare parts, repair shops and other forms of organization be agreed between the natural and/or legal persons of the two countries, authorised to carry out foreign trade operations.

Parties shall facilitate the transit of goods through their territory, in accordance with the legislation in force in the respective countries.

ARTICLE 8. The clauses of this Agreement do not affect and will not affect the bilateral or multilateral agreements concluded or to be concluded and have no effect on the rights and obligations of the parties. Parties resulting from these understandings or other existing international agreements of which they are a party.

ARTICLE 9o. Any discrepancies that may arise from the interpretation and application of this Agreement shall be settled by amicable means, through direct negotiations between the Parties, upon request. of any of these, or within the meetings of the joint commissions.

ARTICLE 10. For compliance with the provisions of this Agreement, the Parties agree to create a joint committee composed of representatives of the two Parties.

Representatives, non-governmental organizations and/or natural or legal persons may participate in the work of the Joint Committee.

The Joint Committee will review the state of development of bilateral trade exchanges.

The mixed commission will have meetings whenever circumstances warrant it in alternative sessions in the cities of Santa Fe de Bogota and Bucharest on the dates that are previously agreed.

The Parties shall agree by diplomatic means, in advance of sixty (60) days from the agreed date for the joint committee session, the agenda and the work programme of the Joint Committee.

ARTICLE 11. This Agreement shall enter into force within 30 days from the date of the last notification of the completion of the respective internal formalities required for the entry into force. of international agreements. It shall be three (3) years, and may be extended automatically for periods of (1) year, unless one of the Contracting Parties manifests in writing, to the other.

Part of your intention to terminate it, in advance of six (6) months to the expiration date of the term of validity.

At the time it enters into force, this Agreement replaces the Trade Agreement signed on 21 April 1987 in Bucharest between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Romania.

All commercial transactions agreed upon in the period of validity of the above mentioned agreement, not made in full until the date of entry into force of this Trade Agreement, will continue to be subject to compliance with the terms of the Agreement. established in the agreement based on which they were agreed.

ARTICLE 12. The contracting parties agree to designate as bodies, responsible for the implementation of this agreement, by the Republic of Colombia, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Romania, to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

ARTICLE 13. The provisions provided for in this Agreement shall continue to apply to commercial operations agreed upon and not fully executed on the date of termination of this instrument.

ARTICLE 14. Signed in Bucharest, at 31 days of July 1997, in two original copies, one in Spanish and one in Romanian, both texts being equally valid.

Unreadable signature.

By the Government of the Republic of Colombia,

Unreadable signature.

By the Government of Romania,

THE UNDERSIGNED HEAD OF THE LEGAL OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

NOTES:

That the present reproduction is faithful photocopy taken from the original text of the "Trade Agreement, between the Republic of Colombia and the Government of Romania", signed in Bucharest, the thirties and one (31) of July 1997.

Dada en Santa Fe de Bogotá, D. C., at six (6) days of the month of July of a thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight (1998).

HECTOR ADOLFO SYNTURA VARELA.

the Chief Legal Officer,

EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF PUBLIC POWER

REPUBLIC OF THE REPUBLIC

Santa Fe de Bogota, D. C., on October 6, 1997.

Approved. Submit to the consideration of the honorable National Congress for the constitutional effects.

(Fdo.) ERNESTO SAMPER PIZANO

(Fdo.) CAMILO REYES RODRIGUEZ.

The Deputy Foreign Minister, in charge of the Functions of the

Office of the Minister,

DECRETA:

ARTICLE 1o. Approve the "Trade Agreement between the Republic of Colombia and the Government of Romania", signed in Bucharest, thirty-one (31) of July of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven (1997).

ARTICLE 2o. In accordance with the provisions of Article 1o. of Law 7a. In 1944, the "Trade Agreement between the Republic of Colombia and the Government of Romania", signed in Bucharest, on 30 and one (31) July of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven (1997), signed by 1o. of this law shall be adopted, shall bind the country from the date on which the international link with respect to the law is perfected.

ARTICLE 3o. This law governs from the date of its publication.

FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO.

The President of the honorable Senate of the Republic,

MANUEL ENRIQUEZ ROSERO.

The Secretary General of the honorable Senate of the Republic,

EMILIO MARTINEZ ROSALES.

The President of the honorable House of Representatives,

GUSTAVO BUSTAMANTE MORATTO.

The Secretary General of the honorable House of Representatives,

COLOMBIA-NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

COMMUNICATE AND PUBLISH.

EXECUTE upon review of the Constitutional Court, pursuant to article 241-10 of the Political Constitution.

Dada en Santa Fe de Bogota, D. C., 4 August 1999.

ANDRES PASTRANA ARANGO

GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ DE SOTO.

The Foreign Minister,

MARTHA LUCIA RAMIREZ DE RINCON.

The Minister of Foreign Trade,