Agreement with the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (GS-AC)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE WORLD ORGANISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH
AND
THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ANDEAN COMMUNITY

Adopted by the the OIE on 15 June 2004 and by the GS-AC on 22 July 2004

THE WORLD ORGANISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH (OIE), with headquarters at 12, rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France, duly represented by its Director General, Dr. Bernard Vallat, hereinafter referred to as “the OIE”

and

THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ANDEAN COMMUNITY, with headquarters at Avenida Paseo de la República Nº 3895, San Isidro, Lima, Peru, duly represented by its Secretary General, Ambassador Allan Wagner Tizón, Identity Card No 217/2004, hereinafter referred to as “the GS-AC”

• Considering that the development of livestock production in the Andean Community is reliant upon protection against animal diseases and zoonoses and upon the strengthening of the animal health information system;
• Considering that the development of trade in animals and animal products necessitates the creation of an appropriate legislative and regulatory environment through the establishment of standards acceptable to all the stakeholders involved;
• Considering that the strengthening of the Veterinary Services is a key factor in the application of sanitary measures and for the protection of public health;
• Considering that one of the principal objectives of the OIE is to collect and disseminate information on the occurrence of animal diseases worldwide and on the means of controlling them;
• Considering that one of the principal objectives of the OIE is to facilitate international trade in animals and animal products through the development of international animal health standards;
• Considering the OIE’s new mandate in the field of food safety;
• Considering that the General Secretariat of the Andean Community is an international organisation whose objectives include the promotion of agricultural development in its Member Countries, to which end it may enter into cooperation agreements with other institutions and international organisations;
• Aware of the need to establish a Cooperation Agreement,

Hereby agree to the following:

Article 1

The purpose of the present Agreement is to enable the Parties to pursue more effectively their common interests and objectives through technical cooperation.

Article 2

The OIE shall assist the GS-AC in the following fields, the list not being exhaustive:

• Harmonisation of animal health legislation and regulations;
• Design and setting up of epidemiological surveillance, disease reporting and animal health information systems;
• Development of standards for trade in animals and animal products;
• Strengthening of the Veterinary Services through support for the organisation of courses and for training in academic institutions in the veterinary and food-processing fields.

The provisions of this article shall not prevent the General Secretariat from engaging in cooperation activities with other institutions for the development and implementation of these or other matters.

Article 3

Within the framework of its assistance, the OIE shall help the GS-AC to benefit from available international expertise.

Article 4

The GS-AC shall undertake, to the extent possible, to provide the OIE with any support from its personnel needed to perform assigned tasks.

Article 5

The Parties shall provide mutual information on development and progress of those activities deemed of common interest, and shall exchange information and documentation thereon on a regular basis, subject to restrictions for reasons of confidentiality.

Article 6

Each Party shall invite representatives of the other Party to attend meetings as observers, pursuant to customary practices of both organisations, and when matters of common interest are to be considered.

Article 7

The OIE shall provide the GS-AC with its publications catalogue so as to enable the Andean Community to order publications of interest, at preferential prices. The OIE and the Andean Community will exchange documents of mutual interest free of charge.

Article 8

The Parties shall hold periodic consultations on matters relevant to the implementation of the present Agreement and may, on a basis of mutual consent, propose new modalities to improve its efficacy.

Article 9

The present Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its signature by the Parties, and shall be of indefinite duration. It may be amended, by mutual agreement, and terminated by either Party by written notice submitted six months in advance.