Dragutin Mate l.r.
Za Vlado Republike Avstrije
Günter Platter l.r.
Za Vlado Republike Madžarske
Albert Takacs l.r.
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter referred to as the Slovenian Contracting Party), the Government of the Republic of Austria (hereinafter referred to as the Austrian Contracting Party) and the Government of the Republic of Hungary (hereinafter referred to as the Hungarian Contracting Party),
hereinafter referred to as the Contracting Parties,
aiming to promote and further develop police cooperation between the neighbouring countries;
having regard to bilateral police cooperation treaties and treaties on readmission of persons on the common state border in force between the Contracting Parties;
having regard to the principles of police cooperation applied by the European Union Member States;
having regard to the legislation of the Contracting Parties;
have agreed as follows:
Article 1
Establishment of the Centre
(1) The Slovenian Contracting Party shall establish a Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the Centre), which shall be located in the Republic of Slovenia, municipality of Lendava, in the area of the state border between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Hungary. The Centre shall be located in the premises of the Border Police Station Dolga vas.
(2) Under this Agreement, the area of the Centre shall comprise:
a) road extending from the common state border to the Border Police Station Dolga vas, for the purpose of arrival at place of work;
b) specified work premises in the Border Police Station Dolga vas and the appurtenant auxiliary premises;
c) specified official parking space.
(3) Work at the Centre shall be performed by officers of the competent authorities of the Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Austria and the Republic of Hungary.
(4) The Centre shall be indicated in the languages of the Contracting Parties and shall be marked with the flags and the national coat-of-arms of the Contracting Parties.
(5) Service hours of the Centre shall be unanimously determined by the competent authorities referred to in Article 3.
Article 2
Tasks
The Centre’s tasks shall be to promote and advance cooperation between the Contracting Parties, particularly through:
a) promoting cross border police cooperation based on bilateral police cooperation treaties and bilateral treaties on readmission of persons on the common state border in force between the Contracting Parties;
b) supporting the maintenance of public order and security and the prevention of cross border crime and illegal migration;
c) cooperating with other centres for law enforcement cooperation established between the EU Member States.
Article 3
Competent Authorities
The competent authorities to implement this Agreement shall be:
a) for the Republic of Slovenia: Ministry of the Interior, the Police, Uniformed Police Directorate, Border Police Section;
b) for the Republic of Austria: Ministry of the Interior, General Directorate for Public Security;
c) for the Republic of Hungary: the Police, the Border Guards, the Office of Immigration and Nationality.
Article 4
Scope of cooperation
(1) The seconded officials of the Austrian and Hungarian Contracting Parties shall not be competent to take independent police action, but shall merely supply information and perform their duties exclusively based on the instructions given to them by the seconding Contracting Party.
(2) The officers of the Contracting Parties working at the Centre shall cooperate primarily by giving support and advice:
a) in promoting and strengthening cross border cooperation and information exchange in the field of cross border policing;
b) in joint action against illegal migration and accompanying crimes;
c) in coordinating joint tasks of border checks and control as well as other operations at the common state border or in individual border areas involving the cooperation of the Contracting Parties;
d) in exchanging information on the prevention and repression of cross border crime;
e) upon request, in assisting each other in solving issues arising from the implementation of readmission agreements;
f) in exchanging information in cooperating with other centres for law enforcement cooperation established between the EU Member States;
g) in exchanging other information and performing other tasks assigned by the seconding Contracting Party.
Article 5
Legal status
(1) The officers working at the Centre shall cooperate in the performance of their activities within the scope of their competences.
(2) They shall be authorised to directly respond, in compliance with their national regulations in force, to requests forwarded by the competent authorities of another Contracting Party notwithstanding the information exchange via the national central authorities.
(3) They shall perform their work at common premises and respond to requests by officers of another Contracting Party as soon as possible.
(4) The competent authorities referred to in Article 3 shall exchange lists of names of officers seconded to the Centre and keep each other informed of any changes.
Article 6
Working language
The officers shall mutually communicate in the Slovenian, German, Hungarian or English languages. They shall have the right to forward requests and responses in their own language.
Article 7
Costs
(1) The Slovenian Contracting Party shall provide, free of charge, other Contracting Parties with the necessary premises to perform the work at the Centre, and cover the operating costs, with the exception of costs of the use of telecommunications.
(2) The premises intended solely for use by other Contracting Parties shall be assigned for use to those Contracting Parties with a special arrangement.
(3) The Slovenian Contracting Party shall facilitate the installation and operation of telecommunication devices and data processing devices provided by other Contracting Parties as well as the establishment of the necessary connections, also with local networks.
(4) For the purpose of performing the activities set forth in this Agreement, the Slovenian Contracting Party shall enable telecommunication and data processing experts of other Contracting parties to enter its state territory in order to install devices and establish and maintain network connections.
(5) Devices and other movables brought to and installed at the Centre by other Contracting Parties shall remain their property. No customs duty or other charges shall be levied on the importation of equipment and devices necessary to perform the work.
Article 8
Operation of the Centre
(1) Each of the authorities referred to in Article 3 shall designate an officer responsible for the organisation, activities and operation of the Centre. The officers shall meet on a monthly basis in order to analyse the work, eliminate problems, deficiencies or irregularities and agree on further work. Minutes shall be drawn up of each meeting.
(2) Prior to the start of the Centre’s operation, the authorities referred to in Article 3 shall adopt the rules of procedure and any other measures with a view to ensuring the Centre’s operation.
(3) After the rules of procedure have been confirmed, they shall become binding on all the Contracting Parties.
(4) The representatives of the competent authorities referred to in Article 3 shall meet at least once annually in order to review the cooperation and evaluate the Centre’s work.
Article 9
Relation to other treaties
The provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the obligations undertaken by the Contracting Parties based on other bilateral or multilateral treaties.
Article 10
Settlement of disputes
Any dispute related to the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall be settled through negotiations among the Ministries responsible for the implementation of this Agreement. If they are unable to decide the disputed issue, the dispute shall be resolved through diplomatic channels.
Article 11
Depositary
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia shall be the Depositary of this Agreement.
Article 12
Accession
(1) This Agreement shall be open for accession by neighbouring countries of the Republic of Slovenia. The decision on accession shall be taken unanimously by the Contracting Parties. With the accession, the rules of procedure adopted until that date based on Article 8 of this Agreement shall become binding on the acceding state.
(2) The instrument of accession shall be deposited with the Depositary, which shall notify the other Contracting Parties of the deposit of the instrument of accession. For the Acceding State, this Agreement shall enter into force 90 days after the date of the deposit of its instrument of accession.
Article 13
Final provisions
(1) This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the deposit of the last formal notice on the fulfillment of all internal legal procedures or the last instrument of approval or ratification. Depositary shall notify all Contracting Parties of the date of its entry into force.
(2) This Agreement shall be concluded for an indefinite period of time. Each Contracting Party may denounce this Agreement by written notification to the Depositary, which shall immediately notify other Contracting Parties. The denunciation shall take effect, in respect of the denouncing Contracting Party, 6 months after the date on which the Depositary has notified the other Contracting Parties of the denunciation.
Done at Brussels on 8. 11. 2007 in four original copies, each in the Slovenian, German, Hungarian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. Each Contracting Party shall receive one original copy. One original copy shall be deposited with the Depositary. In case of differences in the interpretation of the Agreement, the English version shall prevail.
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