EC/Bangladesh agreement: cooperation agreement on partnership and development

PURPOSE : to conclude the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the People's Republic of Bangladesh. CONTENT : this agreement is concluded for a period of 5 years. It shall automatically be renewed on a yearly basis unless one of the Parties announces its intention not to do so at least 6 months before its expiry date. The agreement will be an advanced framework cooperation agreement with an emphasis on development aid and economic cooperation in the broadest sense of the term. It deals with a framework cooperation agreement which includes the strengthening and diversification of economic and commercial relations, cooperation to promote the country's development, especially for the poorest sections of the population, with particular emphasis on women, and the promotion of environmental protection. Actions specifically targeting the poorest sections of the population will be founded on respect for human rights and democratic principles and will seek to achieve sustainable development. The body of the Agreement will contain provisions on the various fields of cooperation and cover: 1) development cooperation and the combat against poverty (which consists of the combat against drugs and AIDS); 2) trade and commercial cooperation which within the bounds of their respective competences the Parties are committed to conduct trade in accordance with the Agreement establishing the WTO (to work towards the elimination of barriers to trade, the timely removal of non-tariff barriers, the expansion of diversification of trade between them, improving market access and cooperation and simplification of customs procedures); 3) environmental cooperation; 4) economic cooperation towards the creation of a creative competitive economic environment and to promote commercial exchanges and investments. Other areas of cooperation are also included such as the regional cooperation, the cooperation in science and technology, human resource development culture, etc. The Agreement also involves an evolutive clause which allows the Parties to expand this Agreement with a view to enhancing the level of cooperation and to add to it by means of agreements on specific sectors or activities. In addition, a Joint Commission will be set up to ensure the proper functioning of and implementation of the Agreement. Furthermore, the Joint Commission may also set up specialised subgroups to assist in the performance of its tasks. It is worth noting that 2 annexes exist, the first concerning intellectual, industrial and commercial property and the second concerning the effectiveness of the cooperation with third countries to facilitate the readmission of nationals of the latter who are present illegally in the territory of a Member State. (Bangladesh undertakes to conclude readmission agreements with the Member States of the European Union which so request).�