AGREEMENT

for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt setting out the terms and conditions for the participation of the Arab Republic of Egypt in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

THE EUROPEAN UNION, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Union’,

of the one part,

and

THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT, hereinafter referred to as ‘Egypt’,

of the other part,

hereinafter referred to as ‘the Parties’,

WHEREAS the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part (1) (‘the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement’), which entered into force on 1 June 2004, provides for scientific and technological cooperation;

WHEREAS the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Arab Republic of Egypt (2), which entered into force on 27 February 2008, establishes a formal framework for cooperation of the Parties in scientific and technological research;

WHEREAS Decision (EU) 2017/1324 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) regulates the terms and conditions for the participation of the Member States of the Union and third countries associated to Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020 (‘Horizon 2020’) which are Participating States of the initiative, in particular their financial obligations and participation in the governing structures of the initiative;

WHEREAS in accordance with Decision (EU) 2017/1324 Egypt is to become a Participating State in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (‘PRIMA’) subject to the conclusion of an international agreement for scientific and technological cooperation with the Union setting out the terms and conditions for the participation of Egypt in PRIMA;

WHEREAS Egypt expressed its wish to join PRIMA as a Participating State and on an equal footing with the Member States of the Union and third countries associated to Horizon 2020 participating in PRIMA;

WHEREAS an international agreement between the Union and Egypt is needed to regulate the rights and obligations of Egypt as a Participating State in PRIMA;

WHEREAS full cooperation and coordination between competent authorities of both Parties is essential for implementation of this Agreement,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The purpose

The purpose of this Agreement is to set out the terms and conditions for the participation of Egypt in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (‘PRIMA’).

Article 2

Terms and conditions for the participation of Egypt in PRIMA

The terms and conditions for the participation of Egypt in PRIMA shall be those set out in Decision (EU) 2017/1324. The Parties shall comply with the obligations established by Decision (EU) 2017/1324 and take appropriate measures, in particular by providing all necessary assistance in order to ensure the application of Article 10(2) and Article 11(3) and (4) of that Decision. The detailed arrangements for assistance shall be agreed between the Parties, such arrangements being essential to their cooperation under this Agreement.

Article 3

Territorial application

This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union are applied and, on the other, to the territory of Egypt.

Article 4

Provisional application, entry into force and duration

1.   This Agreement shall be approved by the Parties in accordance with their own procedures.

2.   This Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which both Parties have notified each other through diplomatic channels that the procedures referred to in paragraph 1 have been completed. Following its signature and pending its entry into force, the Parties shall apply this Agreement on a provisional basis as from the date on which the Union receives the notification concerning the completion by Egypt of the procedures referred to in paragraph 1.

3.   This Agreement shall remain in force for as long as Decision (EU) 2017/1324 is in force, unless terminated by either Party in accordance with Article 5.

Article 5

Termination

1.   Either Party may terminate this Agreement at any time by a written notice informing the other Party of the intent to terminate it.

The termination shall take effect six months after the date on which the written notice reaches its addressee.

2.   Projects and activities in progress at the time of termination of this Agreement shall continue until their completion under the conditions laid down in this Agreement.

3.   Parties shall settle by common consent any other consequences of termination.

Article 6

Dispute settlement

The dispute settlement procedure provided for in Article 82 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement shall apply to all disputes related to the application or interpretation of this Agreement.

This Agreement shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Arabic languages, each text being equally authentic.

(1)  OJ L 304, 30.9.2004, p. 39.

(2)  OJ L 182, 13.7.2005, p. 12.

(3)  Decision (EU) 2017/1324 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2017 on the participation of the Union in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) jointly undertaken by several Member States (OJ L 185, 18.7.2017, p. 1).