NoL345/18 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 6.12.82
AGREEMENT
intheformofanexchangeoflettersbetweentheEuropeanEconomicCommunityandthe
RepublicofFinlandontheinterconnection oftheCommunitynetworkfordatatransmission
(Euronet)andtheFinnishnationaldatanetwork
A.LetterfromFinland
Brussels,
Sir,
Overthepastfewyears,considerableeffortshavebeenmadeinEurope,especiallybythe
EuropeanCommunities ,bothinthefieldofdatatransmissionbypacket-switching andinthe
fieldofscientificandtechnicalinformationanddocumentation ,notably:
—theresolutionoftheCounciloftheEuropeanCommunitiesof14January1974onan
initialoutlineprogrammeoftheEuropeanCommunities inthefieldofscienceand
technologyinwhichtheCouncilstressedthatthirdcountries,especiallyEuropean
countries,shouldbegiventheopportunityoftakingpartintheprojectconcernedwhenever
iswasfoundnecessaryordesirable,
—theDecisionsoftheCounciloftheEuropeanCommunitiesof18March1975,9October
1978and27July1981adoptingthree-yearactionplansonscientificandtechnical
informationanddocumentation andprovidingforthesettingupofatelecommunications
network(Euronet)toprovideCommunityuserswithreliable,rapidandeconomic
accesstothescientific,technical,economicandsocialdocumentation anddataavailable,
bymeansofthedirectinformationaccessnetworkforEurope(Diane),
—thedecisionofthetelecommunications administrations oftheMemberStatesofthe
CommunitythroughamultilateralConvention (hereinaftercalled'theConvention')signed
on11December1975,tosetupandrunEuronetandtoinstructFrancetoconcludea
contracttothiseffectwiththeCommunity (hereinaftercalled'theContract'),whichwas
signedon15December1975,
—theDecisionoftheCounciloftheEuropeanCommunitiesof27July1981adoptingathird
planofactioninthefieldofinformationanddocumentation (1981to1983)andproviding
thepossibilityfortheCommunitytoconcludeCooperationAgreementswiththird
countriesparticipatingintheEuropeanConferenceofPostalandTelecommunications
Administrations (CEPT),
—theconclusionofanAgreementintheformofanexchangeoflettersdated28September
1979betweentheCommunityandtheSwissConfederation ontheextensionofthe
Communitynetworkfordatatransmission (Euronet),andoftheCooperationAgreement
signedon18December1981,betweentheCommunityandtheKingdomofSwedenonthe
interconnection oftheCommunitynetworkfordatatransmission (Euronet)andthe
Swedishdatanetworkforinformationretrievalpurposes,andoftheTrilateralProtocol
signedon18December1981onthepurportoftheAgreementsfordatanetwork
cooperationconcludedbytheEuropeanEconomicCommunitywith,ontheonehand,the
SwissConfederation and,ontheotherhand,theKingdomofSweden.
TakingaccountoftheaboveandoftheparticipationofFinlandintheCEPT,representatives of
theGovernmentofFinlandandoftheCommissionmetonseveraloccasionsafter20March
1981tostudytheinterconnection betweenEuronetandtheFinnishnationaldatanetworksoas
togiveFinnishusersaccesstoinformationservicesavailablethroughEuronet-Diane andto
giveEuronet-Diane usersaccesstoinformationservicesinFinland.Afurtheraimofthe

6.12.82 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL345/19
meetingswastocarryoutajointanalysisofthearrangementswhichwouldprovidethe
informationservicesinFinland,intheCommunity ,inSwitzerlandandinSweden,withaccess,
onareciprocalbasis,totheinformationmarketsinthecountriesinvolved.
Forthepurposeofthiscooperation ,Ihavethehonourtomakethefollowingproposals :
1.Euronetwillbeinterconnected withtheFinnishnationaldatanetworkunderan
agreementbetweentheGeneralDirectorateofPostsandTelecommunications inFinland
(Posti-jaTelehallitus),hereinaftercalled'theFinnishPTTadministration 'andthetelecom­
municationsadministrations ,partiestotheConvention .Thisinterconnection shalltakeplace
undertheconditionslaiddownfortheentirenetwork,takingintoaccounttheConvention,the
Contract,theaddendatheretoandthenewaddendumtotheContractwhichwillbeconcluded
betweentheCommunityandFrancewithaviewtoFinnishparticipation .
2.TheFinnishPTTadministration andthetelecommunications administrations inthe
Communityshallsettlejointlythetechnicalquestionsrelatingtotheconnectionofthe
terminalsandhosts,andthefinancialproblemsarisingfromtheinterconnection between
EuronetandtheFinnishnationaldatanetwork.
3.TheterminalsinstalledinFinlandorintheCommunityshallbeguaranteed,ina
non-discriminatory mannerandonareciprocalbasis,connectionandaccesstoEuronet-Diane
andtotheFinnishnationaldatanetworkrespectivelywithintheframeworkoftheinternational
andnationalregulationsinforce.
4.ThehostslocatedinFinlandorintheCommunityshallbeguaranteed,ina
non-discriminatory mannerandonareciprocalbasis,thepossibilityofconnectionto
Euronet-Diane andtotheFinnishnationaldatanetworkrespectivelywithintheframeworkof
theinternationalandnationalregulationsinforce.
5.EachPartyshallendeavour,inaspiritofhealthyandfaircompetitionandwiththeaimof
safeguardingtheinterestsoftheusersandensuringefficientandeconomicoperation,to
enforcetheobservancebythehostsconnectedtoEuronet-Diane andtotheFinnishnational
datanetworkrespectivelyofacodeofconductascloselyaspossibleinlinewiththejoint
declarationofintentgivenintheAnnex.
6.TheCommunityshalluseitsbestendeavourstofacilitatetheparticipationofFinnish
hostcomputeroperatorsinthemeetingsoftheEuropeanHostOperatorsGroupaswellasthe
participationofFinnishusersintheEuronet-Diane UserForum.
7.TherightoftheFinnishPTTadministration tousetheFinnishnationaldatanetworkfor
trafficindependentofEuronetisnotaffected.
8.Finnishexpertsmayparticipateasequalpartnersinworktodevelopadditionaltechnical
specifications ,toestablishnewgeneralprovisionsforEuronet-Diane andtotrainusers.
9.ThePartiesshalltakeallappropriatemeasurestoarriveatajointsolutiontothe
problemsrelatingtothesettingup,managementandpossibledevelopmentofEuronetnot
coveredbypoints1and2.ThePartiesshallholdconsultationsthroughdiplomaticchannelsfor
thispurpose.
10.AnyextensionofEuronettoStatesnotmembersoftheCommunityshallbesubjectto
priorconsultationbetweenthePartiesinparticularasregardstheconsequencesofsuch
extensionbothfortherelationsbetweenFinlandandtheCommunityandforthosethatthetwo
PartieswillhavewiththeStatesinquestion.
11.EachPartywillbefreetoconnecttoitsnetworkothernetworks,hostcomputersand
userssituatedoutsideFinlandandtheCommunity .Furtherconnectionofsuchextensionsto
thenetworkoftheotherPartyrequiresprioragreementbetweenthePartiesand,where
appropriate ,consentbythetelecommunications administrations involved.

NoL345/20 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 6.12.82
12.ThePartiesshallinformeachotherregularlyontheprogressofthecooperation .In
particular,theyshallexchange,asfarinadvanceaspossible,allrelevantinformationrelating
toprojectstoconnecthostsanddatabasesorbanks.Suchexchangesofinformationshallbe
madethroughdiplomaticchannels.
13.Thecooperationprovidedforshalllapseon31December1983,butmaybeterminated
beforethatdatebyeitherPartysubjecttooneyear'snotice.
14.Thisexchangeoflettersshallapply,ontheonehand,totheterritoriesinwhichthe
TreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunityisappliedandundertheconditions
laiddowninthatTreatyand,ontheotherhand,totheterritoryofFinland.
Ifyouareabletoconfirminwritingyouragreementtotheaforesaid,thetwoPartieswill
considerthisexchangeoflettersasastatementoftheiraimsandoftheformsoftheir
cooperationconcerningEuronet-Diane .Thisexchangeofletterswillenterintoforceonthe
dateonwhichyourreplyissigned.
Pleaseaccept,Sir,theassuranceofmyhighestconsideration .
FortheGovernmentofthe
RepublicofFinland

6.12.82 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL345/21
Jointdeclarationofintentconcerningtheoperationofhostcomputerstobeconnectedto
Euronet-Diane ,feferredtoinpoint5ofthisletter
1.Thehostaloneshallberesponsiblefortheoperationofitsservicesviathenetwork.
2.Thehostshallnotmakedistinctionsbasedonnationalitybetweentheusersof
Euronet-Diane .Ifexistingcontractsorinternationalagreementscontaindiscriminatory
provisions,thehostshallnotifythecompetentauthoritiesinitscountryandendeavourtohave
theprovisionsamended.
3.Thehostshallabstainfromallunfaircompetition .Ifnecessary,itmaybeinvited,bythe
competentauthoritiesinitscountryandwithintheframeworkofthenationalprovisionsin
force,toprovideexplanationsonthissubject.
4.Thehostshallobservetheprincipleofmaintainingatthelowestpossiblelevelthefees
relatingtoscientificandtechnicalinformation (1ST)services.Itshallapplythisprincipleasfar
aspossibleinitstariffpolicy.
5.Thehostshallendeavourtocontributetowardsagradualharmonization ofservices,in
particularbymeansof:
—theapplication,toitsformationretrievalsystem,ofthestandardizedinstructionsgivenin
the'EuronetGuidelines :standardcommandsforinformationretrievalsystems',
—thegradualharmonization ofthegeneralconditionsofsale,whichwillbeundertaken
jointly,
—thegradualrationalization ofinstructionmanuals,
—thesimplificationofaccessmethodsforusersandofinvoicing.
6.Thehostshallexaminethepossibilityofcooperatinginthepreparationofmeasuresto
marketitsservicesefficientlyatEuronet-Diane levelandtotraintheusersofthese
services.
7.InordertoachievetheappropriatelevelofcooperationwithinEuronet-Diane ,thehost
maytakepartintheworkofacommitteewhichwillmeetatregularintervals,expressits
opinioninallquestionsrelatingtothenetworkandassistinthepreparationofappropriate
recommendations tothecompetentauthorities .Eachhostshallbearthecostsofits
representation atsuchmeetings.
8.Thehostshalldesignatetothecompetentauthoritiesinitscountryitsrepresentativeon
thiscommitteewithinthreemonthsfollowingtheconclusionoftheagreementrequiredforits
connectiontoEuronet-Diane .Withinthesameperiod,itmayalsodesignateaperson
responsibleforallotherquestionsrelatingtoEuronet-Diane andspecifyhispowers.
9.Withinthesameperiod,thehostshallprovidethecompetentauthoritiesinitscountry
withaprovisionaldescriptionofthedatabasesandrelatedserviceswhichitintendstooffer.
Thisdescriptionshouldfollowascloselyaspossibletheexampleshowninthe'Euronet
Guidelinesforcooperationbetweendatabasesuppliersandhostorganizations'.Inparticular,
thedescriptionshallcoverindetailthedatabases,theserviceswhichtheyofferandthetariffs
applicable.Thecompetentauthoritiesshouldbeprovidedwithadefinitivedescriptionofthese
servicesnolaterthanthreemonthsbeforethecommencement ofoperation.
10.Thehostshalldoeverythinginitspowertoannouncethreemonthsinadvanceany
majorchangestotheservicesdescribedandtoinformthecompetentauthoritiesinitscountry
ofsuchchanges.

NoL345/22 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 6.12.82
11.ThehostshallinformthecompetentauthoritiesinFinlandifitintendstouseits
Euronet-Diane linkforpurposesotherthanscientificandtechnicalinformation .
12.Inordertopermitthecompetentauthoritiestoadaptthenetworktorequirements ,the
hostshallprovidethecompetentauthoritiesatleastonceayearwithstatisticsontheuseof
Euronet-Diane viaitsservices,includingtrafficstatistics,numberofsubscribers,etc.
B.LetterfromtheCommunity
Brussels,
Sir,
Ihavethehonourtoacknowledgereceiptofyourletteroftoday'sdateconcerningthe
interconnection oftheCommunitydatatransmissionnetwork(Euronet)andtheFinnish
nationaldatanetwork.
IamabletoconfirmtheagreementoftheEuropeanEconomicCommunitytothecontentsof
yourletter,includingthejointdeclarationofintentannexedthereto.
Pleaseaccept,Sir,theassuranceofmyhighestconsideration .
OnbehalfoftheCouncil
oftheEuropeanCommunities