DECISION No 1/2008 OF THE JOINT COMMUNITY/SWITZERLAND AIR TRANSPORT COMMITTEE SET UP UNDER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE SWISS CONFEDERATION ON AIR TRANSPORT

of 16 December 2008

replacing the Annex to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport

(2009/115/EC)

THE COMMUNITY/SWITZERLAND AIR TRANSPORT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’, and in particular Article 23(4) thereof,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The Annex to this Decision replaces the Annex to the Agreement.

ANNEX

For the purposes of this Agreement:

— wherever acts specified in this Annex contain references to Member States of the European Community, or a requirement for a link with the latter, the references shall, for the purpose of the Agreement, be understood to apply equally to Switzerland or to the requirement of a link with Switzerland,

— without prejudice to Article 15 of this Agreement, the term ‘Community air carrier’ referred to in the following Community directives and regulations shall include an air carrier which is licensed and has its principal place of business and, if any, its registered office in Switzerland in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92,

— The Community-Switzerland Air transport Agreement concluded between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air transport is extended to the territory of Bulgaria and to the territory of Romania.

1. Third aviation liberalisation package and other civil aviation rules

No 2407/92

Council Regulation of 23 July 1992 on licensing of air carriers

(Articles 1 to 18)

As regards the application of Article 13(3), the reference to Article 226 of the EC Treaty shall be understood to mean a reference to the applicable procedures of this Agreement.

No 2408/92

Council Regulation of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes

(Articles 1 to 10, 12 to 15)

(The Annexes will be amended in order to include Swiss airports).

(The amendments to Annex I, arising from Annex II, Chapter 8 (Transport policy), Section G (Air transport), point 1 of the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded, shall apply).

No 2409/92

Council Regulation of 23 July 1992 on fares and rates for air services

(Articles 1 to 11)

No 2000/79

Council Directive of 27 November 2000 concerning the implementation of the European Agreement on the Organisation of Working Time of Mobile Workers in Civil Aviation concluded by the Association of European Airlines (AEA), the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the European Cockpit Association (ECA), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and the International Air Carrier Association (IACA).

No 93/104

Council Directive of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time, as amended by:

— Directive 2000/34/EC of 22 June 2000.

No 437/2003

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 February 2003 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air

No 1358/2003

Commission Regulation of 31 July 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air and amending Annexes I and II thereto

No 785/2004

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on insurance requirements for air carriers and aircraft operators

No 91/670

Council Directive of 16 December 1991 on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil aviation

(Articles 1 to 8)

No 95/93

Council Regulation of 18 January 1993 on common rules for the allocation of slots at Community airports (Articles 1 to 12), as amended by:

— Regulation No 793/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 (Articles 1 and 2).

No 96/67

Council Directive of 15 October 1996 on access to the groundhandling market at Community airports

(Articles 1 to 9, 11 to 23, and 25)

No 2027/97

Council Regulation of 9 October 1997 on air carrier liability in the event of accidents (Articles 1 to 8), as amended by:

— Regulation 889/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 May 2002 (Articles 1 to 2).

2. Competition rules

Any reference in the following texts to Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty shall be understood to mean Articles 8 and 9 of this Agreement.

No 17/62

Council Regulation of 6 February 1962 implementing Article 81 and 82 of the Treaty (Article 8(3)), as last amended by:

— Regulation No 59/62,

— Regulation No 118/63,

— Regulation No 2822/71,

— Regulation No 1216/99,

— Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 (Articles 1 to 13, 15 to 45).

No 2988/74

Council Regulation of 26 November 1974 concerning limitation periods in proceedings and the enforcement of sanctions under the rules of the EEC relating to transport and competition (Articles 1 to 7)

— Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 (Articles 1 to 13 and 15 to 45).

No 3975/87

Council Regulation of 14 December 1987 laying down the procedures for the application of the rules on competition to undertakings in the air transport sector (Articles 1 to 7, 8(1), 8(2), 9 to 11, 12(1), 12(2), 12(4), 12(5), 13(1), 13(2) and 14 to 19), as last amended by:

— Council Regulation No 1284/91 of 14 May 1991 (Article 1),

— Council Regulation No 2410/92 of 23 July 1992 (Article 1),

— Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 (Articles 1 to 13 and 15 to 45).

No 3976/87

Council Regulation of 14 December 1987 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreement and concerted practices in the air transport sector (Articles 1 to 5), as last amended by:

— Council Regulation (EEC) No 2344/90 of 24 July 1990 (Article 1),

— Council Regulation (EEC) No 2411/92 of 23 July 1992 (Article 1),

— Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 (Articles 1 to 13, 15 to 45).

No 1617/93

Commission Regulation of 25 June 1993 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements and concerted practices concerning joint planning and coordination of schedules, joint operations, consultations on passenger and cargo tariffs on scheduled air services and slot allocation at airports (Articles 1 to 7), as last amended by:

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1523/96 of 24 July 1996 (Articles 1 and 2),

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1083/1999 of 26 May 1999,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1324/2001 of 29 June 2001.

No 4261/88

Commission Regulation of 16 December 1988 on the complaints, applications and hearings provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3975/87

(Articles 1 to 14)

No 80/723

Commission Directive of 25 June 1980 on the transparency of financial relations between Member States and public undertakings (Articles 1 to 9), as last amended by:

— Commission Directive 85/413/EEC of 24 July 1985 (Articles 1 to 3).

No 1/2003

Council Regulation of 16 December 2002 on the implementation of the rules on competition laid down in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty (Articles 1 to 13, 15 to 45)

(To the extent that this Regulation is relevant for the application of this agreement. The insertion of this Regulation does not affect the division of tasks according to this agreement).

No 773/2004

Commission Regulation of 7 April 2004 relating to the conduct of proceedings by the Commission pursuant to Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty

No 139/2004

Council Regulation of 20 January 2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (the EC Merger Regulation)

(Article 1-18, 19(1)-(2), and 20-23)

With respect to Article 4(5) of the Merger Regulation the following shall apply between the European Community and Switzerland:

(1) With regard to a concentration as defined in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 which does not have a Community dimension within the meaning of Article 1 of that Regulation and which is capable of being reviewed under the national competition laws of at least three EC Member States and the Swiss Confederation, the persons or undertakings referred to in Article 4(2) of that Regulation may, before any notification to the competent authorities, inform the EC Commission by means of a reasoned submission that the concentration should be examined by the Commission.

(2) The EC Commission shall transmit all submissions pursuant to Article 4(5) of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 and the previous paragraph to the Swiss Confederation without delay.

(3) Where the Swiss Confederation has expressed its disagreement as regards the request to refer the case, the competent Swiss competition authority shall retain its competence, and the case shall not be referred from the Swiss Confederation pursuant to this paragraph.

With respect to time limits referred to in Articles 4(4) and (5), Articles 9(2) and (6), and Article 22(2) of the Merger Regulation:

(1) The EC Commission shall transmit all the relevant documents pursuant to Articles 4(4) and (5), Articles 9(2) and (6) and Article 22(2) to the competent Swiss competition authority without delay.

(2) The calculation of the time limits referred to in Articles 4(4) and (5), Articles 9(2) and (6), and Article 22(2) of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 shall start, for the Swiss Confederation, upon receipt of the relevant documents by the competent Swiss competition authority.

No 802/2004

Commission Regulation of 7 April 2004 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings

(Articles 1 to 24)

3. Aviation safety

No 3922/91

Council Regulation of 16 December 1991 on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation (Articles 1 to 3, 4(2), (5 to 11, and 13)), as last amended by:

— Regulation (EC) No 1899/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006,

— Regulation (EC) No 1900/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 8/2008 of 11 December 2007.

No 94/56/EC

Council Directive of 21 November 1994 establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents

(Articles 1 to 13)

No 2004/36

Directive of the Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on the safety of third-country aircraft using Community airports (Articles 1 to 9, and 11 to 14)

No 768/2006

Commission Regulation of 19 May 2006 implementing Directive 2004/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the collection and exchange of information on the safety of aircraft using Community airports and the management of the information system

No 2003/42

Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2003 on occurrence reporting in civil aviation

(Articles 1 to 12)

No 1592/2002

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2002 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Regulation’), as amended by:

— Regulation (EC) No 1643/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2003,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1701/2003 of 24 September 2003,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 334/2007 of 28 March 2007,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 103/2007 of 2 February 2007 on the extension of the transitional period referred to in Article 53(4).

The Agency shall enjoy also in Switzerland the powers granted to it under the provisions of the Regulation.

The Commission shall enjoy also in Switzerland the powers granted to it for decisions pursuant to Article 10(2), (4), (6), Article 16(4), Article 29(3)(i), Article 31(3), Article 32(5) and Article 53(4).

Notwithstanding the horizontal adaptation provided for in the first indent of the Annex to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport, the references to the ‘Member States’ made in Article 54 of the Regulation or in the provisions of Decision 1999/468/EC mentioned in that provision shall not be understood to apply to Switzerland.

Nothing in this Regulation shall be construed so as to transfer to the EASA authority to act on behalf of Switzerland under international agreements for other purposes than to assist in the performance of its obligations pursuant to such agreements.

The text of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of the Agreement, be read with the following adaptations

(a) Article 9 is amended as follows: (i) in paragraph 1, the words ‘or Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’; (ii) in paragraph 2(a), the words ‘or Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’; (iii) in paragraphs 2 points (b) and (c) are deleted; (iv) the following paragraph is added: ‘3. Whenever the Community negotiates with a third country in order to conclude an agreement providing that a Member State or the Agency may issue certificates on the basis of certificates issued by the aeronautical authorities of that third country, it shall endeavour to obtain for Switzerland an offer of a similar agreement with the third country in question. Switzerland shall, in turn, endeavour to conclude with third countries agreements corresponding to those of the Community’.

(b) In Article 20, the following paragraph shall be added: ‘4. By way of derogation from Article 12(2)(a) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities, Swiss nationals enjoying their full rights as citizens may be engaged under contract by the Executive Director of the Agency.’

(c) In Article 21, the following paragraph is added: ‘Switzerland shall apply to the Agency the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities, which is set out as Annex A to the present Annex, in accordance with the Appendix to Annex A.’

(d) In Article 28, the following paragraph is added: ‘Switzerland shall participate fully in the Management Board and shall within it have the same rights and obligations as European Union Member States, except for the right to vote’.

(e) In Article 48, the following paragraph shall be added: ‘8. Switzerland shall participate in the financial contribution referred to in paragraph 1(a), according to the following formula: S (0,2/100) + S [1 – (a + b) 0,2/100] c/C where: S = the part of the budget of the Agency not covered by the fees and charges mentioned in paragraph 1(b) and (c) a = the number of Associated States b = the number of EU Member States c = the contribution of Switzerland to the ICAO budget C = the total contribution of the EU Member States and of the Associated States to the ICAO budget.’

(f) In Article 50, the following paragraph is added: ‘The provisions relating to financial control by the Community in Switzerland concerning the participants in the activities of the Agency are set out in Annex B to the present Annex.’

(g) Annex II to the Regulation shall be extended to include the following aircraft as products covered by Article 2(3)(a)(ii) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 of 24 September 2003 laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations (1): A/c — [HB IDJ] — type CL600-2B19 A/c — [HB-IGM] — type Gulfstream G-V-SP A/c — [HB-IIS, HB-IIY, HB-IMJ, HB-IVL, HB-IVZ, HB-JES] — type Gulfstream G-V A/c — [HB-IBX, HB-IKR, HB-IMY, HB-ITF, HB-IWY] — type Gulfstream G-IV A/c — [HB-XJF, HB-ZCW, HB-ZDF, HB-ZDO] — type MD 900

No 736/2006

Commission Regulation of 16 May 2006 on working methods of the European Aviation Safety Agency for conducting standardisation inspections

No 1702/2003

Regulation of 24 September 2003 laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations, as amended by:

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 381/2005 of 7 March 2005,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 706/2006 of 8 May 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 335/2007 of 28 March 2007,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 375/2007 of 30 March 2007.

For the purposes of the Agreement, the provisions of the Regulation No 1702/2003 shall be read subject to the following adjustment:

Article 2 is amended as follows:

In paragraphs 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14, the date ‘28 September 2003’ shall be replaced by ‘the date of entry into force of the Decision of the Community/Switzerland Air Transport Committee which incorporates Regulation 1592/2002 into the Annex to the Regulation’.

No 2042/2003

Commission Regulation of 20 November 2003 on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organisations and personnel involved in these tasks, as last amended by:

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 707/2006 of 8 May 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 376/2007 of 30 March 2007.

No 104/2004

Commission Regulation of 22 January 2004 laying down rules on the organisation and composition of the Board of Appeal of the European Aviation Safety Agency

No 593/2007

Commission Regulation of 31 May 2007 on the fees and charges levied by the European Aviation Safety Agency

No 2111/2005

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2005 on the establishment of a Community list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the Community and on informing air transport passengers of the identity of the operating air carrier, and repealing Article 9 of Directive 2004/36/EC

No 473/2006

Commission Regulation of 22 March 2006 laying down implementing rules for the Community list of air carriers which are subject to an operating ban within the Community referred to in Chapter II of Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council

No 474/2006

Commission Regulation of 22 March 2006 establishing the Community list of air carriers which are subject to an operating ban within the Community referred to in Chapter II of Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as last amended by:

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 715/2008 of 24 July 2008.

This Regulation shall apply in Switzerland as long as it is in force in the EU.

4. Aviation Security

No 2320/2002

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation security (Articles 1 to 8, and 10 to 13), as amended by:

— Regulation (EC) No 849/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004.

No 622/2003

Commission Regulation of 4 April 2003 laying down measures for the implementation of the common basic standards on aviation security, as amended by:

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 68/2004 of 15 January 2004,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 781/2005 of 24 May 2005,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 857/2005 of 6 June 2005,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 65/2006 of 13 January 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 240/2006 of 10 February 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 831/2006 of 2 June 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1448/2006 of 29 September 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1546/2006 of 4 October 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1862/2006 of 15 December 2006,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 437/2007 of 20 April 2007,

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 358/2008 of 22 April 2008.

No 1217/2003

Commission Regulation of 4 July 2003 laying down common specifications for national civil aviation security quality control programmes

No 1486/2003

Commission Regulation of 22 August 2003 laying down procedures for conducting Commission inspections in the field of civil aviation security

(Articles 1 to 13, and 15 to 18)

No 1138/2004

Commission Regulation of 21 June 2004 establishing a common definition of critical parts of security restricted areas of airports

5. Air traffic management

No 549/2004

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 laying down the framework for the creation of the Single European Sky (the Framework Regulation)

The Commission shall enjoy in Switzerland the powers granted to it pursuant to Articles 6, 8(1), 10, 11 and 12.

Notwithstanding the horizontal adjustment referred to in the first indent of the Annex to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport, the references to the ‘Member States’ made in ‘Article 5 of Regulation 549/2004 or in the provisions of Decision 1999/468/EC mentioned in that provision shall not be understood to apply to Switzerland.’

No 550/2004

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the provision of air navigation services in the Single European Sky (the Service Provision Regulation)

The Commission shall enjoy towards Switzerland the powers granted to it pursuant to Article 16, as amended below.

The provisions of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of the Agreement, be amended as follows:

(a) Article 3 shall be amended as follows: In paragraph 2, the words ‘and Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

(b) Article 7 is amended as follows: In paragraph 1 and paragraph 6, the words ‘and Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

(c) Article 8 is amended as follows: In paragraph 1, the words ‘and Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

(d) Article 10 is amended as follows: In paragraph 1, the words ‘and Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

(e) Article 16(3) is replaced by the following: ‘3. The Commission shall address its decision to the Member States and inform the service provider thereof, in so far as it is legally concerned.’

No 551/2004

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the organisation and use of the airspace in the Single European Sky (the Airspace Regulation)

The Commission shall enjoy in Switzerland the powers granted to it pursuant to Articles 2, 3(5) and 10.

No 552/2004

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the interoperability of the European Air Traffic Management network (the Interoperability Regulation)

The Commission shall enjoy in Switzerland the powers granted to it pursuant to Articles 4, 7 and 10(3).

The provisions of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of the Agreement, be amended as follows:

(a) Article 5 is amended as follows: In paragraph 2, the words ‘or Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

(b) Article 7 is amended as follows: In paragraph 4, the words ‘or Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

(c) Annex III shall be amended as follows: In section 3, second and last indents, the words ‘or Switzerland’ shall be inserted after the words ‘the Community’.

No 2096/2005

Commission Regulation of 20 December 2005 laying down common requirements for the provision of air navigation services

The Commission shall enjoy in Switzerland the powers granted to it pursuant to Article 9.

No 2150/2005

Commission Regulation of 23 December 2005 laying down common rules for the flexible use of airspace

No 1033/2006

Commission Regulation of 4 July 2006 laying down the requirements on procedures for flight plans in the pre-flight phase for the Single European Sky

No 1032/2006

Commission Regulation of 6 July 2006 laying down requirements for automatic systems for the exchange of flight data for the purpose of notification, coordination and transfer of flights between air traffic control units

No 2006/23

Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2006 on a Community air traffic controller licence

No 730/2006

Commission Regulation of 11 May 2006 on airspace classification and access of flights operated under visual flight rules above flight level 195

No 219/2007

Council Regulation of 27 February 2007 on the establishment of a Joint Undertaking to develop the new generation European air traffic management system (SESAR)

No 633/2007

Commission Regulation of 7 June 2007 laying down requirements for the application of a flight message transfer protocol used for the purpose of notification, coordination and transfer of flights between air traffic control units

6. Environment and noise

No 2002/30

Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 March 2002 on the establishment of rules and procedures with regard to the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at Community airports (Articles 1 to 12, and 14 to 18)

(The amendments to Annex I, arising from Annex II, Chapter 8 (Transport policy), Section G (Air transport), point 2 of the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded, shall apply).

No 80/51

Council Directive of 20 December 1979 on the limitation of noise emissions from subsonic aircraft (Articles 1 to 9), as amended by:

— Directive 83/206/EEC.

No 89/629

Council Directive of 4 December 1989 on the limitation of noise emissions from civil subsonic jet aeroplanes

(Articles 1 to 8)

No 92/14

Council Directive of 2 March 1992 on the limitation of the operation of aeroplanes covered by Part II, Chapter 2, Volume I of Annex 16 to the Convention of International Civil Aviation, second edition (1988)

(Articles 1 to 11)

7. Consumer protection

No 90/314

Council Directive of 13 June 1990 on package travel, package holidays and package tours

(Articles 1 to 10)

No 93/13

Council Directive of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts

(Articles 1 to 11)

No 2299/89

Council Regulation of 24 July 1989 on a code of conduct for computerised reservation systems (Articles 1 to 22), as amended by:

— Council Regulation No 3089/93,

— Council Regulation No 323/1999 of 8 February 1999.

No 261/2004

Regulation of the Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation No 295/91

(Articles 1 to 18)

8. Miscellaneous

No 2003/96

Council Directive of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity

(Article 14(1)(b), and Article 14(2))

9. Annexes:

A: Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities

B: Provisions on financial control by the Community as regards Swiss participants in activities of the EASA

(1) OJ L 243, 27.9.2003, p. 6.

ANNEX A PROTOCOL ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, CONSIDERING that, in accordance with Article 28 of the Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities, these Communities and the European Investment Bank shall enjoy in the territories of the Member States such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the performance of their tasks, HAVE AGREED upon the following provisions, which shall be annexed to this Treaty CHAPTER I PROPERTY, FUNDS, ASSETS AND OPERATIONSOF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Article 1 The premises and buildings of the Communities shall be inviolable. They shall be exempt from search, requisition, confiscation or expropriation. The property and assets of the Communities shall not be the subject of any administrative or legal measure of constraint without the authorisation of the Court of Justice. Article 2 The archives of the Communities shall be inviolable. Article 3 The Communities, their assets, revenues and other property shall be exempt from all direct taxes. The governments of the Member States shall, wherever possible, take the appropriate measures to remit or refund the amount of indirect taxes or sales taxes included in the price of movable or immovable property, where the Communities make, for their official use, substantial purchases the price of which includes taxes of this kind. These provisions shall not be applied, however, so as to have the effect of distorting competition within the Communities. No exemption shall be granted in respect of taxes and dues which amount merely to charges for public utility services. Article 4 The Communities shall be exempt from all customs duties, prohibitions and restrictions on imports and exports in respect of articles intended for their official use; articles so imported shall not be disposed of, whether or not in return for payment, in the territory of the country into which they have been imported, except under conditions approved by the government of that country. The Communities shall also be exempt from any customs duties and any prohibitions and restrictions on import and exports in respect of their publications. Article 5 The European Coal and Steel Community may hold currency of any kind and operate accounts in any currency. CHAPTER II COMMUNICATIONS AND LAISSEZ-PASSER Article 6 For their official communications and the transmission of all their documents, the institutions of the Communities shall enjoy in the territory of each Member State the treatment accorded by that State to diplomatic missions. Official correspondence and other official communications of the institutions of the Communities shall not be subject to censorship. Article 7 1. Laissez-passer in a form to be prescribed by the Council, which shall be recognized as valid travel documents by the authorities of the Member States, may be issued to members and servants of the institutions of the Communities by the Presidents of these institutions. These laissez-passer shall be issued to officials and other servants under conditions laid down in the Staff Regulations of officials and the Conditions of Employment of other servants of the Communities. The Commission may conclude agreements for these laissez-passer to be recognised as valid travel documents within the territory of non-member countries. 2. The provisions of Article 6 of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Coal and Steel Community shall, however, remain applicable to members and servants of the institutions who are at the date of entry into force of this Treaty in possession of the laissez-passer provided for in that Article, until the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article are applied. CHAPTER III MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Article 8 No administrative or other restriction shall be imposed on the free movement of Members of the European Parliament travelling to or from the place of meeting of the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament shall, in respect of customs and exchange control, be accorded: (a) by their own government, the same facilities as those accorded to senior officials travelling abroad on temporary official missions; (b) by the governments of other Member States, the same facilities as those accorded to representatives of foreign governments on temporary official missions. Article 9 Members of the European Parliament shall not be subject to any form of inquiry, detention or legal proceedings in respect of opinions expressed or votes cast by them in the performance of their duties. Article 10 During the sessions of the European Parliament, its Members shall enjoy: (a) in the territory of their own State, the immunities accorded to members of their parliament; (b) in the territory of any other Member State, immunity from any measure of detention and from legal proceedings. Immunity shall likewise apply to Members while they are travelling to and from the place of meeting of the European Parliament. Immunity cannot be claimed when a Member is found in the act of committing an offence and shall not prevent the European Parliament from exercising its right to waive the immunity of one of its Members. CHAPTER IV REPRESENTATIVES OF MEMBER STATES TAKING PART IN THE WORK OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Article 11 Representatives of Member States taking part in the work of the institutions of the Communities, their advisers and technical experts shall, in the performance of their duties and during their travel to and from the place of meeting, enjoy the customary privileges, immunities and facilities. This Article shall also apply to members of the advisory bodies of the Communities. CHAPTER V OFFICIALS AND OTHER SERVANTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Article 12 In the territory of each Member State and whatever their nationality, officials and other servants of the Communities shall: (a) subject to the provisions of the Treaties relating, on the one hand, to the rules on the liability of officials and other servants towards the Communities and, on the other hand, to the jurisdiction of the Court in disputes between the Communities and their officials and other servants, be immune from legal proceedings in respect of acts performed by them in their official capacity, including their words spoken or written. After they have ceased to hold office, they shall continue to enjoy this immunity; (b) together with their spouses and dependent members of their families, not be subject to immigration restrictions or to formalities for the registration of aliens; (c) in respect of currency or exchange regulations, be accorded the same facilities as are customarily accorded to officials of international organisations; (d) enjoy the right to import free of duty their furniture and effects at the time of first taking up their post in the country concerned, and the right to re-export free of duty their furniture and effects, on termination of their duties in that country, subject in either case to the conditions considered to be necessary by the government of the country in which this right is exercised; (e) have the right to import free of duty a motor car for their personal use, acquired either in the country of their last residence or in the country of which they are nationals on the terms ruling in the home market in that country, and to re-export it free of duty, subject in either case to the conditions considered to be necessary by the government of the country concerned. Article 13 Officials and other servants of the Communities shall be liable to a tax for the benefit of the Communities on salaries, wages and emoluments paid to them by the Communities, in accordance with the conditions and procedure laid down by the Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission. They shall be exempt from national taxes on salaries, wages and emoluments paid by the Communities. Article 14 In the application of income tax, wealth tax and death duties and in the application of conventions on the avoidance of double taxation concluded between Member States of the Communities, officials and other servants of the Communities who, solely by reason of the performance of their duties in the service of the Communities, establish their residence in the territory of a Member State other than their country of domicile for tax purposes at the time of entering the service of the Communities, shall be considered, both in the country of their actual residence and in the country of domicile for tax purposes, as having maintained their domicile in the latter country provided that it is a member of the Communities. This provision shall also apply to a spouse, to the extent that the latter is not separately engaged in a gainful occupation, and to children dependent on and in the care of the persons referred to in this Article. Movable property belonging to persons referred to in the preceding paragraph and situated in the territory of the country where they are staying shall be exempt from death duties in that country; such property shall, for the assessment of such duty, be considered as being in the country of domicile for tax purposes, subject to the rights of third countries and to the possible application of provisions of international conventions on double taxation. Any domicile acquired solely by reason of the performance of duties in the service of other international organisations shall not be taken into consideration in applying the provisions of this Article. Article 15 The Council shall, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, lay down the scheme of social security benefits for officials and other servants of the Communities. Article 16 The Council shall, acting on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the other institutions concerned, determine the categories of officials and other servants of the Communities to whom the provisions of Article 12, the second paragraph of Article 13, and Article 14 shall apply, in whole or in part. The names, grades and addresses of officials and other servants included in such categories shall be communicated periodically to the governments of the Member States. CHAPTER VI PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF MISSIONS OF THIRD COUNTRIES ACCREDITED TO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Article 17 The Member State in whose territory the Communities have their seat shall accord the customary diplomatic immunities and privileges to missions of third countries accredited to the Communities. CHAPTER VII GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 18 Privileges, immunities and facilities shall be accorded to officials and other servants of the Communities solely in the interests of the Communities. Each institution of the Communities shall be required to waive the immunity accorded to an official or other servant wherever that institution considers that the waiver of such immunity is not contrary to the interests of the Communities. Article 19 The institutions of the Communities shall, for the purpose of applying this Protocol, cooperate with the responsible authorities of the Member States concerned. Article 20 Articles 12 to 15 and Article 18 shall apply to Members of the Commission. Article 21 Articles 12 to 15 and Article 18 shall apply to the Judges, the Advocates General, the Registrar and the Assistant Rapporteurs of the Court of Justice, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 3 of the Protocols on the Statute of the Court of Justice concerning immunity from legal proceedings of Judges and Advocates General. Article 22 This Protocol shall also apply to the European Investment Bank, to the members of its organs, to its staff and to the representatives of the Member States taking part in its activities, without prejudice to the provisions of the Protocol on the Statute of the Bank. The European Investment Bank shall in addition be exempt from any form of taxation or imposition of a like nature on the occasion of any increase in its capital and from the various formalities which may be connected therewith in the State where the Bank has its seat. Similarly, its dissolution or liquidation shall not give rise to any imposition. Finally, the activities of the Bank and of its organs carried on in accordance with its Statute shall not be subject to any turnover tax. Article 23 This Protocol shall also apply to the European Central Bank, to the members of its organs and to its staff, without prejudice to the provisions of the Protocol on the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and the European Central Bank. The European Investment Bank shall in addition be exempt from any form of taxation or imposition of a like nature on the occasion of any increase in its capital and from the various formalities which may be connected therewith in the State where the Bank has its seat. The activities of the Bank and of its organs carried on in accordance with the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank shall not be subject to any turnover tax. The above provisions shall also apply to the European Monetary Institute. Similarly, its dissolution or liquidation shall not give rise to any imposition. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Protocol. Done at Brussels this eighth day of April in the year one thousand nine hundred and sixty-five. Appendix to ANNEX A PROCEDURES FOR THE APPLICATION IN SWITZERLAND OF THE PROTOCOL ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 1. Extension of application to Switzerland Wherever the Protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Communities (hereinafter called the Protocol) contains references to Member States, the references are to be understood to apply equally to Switzerland, unless the following provisions determine otherwise. 2. Exemption of the Agency from indirect taxation (including VAT) Goods and services exported from Switzerland are not to be subject to Swiss value added tax (VAT). In the case of goods and services provided to the Agency in Switzerland for its official use, in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 3 of the Protocol, exemption from VAT is by way of refund. Exemption from VAT shall be granted if the actual purchase price of the goods and services mentioned in the invoice or equivalent document totals at least 100 Swiss francs (inclusive of tax). The VAT refund is to be granted on presentation to the Federal Tax Administration's VAT Main Division of the Swiss forms provided for the purpose. As a rule, refund applications must be processed within the three months following the date on which they were lodged together with the necessary supporting documents. 3. Procedures for the application of the rules relating to the Agency's staff As regards the second paragraph of Article 13 of the Protocol, Switzerland shall exempt, according to the principles of its national law, officials and other servants of the Agency within the meaning of Article 2 of Regulation (Euratom, ECSC, EEC) No 549/69 (1) from federal, cantonal and communal taxes on salaries, wages and emoluments paid to them by the Community and subject to an internal tax for its own benefit. Switzerland shall not be considered as a Member State within the meaning of point 1 above for the application of Article 14 of the Protocol. Officials and other servants of the Agency and members of their families who are members of the social insurance system applicable to officials and other servants of the Community are not obliged to be members of the Swiss social security system. The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall have exclusive jurisdiction in any matters concerning relations between the Agency or the Commission and its staff with regard to the application of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (2) and the other provisions of Community law laying down working conditions. (1) Regulation (Euratom, ECSC, EEC) No 549/69 of the Council of 25 March 1969 determining the categories of officials and other servants of the European Communities to whom the provisions of Article 12, the second paragraph of Article 13 and Article 14 of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Communities apply (OJ L 74, 27.3.1969, p. 1). (2) Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 of the Council of 29 February 1968 laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities and instituting special measures temporarily applicable to officials of the Commission (Conditions of Employment of Other Servants) (OJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1).