Convention between the European Community and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) concerning aid to refugees in the countries of the Near East (2002 to 2005)
Date: 2002-09-26
Institutions: European Community, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Subjects: European convention, Palestine question, UNO, UNRWA, aid to refugees, cooperation policy, financing of aid, food aid

L 281/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.10.2002

between the European Community and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees (UNRWA) concerning aid to refugees in the countries of the Near East (2002 to 2005)

CONVENTION

Article 1

Purpose

and characteristics of
the commodities, cash and services
provided and all other conditions related to support to the food
aid programme will be subject to separately agreed conditions,
based on annual requests from UNRWA.

The European Community (hereinafter
referred to as ‘the
Community’) hereby concludes this Convention with the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
in order to
Near East (hereinafter referred to as ‘UNRWA’)
confirm its commitment to financial support to UNRWA. This
funding, extending over a four-year period (2002 to 2005),
shall take the form of cash contributions for use under the
UNRWA General Fund.

The financial commitment shall be made subject to budgetary
availability and with respect to the financial perspectives of the
Community until the year 2006.

Article 2

Community contribution

The Community shall pay to UNRWA annually a cash

1.
contribution towards the General Fund.

Notwithstanding Article 3 of this Convention, the size of this
contribution shall not exceed EUR 55 million in 2002,
EUR 57,75 million in 2003, EUR 60 637 500 in 2004, and
EUR 63 669 375 in 2005.

2.
The contribution to the General Fund shall be made by
means of grant agreements to be concluded between the
Commission of
the European Communities and UNRWA
covering the years 2002 to 2005. The grant agreements shall
be concluded fully in accordance with the provisions of the
Agreement between the United Nations and the European
Community on the principles applying to the financing or co-
financing by the Community of programmes and projects
administered by the United Nations of 9 August 1999.

The contribution shall be subject

to the internal and
3.
external auditing procedures laid down in the Financial Regula-
tions, Rules and directives of UNRWA, the result of which will
be duly communicated to the Commission.

Article 3

Food aid

Article 4

Adjustments

If necessary, during the life of this Convention, the parties may
by mutual agreement increase or decrease those parts of the
contributions otherwise fixed under this Convention, on the
basis of an Exchange of Letters between the Community and
UNRWA.

By the end of 2003, political developments regarding the refu-
gees will be reviewed by the parties, and an evaluation made of
any plans UNRWA has formulated, and, if this is the case, put
into effect, for the hand-over of its functions to the Palestinian
Authority and/or any other body.

If, during the life of this Convention, any or all of the functions
of UNRWA are transferred to the Palestinian Authority or to
any other body, necessary adjustments will be made to those
parts of the Community contribution to UNRWA under this
Convention, on the basis of an Exchange of Letters between the
Community and UNRWA.

Article 5

Arbitration clause

1.
Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of, or
relating to, the interpretation, application or fulfilment of this
Convention,
including its existence, validity or termination,
which cannot be settled amicably between the Parties shall be
referred to arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court
of Arbitration optional rules for arbitration for international
organisations and States in force at the date of signature of this
Convention.

2.

There shall be one arbitrator.

The language to be employed during arbitration shall be

3.
English.

Taking into account the annual evaluation of the needs of the
refugee population, other Community resources may also be
the
mobilised for UNRWA's food aid programme to meet
specific needs of vulnerable groups. The amounts, quantities

4.
In the absence of agreement between the two Parties, the
arbitrator shall be designated by the President of the Interna-
tional Court of Justice following written request submitted by
either Party.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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The arbitrator shall reach his/her decision in accordance
5.
with the terms and conditions of this Convention in the light of
the general principles of law recognised by States.

Article 8

Approval and entry into force

Article 6

Agreement on global arrangements

Following agreement in the discussions being held between the
United Nations and the Commission on global arrangements
covering the donation of voluntary contributions, the relevant
provisions of such agreement and this Convention shall be
promptly reviewed, and any necessary amendments agreed to
by UNRWA and the Commission shall be made to the applic-
able provisions of this Convention.

Article 7

Duration of the Convention

This Convention shall cover a period of four calendar years
(2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005).

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

This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the
month following the date on which the Parties notify each
other that the procedures referred to in the first subparagraph
have been completed.

Article 9

Languages

This Convention shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Danish,
Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portu-
guese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each version being
equally authentic.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

19.10.2002

Por la Comunidad Europea

For Det Europæiske Fællesskab

Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft

Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα

For the European Community

Pour la Communauté européenne

Per la Comunità europea

Voor de Europese Gemeenschap

Pela Comunidade Europeia

Euroopan yhteisön puolesta

På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar

Por el Organismo de Obras Públicas y Socorro de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados de Palestina
(UNRWA)

For De Forenede Nationers Hjælpeorganisation for Palæstinaflygtninge (UNRWA)

Für das Hilfswerk der Vereinten Nationen für Palästina-Flüchtlinge (UNRWA)
Για την Υπηρεσία Αρωγής και Έργων των Ηνωµένων Εθνών για τους Πρόσφυγες της Παλαιστίνης (UNRWA)

For the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)

Pour l'Office de secours et de travaux des Nations unies pour les réfugiés de Palestine (UNRWA)

Per l'Ente soccorso e lavori delle Nazioni Unite per i profughi della Palestina (UNRWA)

Voor de Organisatie van de Verenigde Naties voor hulpverlening aan Palestijnse vluchtelingen (UNRWA)

Pela Agência das Naço˜ es Unidas de Assistência aos Refugiados da Palestina (UNRWA)

Yhdistyneiden Kansakuntien palestiinalaispakolaisten avustus- ja työelimen (UNRWA) puolesta

På Förenta nationernas hjälporganisation för palestinska flyktingars (UNRWA) vägnar