CELEX: 31978R2217
Language: en
Date: 1978-09-26
Title: Council Regulation (EEC) No 2217/78 of 26 September 1978 concerning the conclusion of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel, and of the Protocol relating to financial cooperation

Avis juridique important

|

31978R2217

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2217/78 of 26 September 1978 concerning the conclusion of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel, and of the Protocol relating to financial cooperation  

Official Journal L 270 , 27/09/1978 P. 0001 - 0001 Finnish special edition: Chapter 11 Volume 8 P. 0003  Greek special edition: Chapter 11 Volume 13 P. 0003  Swedish special edition: Chapter 11 Volume 8 P. 0003  Spanish special edition: Chapter 11 Volume 11 P. 0090  Portuguese special edition Chapter 11 Volume 11 P. 0090 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2217/78  of 26 September 1978  concerning the conclusion of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel, and of the Protocol relating to financial cooperation  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,  Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 238 thereof,  Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission,  Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),  Whereas the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel, and the Protocol relating to financial cooperation, signed at Brussels on 8 February 1977, should be concluded,  HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:     Article 1 The Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel and the Protocol relating to financial cooperation are hereby approved on behalf of the Community.  The texts referred to in the first paragraph are annexed to this Regulation.  Article 2 The President of the Council shall give the notification provided for in Article 16 of the Additional Protocol and in Article 13 of the Financial Protocol (2).   Article 3 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.     This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.  Done at Brussels, 26 September 1978.  For the Council  The President  J. ERTL  (1)OJ No C 133, 6.6.1977, p. 45. (2)The date of the entry into force of the Additional Protocol and of the Financial Protocol will be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities by the General Secretariat of the Council.          ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL  to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel    HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS,  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,  THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,  HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG,  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS,  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,  and  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,  of the one part, and  THE STATE OF ISRAEL,  of the other part,  WISHING to demonstrate their common desire to widen and strengthen their links on the basis of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel, for the mutual benefit of the Parties,  RESOLVED to establish wider-ranging cooperation which will contribute to Israel's economic development and help to strengthen relations between the European Economic Community and Israel,  HAVE DECIDED to conclude this Protocol and to this end have designated as their plenipotentiaries:  HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS:  Renaat VAN ELSLANDE,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK:  Jens CHRISTENSEN,  Ambassador,  Permanent Under-Secretary;  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY:  Hans-Dietrich GENSCHER,  Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs;  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC:  Louis de GIURINGAUD,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;  THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND:  Garret FITZGERALD,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;   THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC:  Arnaldo FORLANI,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;  HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG:  Gaston THORN,  President and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS:  Max van der STOEL,  Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands;  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND:  Anthony CROSLAND MP,  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES:  Anthony CROSLAND MP,  President in Office of the Council of the European Communities,  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;  Claude CHEYSSON,  Member of the Commission of the European Communities;  THE STATE OF ISRAEL:  Yigal ALLON,  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs;  WHO, having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form,  HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:     Article 1 The provisions of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel signed on 11 May 1975 (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement") shall be supplemented by the following provisions.  TITLE I Economic, technical and financial cooperation  Article 2 In order to strengthen existing links between the Contracting Parties on as wide a basis as possible and for their mutual benefit, the Community and Israel shall institute cooperation the aim of which will be to contribute to the development of Israel and the harmonious development of their economic relations.   Article 3 In order to achieve the cooperation referred to in Article 2, account shall be taken, in particular, of the following:    - the objectives and priorities of Israel's development plans and programmes,       - the importance of schemes into which different operations are integrated.          Article 4 1. The purpose of cooperation between the Community and Israel shall be to promote, in particular:    - the development of Israel's production and economic infrastructure in order inter alia to foster the complementarity of the Contracting Parties' economies and, in particular, to promote the industrialization of Israel,        - the sales promotion of products exported by Israel,       - industrial cooperation through inter alia measures:    - to encourage the implementation of Israel's industrial development programmes,       - to foster the organization of contacts and meetings between Israeli and Community industrial policy-makers, promoters and firms in order to strengthen their relations in the industrial field in conformity with the objectives of the Agreement,       - to facilitate reciprocal access to technological know-how and the acquisition of patents and other industrial property,       - to permit the removal of non-tariff and non-quota barriers likely to impede access to either market,       - cooperation in the agricultural and fishery sectors with a view to achieving complementarity between the Contracting Parties' economies,       - the encouragement of private investments which are in the mutual interest of the Contracting Parties,       - exchange of information on the economic and financial situation, and on the trend thereof, as required for the proper functioning of the Agreement,       - cooperation in the field of science, technology and the protection of the environment.         2. The Contracting Parties may decide on further areas of cooperation.   Article 5 1. The Cooperation Council shall periodically define the guidelines of cooperation for the purpose of attaining the objectives of the Agreement.  2. The Cooperation Council shall be responsible for seeking ways and means of establishing cooperation in the areas defined in Article 4. To that end it is empowered to make decisions.   Article 6 The Community shall participate in the financing of any measures to promote the development of Israel under the conditions laid down in the Protocol relating to financial cooperation between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel.   Article 7 The Contracting Parties shall facilitate the proper performance of cooperation and investment contracts which are of interest to both Parties and come within the framework of the Agreement.   Article 8 Article 18 of the Agreement is hereby repealed.   TITLE II General and final provisions  Article 9 The term "Joint Committee" as used in the Agreement, the Protocols, the declarations and exchanges of letters annexed thereto shall be replaced by the term "Cooperation Council".   Article 10 Article 19 of the Agreement shall be replaced by the following:  "Article 19  1. A Cooperation Council is hereby established, which shall have the power, for the purpose of attaining the objectives set out in the Agreement, to take decisions in the cases provided for in the Agreement.  The decisions taken shall be binding on the Contracting Parties, which shall take such measures as are required to implement them.    2. The Cooperation Council may also formulate any resolutions, recommendations or opinions which it considers desirable for the attainment of the common objectives and the smooth functioning of the Agreement.   3. The Cooperation Council shall adopt its rules of procedure."    Article 11 Article 20 (1) of the Agreement shall be replaced by the following:  "1. The Cooperation Council shall be composed, on the one hand, of representatives of the Community and its Member States and, on the other hand, of representatives of Israel."    Article 12 1. The Cooperation Council may decide to set up any committee that can assist it in carrying out its duties.  2. The Cooperation Council shall determine the composition and duties of such committees and how they shall function.  3. Article 21 (3) of the Agreement is hereby repealed.   Article 13 The Cooperation Council shall take any appropriate measures to facilitate cooperation and necessary contacts between the European Parliament and the representatives of the Knesset.   Article 14 This Protocol shall form an integral part of the Agreement.   Article 15 This Protocol is drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian and Hebrew languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.   Article 16 1. This Protocol shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval in accordance with the Contracting Parties' own procedures ; the Contracting Parties shall notify each other that the procedures necessary to this end have been completed.  2. This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of which the notifications provided for in paragraph 1 have been given.   Til bekræftelse heraf har undertegnede befuldmægtigede underskrevet denne tillægsprotokol.  Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmächtigten ihre Unterschriften unter dieses Zusatzprotokoll gesetzt.  In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signatures below this Additional Protocol.  En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires soussignés ont apposé leurs signatures au bas du présent protocole additionnel.  In fede di che, i plenipotenziari sottoscritti hanno apposto le loro firme in calce al presente protocollo aggiuntivo.  Ten blijke waarvan de ondergetekende gevolmachtigden hun handtekening onder dit Aanvullend Protocol hebben gesteld. >PIC FILE= "T0013841">  Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den ottende februar nitten hundrede og syvoghalvfjerds, som svarer til den tyvende shvat fem tusinde syv hundrede og syvogtredive i den hebraiske kalender.  Geschehen zu Brüssel am achten Februar neunzehnhundertsiebenundsiebzig, welcher dem zwanzigsten Shvat fünftausendsiebenhundertsiebenunddreißig des hebräischen Kalenders entspricht.  Done at Brussels this eighth day of February nineteen hundred and seventy-seven which corresponds to the twentieth Shvat five thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven of the Hebrew calendar.   Fait à Bruxelles, le huit février mil neuf cent soixante-dix-sept correspondant au vingt Shvat cinq mil sept cent trente-sept du calendrier hébraïque.  Fatto a Bruxelles, l'otto febbraio millenovecentosettantasette corrispondente al venti Shvat cinquemilasettecentotrentasette del calendario ebraico.  Gedaan te Brussel, de achtste februari negentienhonderd zevenenzeventig, welke datum overeenkomt met twintig Shvat vijfduizend zevenhonderd zevenendertig van de Hebreeuwse kalender. >PIC FILE= "T0013842">    >PIC FILE= "T0013843">    For Rådet for De europæiske Fællesskaber  Für den Rat der Europäischen Gemeinschaften  For the Council of the European Communities  Pour le Conseil des Communautés européennes  Per il Consiglio delle Comunità europee  Voor de Raad van de Europese Gemeenschappen >PIC FILE= "T0013844">            PROTOCOL  relating to financial cooperation between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel    HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS,  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,  THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,  HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG,  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS,  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,  and  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,  of the one part, and  THE STATE OF ISRAEL,  of the other part,  HAVE DESIGNATED as their Plenipotentiaries:  HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS:  Renaat VAN ELSLANDE,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK:  Jens CHRISTENSEN,  Ambassador,  Permanent Under-Secretary;  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY:  Hans-Dietrich GENSCHER,  Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs;  THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC:  Louis de GUIRINGAUD,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;  THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND:  Garret FITZGERALD,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;  THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC:  Arnaldo FORLANI,  Minister for Foreign Affairs;   HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG:  Gaston THORN,  President and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS:  Max van der STOEL,  Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands;  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND:  Anthony CROSLAND MP,  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES:  Anthony CROSLAND MP,  President in Office of the Council of the European Communities,  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;  Claude CHEYSSON,  Member of the Commission of the European Communities;  THE STATE OF ISRAEL:  Yigal ALLON,  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs;  WHO, having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form,  HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:    Article 1 The Community shall participate, within the framework of financial cooperation, in the financing of projects designed to contribute to the economic development of Israel.  Article 2 1. For the purposes specified in Article 1, the Community will ask the European Investment Bank (hereinafter referred to as "the Bank") to make available to Israel funds of up to 30 million European units of account. This amount may be committed, for a period expiring on 31 October 1981, in the form of loans granted in accordance with the conditions, detailed rules and procedures laid down by the Bank's Statute.  2. Capital projects helping to increase productivity and to achieve complementarity between the Contracting Parties' economies, and promoting in particular the industrialization of Israel which have been submitted to the Bank by the State of Israel or, with the latter's agreement, by public or private undertaktings having their seat or a place of business in Israel shall be eligible for financing.  3.    (a) Examination of the eligibility of the projects and the granting of loans shall be undertaken in accordance with the detailed rules, conditions and procedures laid down by the Bank's Statute.       (b) The conditions governing the amortization of each loan shall be established on the basis of the economic and financial characteristics of the project to be financed.       (c) Loans will carry the same rate of interest as that applied by the Bank at the time of the signature of the loan agreement.         Article 3 1. The amounts to be committed each year shall be distributed as evenly as possible throughout the period of application of this Protocol. During the initial period of application, however, a proportionately higher amount may, within reasonable limits, be committed.   2. Any funds not committed by the end of the period referred to in Article 2 (1) shall be used, until exhausted. In that event the funds shall be used in accordance with the same arrangements as provided for in this Protocol.   Article 4Aid contributed by the Bank for the execution of projects may, with the agreement of Israel, take the form of co-financing.   Article 5 The execution, management and maintenance of schemes which are the subject of financing under this Protocol shall be the responsibility of Israel or the other beneficiaries referred to in Article 2.  The Bank shall ensure that its financial aid is expended in accordance with the agreed allocations and to the best economic advantage.   Article 6 1. Israel shall apply to contracts awarded for the execution of projects financed by the Bank fiscal and customs arrangements at least as favourable as those applied in respect of other international organizations.  2. Israel shall take the necessary measures to ensure that interest and all other payments due to the Bank in respect of loans granted under this Protocol are exempted from any national or local taxes or levies.   Article 7 Where a loan is accorded to a beneficiary other than the State of Israel, the provision of a guarantee by the latter may be required by the Bank as a condition of the grant of the loan.   Article 8 As regards projects and measures financed by the Bank, participation in tendering procedures and other procedures for the award of contracts shall be open, on equal terms, to all natural or legal persons of the Member States and of Israel.   Article 9 Throughout the duration of the loans accorded pursuant to this Protocol, Israel shall undertake to make available to debtors enjoying such loans and guarantors of the loans the foreign currency necessary for the payment of interest and Commission and the repayment of capital.   Article 10 The results of financial cooperation may be examined within the Cooperation Council.   Article 11 This Protocol shall form an integral part of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel signed on 11 May 1975.   Article 12 This Protocol is drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian and Hebrew languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.   Article 13 1. This Protocol shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval in accordance with the Contracting Parties' own procedures ; the Contracting Parties shall notify each other that the procedures necessary to this end have been completed.  2. This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the notifications provided for in paragraph 1 have been given.      Til bekræftelse heraf har undertegnede befuldmægtigede underskrevet denne tillægsprotokol.  Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmächtigten ihre Unterschriften unter dieses Zusatzprotokoll gesetzt.  In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signatures below this Additional Protocol.  En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires soussignés ont apposé leurs signatures au bas du présent protocole additionnel.  In fede di che, i plenipotenziari sottoscritti hanno apposto le loro firme in calce al presente protocollo aggiuntivo.  Ten blijke waarvan de ondergetekende gevolmachtigden hun handtekening onder dit Aanvullend Protocol hebben gesteld. >PIC FILE= "T0013845">   Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den ottende februar nitten hundrede og syvoghalvfjerds, som svarer til den tyvende shvat fem tusinde syv hundrede og syvogtredive i den hebraiske kalender.  Geschehen zu Brüssel am achten Februar neunzehnhundertsiebenundsiebzig, welcher dem zwanzigsten Shvat fünftausendsiebenhundertsiebenunddreißig des hebräischen Kalenders entspricht.  Done at Brussels this eighth day of February nineteen hundred and seventy-seven which corresponds to the twentieth Shvat five thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven of the Hebrew calendar.  Fait à Bruxelles, le huit février mil neuf cent soixante-dix-sept correspondant au vingt shvat cinq mil sept cent trente-sept du calendrier hébraïque.  Fatto a Bruxelles, l'otto febbraio millenovecentosettantasette corrispondente al venti Shvat cinquemilasettecentotrentasette del calendario ebraico.  Gedaan te Brussel, de achtste februari negentienhonderd zevenenzeventig, welke datum overeenkomt met twintig Shvat vijfduizend zevenhonderd zevenendertig van de Hebreeuwse kalender. >PIC FILE= "T0013846">    >PIC FILE= "T0013847">    >PIC FILE= "T0013848">   For Rådet for De europæiske Fællesskaber  Für den Rat der Europäischen Gemeinschaften  For the Council of the European Communities  Pour le Conseil des Communautés européennes  Per il Consiglio delle Comunità europee  Voor de Raad van de Europese Gemeenschappen >PIC FILE= "T0013849">      FINAL ACT  The Plenipotentiaries of  His Majesty the King of the Belgians,  Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark,  The President of the Federal Republic of Germany,  The President of the French Republic,  The President of Ireland,  The President of the Italian Republic,  His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg,  Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands,  Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,  and of the Council of the European Communities,  of the one part, and  of the State of Israel,  of the other part,  meeting at Brussels on the eighth day of February in the year one thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven for the signature of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel and of the Protocol relating to financial cooperation,  have, on signing these Protocols,    - adopted the joint declaration on the concept of "Contracting Parties",       - taken note of the declarations listed below:      1. declaration by the European Economic Community on the European unit of account referred to in Article 2 of the Financial Protocol,           2. declaration by the representative of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the application of the Additional Protocol and the Financial Protocol to Berlin,           3. declaration by the representative of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the definition of the expression "German national",  - and taken note of the exchanges of letters listed below:        1. exchange of letters on the implementation of the Protocols before their entry into force,               2. exchange of letters on cooperation in the fields of science, technology and the protection of the environment.  The declarations and exchanges of letters listed above are annexed to this Final Act.  The Plenipotentiaries have agreed that the declarations and exchanges of letters shall be subject, in the same manner as the Protocols, to any procedures that may be necessary to ensure their validity.     Joint declaration on the concept of "Contracting Parties"  The Contracting Parties agree to interpret the Additional Protocol and the Financial Protocol to the effect that the expression "Contracting Parties" which appears in those Protocols means, on the one hand, the Community and the Member States, or either the Community or the Member States alone, and, on the other hand, the State of Israel. The meaning to be attributed to this expression in each case is to be deduced from the corresponding provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community.     Declaration by the European Economic Community on the European unit of account referred to in Article 2 of the Financial Protocol          1. The European unit of account used to express the amounts specified in Article 2 of the Financial Protocol is defined as the sum of the following amounts in the currencies of the Member States of the European Economic Community: >PIC FILE= "T0013850">                    2. The value of the European unit of account in any given currency is equal to the sum of the equivalent in that currency of the amounts of currency referred to in paragraph 1. It is calculated by the Commission using daily market exchange rates.  The daily values of the unit of account in the various national currencies are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.     Declaration by the representative of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the application of the Additional Protocol and the Financial Protocol to Berlin  The Additional Protocol and the Financial Protocol shall equally apply to Land Berlin unless, within a period of three months from the entry into force of the said Protocols, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has made a declaration to the contrary to the other Contracting Parties.      Declaration by the representative of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the definition of the expression "German national"  All Germans within the meaning of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany are to be considered nationals of the Federal Republic of Germany.     Exchange of letters on the implementation of the Protocols before their entry into force  Brussels, 8 February 1977  Sir,  I have the honour to inform you that once the Protocols and the internal Community texts relating thereto have been signed, the Community will be prepared, in collaboration with your Government, to:            - undertake preparatory work on implementing cooperation so that concrete measures may be taken upon the entry into force of the Additional Protocol,                       - continue to that end the work assigned to the working party set up by the EEC-Israel Joint Committee on 7 June 1976, namely to gather and analyze elements permitting opportunities for cooperation on the basis of requests presented by Israel on that occasion to be identified,                       - appraise, under the provisions relating to financial cooperation, projects submitted by Israel or, with Israel's agreement, by other beneficiaries of aid, it being understood that final approval for such projects cannot be given until after the entry into force of the Financial Protocol.                         I should be grateful if you would acknowledge receipt of this letter.  Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.  (s.) Maurice FOLEY  Head of the delegation of the European Economic Community  Brussels, 8 February 1977  Sir,  In your letter of today's date you inform me as follows:  "I have the honour to inform you that once the Protocols and the internal Community texts relating thereto have been signed, the Community will be prepared, in collaboration with your Government, to:            - undertake preparatory work on implementing cooperation so that concrete measures may be taken upon the entry into force of the Additional Protocol,                       - continue to that end the work assigned to the working party set up by the EEC-Israel Joint Committee on 7 June 1976, namely to gather and analyze elements permitting opportunities for cooperation on the basis of requests presented by Israel on that occasion to be identified,                       - appraise, under the provisions relating to financial cooperation, projects submitted by Israel or, with Israel's agreement, by other beneficiaries of aid, it being understood that final approval for such projects cannot be given until after the entry into force of the Financial Protocol.                         I should be grafeful if you would acknowledge receipt of this letter."  I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter.  Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.  (s.) Eliashiv BEN-HORIN  Head of the Israeli Delegation     Exchange of letters on cooperation in the fields of science, technology and the protection of the environment  Brussels, 8 February 1977  Sir,  I have the honour to inform you that as regards cooperation in the fields of science, technology and the protection of the environment, which is referred to in Article 4 of the Additional Protocol, it is the Israeli Government's intention to submit to the Cooperation Council requests for inter alia:            - participation by Israel in certain Community research projects for which Israel possesses specific expertise,                       - exchange of scientific and technological information in the mutual interest,                        - implementation of joint research programmes between Israel and the Community in the fields of technology, applied science and industrial research and development,                       - inclusion of Israeli scientific institutions among those contracting to undertake Community indirect scientific research projects.                         I should be grateful if you would acknowledge receipt of this letter.  Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.  (s.) Eliashiv BEN-HORIN  Head of the Israeli Delegation  Brussels, 8 February 1977  Sir,  In your letter of today's date you inform me as follows:  "I have the honour to inform you that as regards cooperation in the fields of science, technology and the protection of the environment, which is referred to in Article 4 of the Additional Protocol, it is the Israeli Government's intention to submit to the Cooperation Council requests for inter alia:            - participation by Israel in certain Community research projects for which Israel possesses specific expertise,                       - exchange of scientific and technological information in the mutual interest,                       - implementation of joint research programmes between Israel and the Community in the fields of technology, applied science and industrial research and development,                       - inclusion of Israeli scientific institutions among those contracting to undertake Community indirect scientific research projects.                         I should be grateful if you acknowledge receipt of this letter."  I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter.  I can inform you that any requests submitted to the Cooperation Council will be examined on their merits in accordance with the procedures and provisions laid down by the Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto as regards the implementation of cooperation.  Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.  (s.) Maurice FOLEY  Head of the delegation of the European Economic Community