Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2024C00057:schedule:24:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2024C00057
Segment Type: schedule
Provision Reference: sch 24 (pt 9/12)
Character Range: 840292–843151

Assistance

1. The Competent Authorities and Competent Institutions responsible for the application of this Agreement shall to the extent permitted by their national laws:

        (a) communicate to each other any information necessary for the application of this Agreement and the legislation concerning Finnish and Australian benefits referred to in this Agreement.
        (b) provide assistance to one another, including the communication to each other of any necessary information, with regard to the determination or payment of any benefit under this Agreement as if the matter involved the application of their own legislation; and
        (c) communicate to each other, as soon as possible, all information about the measures taken by them for the application of this Agreement or about changes in their respective legislation in so far as these changes affect the application of this Agreement.

2. The assistance referred to in paragraph 1 shall be provided free of charge, subject to any Administrative Arrangement made pursuant to Article 21.

3. Unless disclosure is required under the laws of a Party, any information about an individual which is transmitted in accordance with this Agreement to a Competent Authority or a Competent Institution of that Party by a Competent Authority or a Competent Institution of the other Party is confidential and shall be used only for purposes of implementing this Agreement and the social security laws of either Party.

4. In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 be construed so as to impose on the Competent Authority or Competent Institution of a Party the obligation:

        (a) to carry out administrative measures at variance with the laws or the administrative practice of that or the other Party; or

        (b) to supply particulars which are not obtainable under the laws or in the normal course of the administration of that or of the other Party.

5. In the application of this Agreement, the Competent Authority and the Competent Institution of a Party may communicate with the other Party in the official language of that Party.

6. The claims, certificates, appeals or other documents submitted to an authority or to a Competent Institution of a Party with a view to application of this Agreement shall not be rejected on the ground that they are written in the official language of the other Party.

ARTICLE 20
Exemption from Fees and Authentication

1. Where, under the legislation of one Party, documents submitted to a Competent Authority or Competent Institution of that Party are partly or fully exempt from administrative charges, including consular fees, this exemption shall also apply to documents which are submitted to a Competent Authority or Competent Institution of the other Party in accordance with its legislation.

2. Documents and certificates required