MEMORANDUMOF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL ON COOPERATION IN THE FIELDS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND POSTAL SERVICES("Off. Herald of RS - Treaties", No. 1/2025) |
The Ministry of Information and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia and The Ministry of Communications of the State of Israel, hereafter referred to as "the Participants",
Sharing the view that the development of telecommunications and postal relations is a major factor for promoting trade and technical exchanges as well as the economic and social development of each country;
Confirming the necessity of mutually beneficial cooperation for the development of up-to-date telecommunications and postal services, the modernization of telecommunications networks in both countries and the expansion and development of telecommunications and postal services between the two countries;
Guided by the desire to develop and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of telecommunications and posts;
Have reached the following understandings regarding cooperation:
General Provisions Regarding Telecommunications and Posts
Paragraph 1
The Participants, on the basis of equity, reciprocity and mutual benefit will work together to enhance cooperation on telecommunications and postal services between them in accordance with the provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The Participants intend to consult at the request of either Participant, regarding telecommunications and postal issues of concern to either of them in the International Telecommunication Union, the Universal Postal Union, and in other international fora, and to cooperate in promoting common goals in the telecommunications and postal fields.
Paragraph 2
The Participants will encourage contacts between public entities and private entities, academic and research institutes, corporations, and other relevant organizations and specialists, in order to discuss scientific and technical issues related to telecommunications and postal activities.
Paragraph 3
The Participants declare their intention to exchange views regarding the regulation of telecommunications and postal services in an increasingly liberal market environment.
The Participants will encourage the exchange of information on their liberalization and investment programs in the fields of telecommunications and posts, which may be of mutual interest, with a view to encouraging participation of companies from each country, in projects in the other country.
Paragraph 4
The Participants will encourage cooperation, in accordance with the respective resources and needs of each Participant, with scientific and academic institutions dealing with telecommunications and posts in both countries.
The terms and conditions of such cooperation will be decided through separate written implementation arrangements between the relevant entities.
Paragraph 5
The Participants intend to consult with each other, whenever necessary, on further simplification of operational, managerial and tariff arrangements, taking into consideration the state of telecommunications and postal services in both countries.
Paragraph 6
All activities undertaken by a Party under this MOU and any written arrangements entered into pursuant to it, including the entering into additional written implementation arrangements, will be subject to the respective applicable laws and regulations of the Participants and to the availability of appropriated funds and budgetary considerations.
This MOU does not constitute or create, and is not intended to constitute or create, obligations under domestic or international law. In addition, this MOU does not create any legally enforceable rights or benefits, whether express or implied, in respect of either Participant, their employees, or any other entity or person.
Specific Provisions Regarding Telecommunications
Paragraph 7
The Participants declare their intention to promote the establishment of telecommunications between them on the basis of modern technologies and their integration into the worldwide telecommunications network.
To this end, cooperation on international projects may be realized on the basis of separate written implementation arrangements entered into by the concerned entities.
Paragraph 8
The Participants declare their intention to cooperate in the following:
a) Exchange of information regarding regulations, standardization and relevant international conventions in the fields of telecommunications, as well as on new technical means and technologies;
b) Share views, information and best practices on broadband strategies and deployment, 5G regulations, rollout, security and innovation of telecommunications networks;
c) Share views, information and best practices on licensing and enforcement and spectrum management and monitoring;
d) Conducting bilateral consultations;
e) Development and establishment of training, mutual projects, joint working groups in the field of telecommunications and post under mutually acceptable conditions;
f) Organizing and facilitating participation in seminars, conferences, joint forums and international events and fairs, organized by either Participant;
g) General information and identification of the data exchange needs for electronic services related issues that are within the competence of each Participant, under mutually acceptable conditions and coordinated with the relevant authorities;
h) Explore possibilities for cooperation in the field of international roaming;
i) Exchange views regarding each Participant’s work on Child Internet Safety.
The details of the activities to be carried out within the framework of this MOU will be settled through separate written implementation arrangements.
Paragraph 9
The Participants will encourage the establishment of direct mail exchange, and the development of the services of exchanging airmail, and surface mail.
The Participants may cooperate, inter alia, in the following fields of interest:
a) Express Mail Service (EMS) items;
b) Tracked and untracked delivery solutions to the global e-commerce market;
c) Ordinary postal parcels;
The Participants may encourage entities in the Participants’ respective countries to provide additional postal services as appropriate.
Paragraph 10
The Participants intend to inform each other through their competent authorities of the restrictions relating to the conditions of post-delivery and the contents of postal items.
Paragraph 11
The Participants will endeavor to take measures, as appropriate, for the improvement of mail exchange and to secure its safety.
The Participants will endeavor to promote, through their respective postal authorities, the coordination with the Custom/relevant Administrations in their country in order to improve and shorten the time of mail transfer during the customs process.
The Participants will endeavor to take measures, as appropriate, to provide quality of service and delivery standards.
Paragraph 12
The liability for the loss, theft or damage to registered postal items, and to postal parcels will in all cases be settled according to the Universal Postal Union Acts and to the contracts between the relevant entities engaged in the postal services and each Participant’s applicable laws and regulations.
Paragraph 13
The Participants intend to promote cooperation in the field of philately including the organization of philatelic exhibitions.
Paragraph 14
The Participants intend to examine the joint development of additional joint services for the benefit of the citizens of both countries and for the benefit of the postal operators in both countries.
Paragraph 15
The Participants shall be responsible for the implementation of this MOU.
The working language will be English, unless otherwise agreed upon between the Participants.
Each Participant will bear its own costs arising out of the implementation of this MOU, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the Participants.
Paragraph 16
Each Participant will ensure legal means for the protection of intellectual property rights of all materials obtained in the framework of this MOU, in accordance with each Participant’s applicable national laws and regulations.
Intellectual Property Rights which will result from joint activity pursuant to this MOU will be allocated and governed in accordance with separate written arrangements to be made on a case-by-case basis.
No Participant will transmit any commercially valuable or confidential information obtained in pursuance of this MOU, which has been clearly marked as "confidential", to any third party without the prior written consent of the Participant from which such information was received.
The discontinuation of this MOU will not exempt Participants from this Paragraph.
Paragraph 17
Any difference of opinion regarding the interpretation and application of this MOU will be settled amicably through negotiations and consultations between the Participants.
Paragraph 18
Each of the Participants may, at any time, suggest any modification to this MOU, in writing.
Direct consultations between the Participants regarding modifications will be held to the extent possible sixty (60) days from the date of the transmittal of the written request to that effect by one Participant to the other.
Any modifications mutually decided upon in writing by both Participants are intended to apply on such a date to be determined jointly by the Participants, upon the signature of both Participants.
Paragraph 19
This MOU is intended to become effective on the date of its signature.
This MOU is intended to remain effective for a period of five (5) years, and be automatically extended for additional periods of five (5) years each. Either Participant may discontinue its cooperation under this MOU at any time, in which case the Participant should endeavor to notify the other in writing at least six (6) months in advance of its intention to discontinue the MOU.
The discontinuation of the MOU is not intended to affect ongoing activities that have commenced prior to its discontinuation, unless otherwise decided by both Participants.
Signed in Belgrade on the 16 th of January 2025, which corresponds to the 16 th of Tevet, 5785 of the Hebrew Calendar, in two original copies, each in the Serbian, Hebrew and English languages, all texts being equally valid. In case of divergence, the English text will prevail.
Dejan Ristić |
Šlomo Kari |