AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC

The Republic of the Philippines and the Argentine Republic, herein referred to as “the Parties”;

Wishing to expand and promote bilateral relations between both countries through technical co-operation;

Recognizing the benefits that such co-operation shall bring to their peoples; and

Aware of the need to implement measures to promote and develop technical co-operation between both countries;

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1
Objective
The Parties shall promote and favour technical co-operation between the States on the basis of association, shared responsibility and mutual benefit, in accordance with this Agreement and their respective domestic legislation.

ARTICLE 2
Areas of Co-operation
The Parties shall promote the preparation and execution of programs, projects and any other forms of technical co-operation, that shall be the subject matter of specific agreements arrived at through the diplomatic channels.

The Parties shall engage in technical co-operation in mutually agreed areas of priority including, but not limited to the following:

1.    Agriculture;

2.    Information Technology/ Software Development;

3.    Biotechnology;

4.    Medicine;

5.    Renewable energy.

ARTICLE 3
Scope of Co-operation
Such technical co-operation may include the following activities:

a)    Exchange of advisors, consultants and technicians;

b)    Organization of seminars, conferences and meetings;

c)    Training and development of experts and technicians;

d)    Joint implementation of projects;

e)    Exchange of information, studies and research results;

f)    Any other form of co-operation the Parties may agree upon.

ARTICLE 4
Property Rights
Intellectual property rights created or provided under this Agreement shall be protected in accordance to the national legislation on this matter and by the treaties that are biding to both Parties. To this end, the Parties shall notify each other the intellectual property under this Agreement in a timely manner.

For the purpose of this Agreement, the term “intellectual property” refers to all categories of intellectual property that are the subject of Section 1 through 7 of Part II of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Right of the World Trade Organization, and to all subject matter defined and protected as such in accordance with the national laws and domestic procedures of the Parties.

The Parties shall jointly be entitled to obtain in both countries all rights and interests to intellectual property created pursuant to co-operation activities under the Agreement. Rights and interests in third countries will be determined in accordance with the relevant implementing arrangements.

The intellectual property rights created or provided in the co-operation activities carried out in the framework of the present Agreement may be transferred, assigned or licensed to the third parties with the prior written consent of both Parties and without prejudice to the Parties’ obligation to preserve confidential information in accordance with their national laws.

ARTICLE 5
Co-operation with Non-State Parties
The Parties shall facilitate, in accordance with their domestic law, the participation of entities of each State, in the execution of programs, projects and any other form of co-operation provided for in the specific agreements referred to in  Article 2.

The terms and conditions for the participation of these entities in the co-operation activities provided for in the specific agreements, arrived at within the framework of this Agreement, shall be defined in the respective programs.

In appropriate cases, by invitation of both Parties, technical personnel, government agencies and institutions of third countries may participate in projects and programs, pursuant to this Agreement.

ARTICLE 6
Entry of Personnel and Equipment
Each Party shall facilitate the entry into and departure from its territory of the other Party’s personnel and equipment working on or being used in joint projects and programs in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations in force in their respective countries.

ARTICLE 7
Payment Arrangements
Unless otherwise agreed upon, the expenses related to the sending of personnel shall be borne as follows: –    Travel expenses to the territory of the other Party shall be borne by Sending Party; –    Accommodation, per diem allowances and local transportation expenses for the execution of programs and projects shall be borne by the Receiving Party. Each time, the Parties shall agree on the medical insurance expenses to be covered before an expert travels.

ARTICLE 8
Working Group on Technical Co-operation
In order to implement this Agreement, the Parties agree to set up a Working Group on Technical Co-operation as part of the existing Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between Argentina and the Philippines, as provided for under Article 4 of the Protocol on the Establishment of Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between the Ministry of Foreign Relations, International Trade and Worship of the Argentine Republic and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, signed on 17 February 2005.

This Working Group on Technical Co-operation shall establish, when necessary, sub-groups covering mutually agreed areas of cooperation and shall appoint experts and advisors to attend the meeting.

The Working Group on Technical Co-operation shall have, in particular, the following functions:

1. To be the link between the participating countries;
2. To exchange information on technical matters concerning the two countries;
3. To analyze the progress of the co-operation and suggest measures to strengthen such co-operation;
4. To formulate proposals and make recommendations to the respective Governments for the future benefit of both countries through mutual co-operation.

ARTICLE 9
Dispute Settlement
Any dispute between the Parties arising out of the interpretation or implementation of the Agreement shall be settled amicably by consultations or negotiations, through diplomatic channels.

The provisions of this Agreement have no effect on the rights or duties of the Parties in relation to other international agreements to which they are a party thereof.

Any amendment or revision to the text of the Agreement shall be done by mutual consent of the Parties. Such amendment or revision shall enter into force in accordance with the provision on entry into force.

ARTICLE 12
Entry into Force and Validity
This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the later written notification by the Parties, through diplomatic channels, indicating that the domestic requirements for its entry into force have been complied with.

This Agreement shall be valid for five (5) years, and shall be automatically renewed for similar periods, unless a Party officially notifies the other Party, through diplomatic channels, of its intent to suspend or terminate this Agreement. In such a case, the Agreement shall remain valid until sixty (60) days after the date on which one Party receives an official notification from the other Party expressing the intent of the latter to suspend or terminate the validity of this Agreement.

Done in Buenos Aires, on the 24th of August, 2011, in two original copies, in the Spanish and English languages, both being equally authentic. In case of divergence, the English text shall prevail.

For the Republic of the Philippines:	For the Argentine Republic:
(Sgd.) Albert F. Del Rosario Secretary of Foreign Affairs	(Sgd.) Hector Marcos TImerman Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship

Entry into Force: September 16, 2024