8. člen

1. Ta sporazum začne veljati trideseti dan po prejemu zadnjega pisnega obvestila pogodbenic o zaključku notranje pravnih postopkov, potrebnih za uveljavitev tega sporazuma. 2. Ta sporazum se sklene za tri leta, nato se tiho podaljšuje za nadaljnja enoletna obdobja in ostane v veljavi do preteka šestih mesecev od dneva, ko ena pogodbenica prejme pisno obvestilo druge pogodbenice o njeni nameri, da odpove sporazum. Sestavljeno v Astani dne 11. novembra 2009 v dveh izvirnikih v slovenskem, kazaškem, ruskem in angleškem jeziku, pri čemer so vsa besedila enako verodostojna. V primeru razlik v razlagi prevlada besedilo v angleškem jeziku. Za Vlado Republike Slovenije Samuel Žbogar l.r. Za Vlado Republike Kazahstan Asket Isekešev l.r. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as “the Contracting Parties”), desiring to strengthen friendly ties and develop economic and other relations between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Kazakhstan; considering the membership of the Republic of Slovenia in the European Union and obligations deriving therefrom; Have agreed as follows: 1. Within the framework of their national legislation, the Contracting Parties shall promote the development of mutually beneficial economic cooperation in all economic fields and sectors based on the principle of equality. 2. Cooperation under this Agreement shall be aimed at: - Exploiting economic potential in order to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation; - Developing cooperation in the field of light and heavy industry, energy, transport, chemical, pharmaceutical, wood-processing, electronic and electrotechnical industry, manufacturing of agriculture and forestry machinery, food and processing industry, construction and manufacturing of building materials and equipment, mining, secondary metallurgy, public utility sector, environmental protection, health, education, science, culture, tourism and sport services; - Encouraging bilateral economic relations, inter alia, in the field of investment, innovation and financing of economic projects; - Developing infrastructure in transport and energy transfer systems, including mutual supply of means of transport; - Developing cooperation in the scientific and technical fields, including the exchange of experts, scientific and technical staff as well as university students, and exchange of practical application of scientific and technical achievements. Cooperation under Article 1 of this Agreement shall be implemented through: - Encouraging project realisation in the field of electricity and transport infrastructure of mutual interest/common interest; - Support for economic operators of one Contracting Party in designing, constructing and modernising facilities in the territory of the other Contracting Party or joint economic operators of both Contracting Parties in their respective territories or the territories of third countries; - The development of cooperation among small and medium-size enterprises; - Encouraging financing, insurance and guarantee issuance mechanisms for economic and other projects, including investment projects; - Cooperation in the fields of certification and standardisation; - The promotion of contacts between both chambers of commerce, associations and other organisations of economic operators; - The promotion of counselling, legal, banking and technical services, inter alia, those for supporting the implementation of investment projects in the territories of both Contracting Parties; - The creation of conditions for the development of various forms of cooperation, including the exchange of experts and technical staff, education, cooperation at international fairs and exhibitions, on economic projects and at other events related to economic cooperation, including cooperation in third markets; - Encouraging cooperation in science and technology; - Cooperation in tourism and in the field of spa services. The competent authorities of one Contracting Party shall facilitate economic operators of the other Contracting Party in carrying out activities in its territory and in all forms which are in accordance with its national legislation. In order to encourage economic cooperation, the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall, in accordance with their national legislation, exchange information on: - national legislation regulating economic and investment activities, standardisation, certification, conditions for obtaining licences, the protection of intellectual and industrial property, the practical application of the results of innovative and scientific and technical ctivities; - measures that contribute to establishing contacts between economic operators, active in the territories of both Contracting Parties, as well as on issues related to the organisation of exhibitions and fairs; - other areas of common interest. 1. To this end the Contracting Parties hereby establish a Slovene-Kazakh Joint Commission which shall deal with the fields covered by this Agreement. 2. The Commission’s tasks shall include particularly: - Conducting periodic reviews and assessing the status of economic cooperation; - Drafting proposals for further development of economic cooperation; - Drawing attention to problems hindering the development of economic cooperation and proposing appropriate measures in order to solve them; - Resolving outstanding issues related to the application and interpretation of this Agreement. 3. The Commission headed by the two chairmen shall consist of the Slovenian and Kazakhstani members. 4. The Commission shall meet once a year or when necessary, alternately in the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the request of either Chairman, an extraordinary meeting of the Commission or a meeting of the Chairmen may be convened. 5. The minutes of the Commission's meeting shall be drawn up. 6. The Commission's methods of work shall be regulated by the rules approved by the Commission. 7. Each contracting party shall, in accordance with its legislation, cover the expenses arising from the work of the Commission. 1. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply without prejudice to the rights and obligations of the Contracting Parties arising from the international agreements to which the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Kazakhstan are parties, and from their membership of international organisations. 2. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply without prejudice to the rights and obligations of the Republic of Slovenia arising from its membership in the European Union. 3. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Kazakhstan, of the other part, signed on 23 January 1995 in Brussels, as amended, shall prevail over the provisions of this Agreement. The Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the Contracting Parties; separate protocols on the amendments shall be drawn up, which shall constitute an integral part of the Agreement and shall enter into force according to the provisions of Article 8 of this Agreement. 1. The Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the receipt of the last notification of the Contracting Parties that all internal legal procedures for the entry into force of the Agreement have been concluded. 2. The Agreement shall be concluded for a period of three years, thereafter it shall be tacitly renewed for successive one-year periods and shall remain in force six moths from the date on which one Contracting Party receives a written notification from the other of its intention to terminate the Agreement. Done at Astana on 11 November 2009, in two original copies in the Slovene, Kazakh, Russian, and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence in interpretation the English text shall prevail. For the Government of the Republic of Slovenia Samuel Žbogar (s) For the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan Asket Isekešev (s)