Na podlagi druge alinee prvega odstavka 107. člena in prvega odstavka 91. člena Ustave Republike Slovenije izdajam

Razglašam Zakon o ratifikaciji Evropske okvirne konvencije o čezmejnem sodelovanju teritorialnih skupnosti ali oblasti (MEOKČS), ki ga je sprejel Državni zbor Republike Slovenije na seji 27. marca 2003.

Ratificira se Evropska okvirna konvencija o čezmejnem sodelovanju teritorialnih skupnosti ali oblasti, sprejeta 21. maja 1980 v Madridu.

Konvencija se v izvirniku v angleškem in prevodu v slovenskem jeziku glasi:*

The member States of the Council of Europe, signatories to this Convention,
Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members and to promote co-operation between them;
Considering that, as defined in Article 1 of the Council of Europe Statute, this aim will be pursued in particular by agreements in the administrative field;
Considering that the Council of Europe shall ensure the participation of the territorial communities or authorities of Europe in the achievement of its aim;
Considering the potential importance, for the pursuit of this objective, of co-operation between territorial communities or authorities at frontiers in such fields as regional, urban and rural development, environmental protection, the improvement of public facilities and services and mutual assistance in emergencies;
Having regard to past experience which shows that co-operation between local and regional authorities in Europe makes it easier for them to carry out their tasks effectively and contributes in particular to the improvement and development of frontier regions;
Being resolved to promote such co-operation as far as possible and to contribute in this way to the economic and social progress of frontier regions and to the spirit of fellowship which unites the peoples of Europe;
Have agreed as follows:

Each Contracting Party undertakes to facilitate and foster transfrontier co-operation between territorial communities or authorities within its jurisdiction and territorial communities or authorities within the jurisdiction of other Contracting Parties. It shall endeavour to promote the conclusion of any agreements and arrangements that may prove necessary for this purpose with due regard to the different constitutional provisions of each Party.

1. For the purpose of this Convention, transfrontier co-operation shall mean any concerted action designed to reinforce and foster neighbourly relations between territorial communities or authorities within the jurisdiction of two or more Contracting Parties and the conclusion of any agreement and arrangement necessary for this purpose. Transfrontier co-operation shall take place in the framework of territorial communities’ or authorities’ powers as defined in domestic law. The scope and nature of such powers shall not be altered by this Convention.
2. For the purpose of this Convention, the expression “territorial communities or authorities” shall mean communities, authorities or bodies exercising local and regional functions and regarded as such under the domestic law of each State. However, each Contracting Party may, at the time of signing this Convention or by subsequent notification to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, name the communities, authorities or bodies, subjects and forms to which it intends to confine the scope of the Convention or which it intends to exclude from its scope.

1. For the purpose of this Convention the Contracting Parties shall, subject to the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 2, encourage any initiative by territorial communities and authorities inspired by the outline arrangements between territorial communities and authorities drawn up in the Council of Europe. If they judge necessary they may take into consideration the bilateral or multilateral inter-state model agreements drawn up in the Council of Europe and designed to facilitate co-operation between territorial communities and authorities.
The arrangements and agreements concluded may be based on the model and outline agreements, statutes and contracts appended to this Convention, numbered 1.1 to 1.5 and 2.1 to 2.6(1) with whatever changes are required by the particular situation of each Contracting Party. These model and outline agreements, statutes and contracts are intended for guidance only and have no treaty value.
2. If the Contracting Parties deem it necessary to conclude inter-state agreements, these may inter alia establish the context, forms and limits within which territorial communities and authorities concerned with transfrontier co-operation may act. Each agreement may also stipulate the authorities or bodies to which it applies.
3. The above provisions shall not prevent the Contracting Parties from having recourse, by common consent, to other forms of transfrontier co-operation. Similarly, the provisions of this Convention should not be interpreted as invalidating existing agreements on co-operation.
4. Agreements and arrangements shall be concluded with due regard to the jurisdiction provided for by the internal law of each Contracting Party in respect of international relations and general policy and to any rules of control or supervision to which territorial communities or authorities may be subject.
5. To that end, any Contracting Party may, when signing the present Convention or in a later communication to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, specify the authorities competent under its domestic law to exercise control or supervision with regard to the territorial communities and authorities concerned.

Each Contracting Party shall endeavour to resolve any legal, administrative or technical difficulties liable to hamper the development and smooth running of transfrontier co-operation and shall consult with the other Contracting Party or Parties concerned to the extent required.

The Contracting Parties shall consider the advisability of granting to territorial communities or authorities engaging in transfrontier co-operation in accordance with the provisions of this Convention the same facilities as if they were co-operating at national level.

Each Contracting Party shall supply to the fullest possible extent any information requested by another Contracting Party in order to facilitate the performance by the latter of its obligations under this Convention.

Each Contracting Party shall see to it that the territorial communities or authorities concerned are informed of the means of action open to them under this Convention.

1. The Contracting Parties shall forward to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe all relevant information concerning the agreements and arrangements provided for in Article 3.
2. Any proposal made by one or more Contracting Parties with a view to adding to or extending this Convention or the model agreements and arrangements shall be communicated to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall then submit it to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe which shall decide on the action to be taken.

1. This Convention shall be open to signature by the member States of the Council of Europe. It shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2. The Convention shall enter into force three months after the date of the deposit of the fourth instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval, provided that at least two of the States having carried out this formality possess a common frontier.
3. In respect of a signatory State ratifying, accepting or approving subsequently, the Convention shall come into force three months after the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.

1. After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may decide unanimously to invite any European non-member State to accede thereto. This invitation must receive the express agreement of each of the States which have ratified the Convention.
2. Such accession shall be effected by depositing with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe an instrument of accession which shall take effect three months after the date of its deposit.

1. Any Contracting Party may, in so far as it is concerned, denounce this Convention by means of notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2. Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the date of receipt by the Secretary General of such notification.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the member States of the Council of Europe, and any State that has acceded to this Convention of:
a any signature;
b any deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession;
c any date of entry into force of this Convention in accordance with Article 9 thereof;
d any declaration received in pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 2 or of paragraph 5 of Article 3;
e any notification received in pursuance of the provisions of Article 11 and the date on which denunciation takes effect.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Convention.
Done at Madrid, the 21st day of May 1980 in English and in French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each member State of the Council of Europe and to any State invited to accede to this Convention.

(1) Additional model and outline agreements have been authorised for publication; they are appended to this Convention and numbered 1.6 to 1.14 and 2.7 to 2.16.

Države članice Sveta Evrope, podpisnice te konvencije, so se
ob upoštevanju, da je cilj Sveta Evrope doseči večjo enotnost med njegovimi članicami in pospeševati sodelovanje med njimi;
ob upoštevanju, da se bo ta cilj v skladu z določbami 1. člena Statuta Sveta Evrope uresničeval predvsem s sporazumi na upravnem področju;
ob upoštevanju, da si Svet Evrope prizadeva zagotoviti, da bi teritorialne skupnosti ali oblasti v Evropi sodelovale pri uresničevanju njegovega cilja;
ob upoštevanju pomena, ki ga za uresničevanje tega cilja lahko ima sodelovanje obmejnih teritorialnih skupnosti ali oblasti na področjih, kot so regionalni, mestni in podeželski razvoj, varstvo okolja, izboljšanje infrastrukture in storitev ter medsebojna pomoč ob nesrečah;
ob upoštevanju, da pridobljene izkušnje kažejo, da sodelovanje med lokalnimi in regionalnimi oblastmi v Evropi le-tem omogoča boljše izpolnjevanje nalog in prispeva predvsem k uveljavljanju in razvoju obmejnih regij;
odločene, da bodo to sodelovanje, kolikor je mogoče, spodbujale in tako prispevale h gospodarskemu in družbenemu napredku obmejnih regij ter krepile solidarnost, ki povezuje evropske narode,
dogovorile, kot sledi:

Vsaka pogodbenica se zavezuje, da bo omogočala in spodbujala obmejno sodelovanje med teritorialnimi skupnostmi ali oblastmi, ki so pod njeno jurisdikcijo, in teritorialnimi skupnostmi ali oblastmi, ki so pod jurisdikcijo drugih pogodbenic. Prizadevala si bo pospeševati sklenitev sporazumov in dogovorov, za katere se utegne izkazati, da so potrebni v ta namen, ob upoštevanju ustavnih določb vsake posamezne pogodbenice.

1. Za čezmejno sodelovanje se v smislu te konvencije štejejo vsako dogovarjanje, katerega namen je krepiti in razvijati sosedske odnose med teritorialnimi skupnostmi ali oblastmi, ki so pod jurisdikcijo dveh ali več pogodbenic, vsak sporazum in dogovor, sklenjena v ta namen. Čezmejno sodelovanje poteka v okviru pristojnosti teritorialnih skupnosti ali oblasti, opredeljenih v notranji zakonodaji. Ta konvencija ne vpliva na obseg in vrsto teh pristojnosti.
2. Za namene te konvencije izraz “teritorialne skupnosti ali oblasti“ pomeni skupnosti, oblasti ali organe, ki opravljajo lokalne in regionalne funkcije ter se kot taki štejejo po notranji zakonodaji vsake države. Vendar pa lahko vsaka pogodbenica ob podpisu te konvencije ali z naknadnim obvestilom generalnemu sekretarju Sveta Evrope imenuje skupnosti, oblasti ali organe, zadeve in oblike, na katere namerava omejiti področje uporabe te konvencije ali jih izključiti iz uporabe te konvencije.

1. Za namene te konvencije pogodbenice s pridržkom določb drugega odstavka 2. člena spodbujajo pobude teritorialnih skupnosti in oblasti ob upoštevanju okvirnih dogovorov med teritorialnimi skupnostmi in oblastmi, pripravljenih v Svetu Evrope. Če menijo, da je to potrebno, se lahko zgledujejo po meddržavnih, dvostranskih ali večstranskih sporazumih, ki so bili pripravljeni v Svetu Evrope, da bi omogočali lažje sodelovanje med teritorialnimi skupnostmi in oblastmi.
Sklenjeni dogovori in sporazumi se lahko zgledujejo predvsem po vzorčnih in okvirnih sporazumih, statutih in pogodbah, priloženih tej konvenciji in oštevilčenih od 1.1 do 1.5 in od 21. do 2.6(1), z vsemi prilagoditvami, potrebnimi glede na razmere vsake posamezne pogodbenice. Ti vzorčni in okvirni sporazumi, statuti in pogodbe so le informativni in nimajo pogodbene vrednosti.
2. Če pogodbenice menijo, da je treba skleniti meddržavne sporazume, ti med drugim lahko določajo okvir, oblike in omejitve, v katerih lahko delujejo teritorialne skupnosti in oblasti, ki jih čezmejno sodelovanje zadeva. Vsak sporazum lahko prav tako določa skupnosti ali organe, za katere se uporablja.
3. Navedene določbe pogodbenicam ne preprečujejo, da bi se sporazumno zatekle k drugim oblikam čezmejnega sodelovanja. Določbe te konvencije se tudi ne morejo razlagati kot določbe, s katerimi se razveljavljajo obstoječi sporazumi o sodelovanju.
4. Sporazumi in dogovori se sklepajo ob upoštevanju pristojnosti, določenih z notranjo zakonodajo vsake pogodbenice na področju mednarodnih odnosov, in splošne politike ter pravil o vodenju ali nadzoru, ki veljajo za teritorialne skupnosti ali oblasti.
5. V ta namen lahko vsaka pogodbenica ob podpisu te konvencije ali z naknadnim obvestilom generalnemu sekretarju Sveta Evrope določi oblasti, ki so po njeni notranji zakonodaji pristojne za vodenje ali nadzor teh teritorialnih skupnosti in oblasti.

Vsaka pogodbenica si prizadeva rešiti pravne, upravne ali tehnične težave, ki bi lahko ovirale razvoj in dober potek čezmejnega sodelovanja, in se po potrebi posvetuje z drugo ali drugimi zainteresiranimi pogodbenicami.

Pri čezmejnem sodelovanju, ki poteka v skladu z določbami te konvencije, pogodbenice upoštevajo, da je udeleženim teritorialnim skupnostim ali oblastem smiselno priznati enake ugodnosti, kot da bi šlo za sodelovanje na državni ravni.

Vsaka pogodbenica zagotovi, kolikor je mogoče, informacije, za katere zaprosi druga pogodbenica, da bi ji olajšala izpolnjevanje obveznosti, prevzetih s to konvencijo.

Vsaka pogodbenica poskrbi, da so zainteresirane teritorialne skupnosti ali oblasti seznanjene z možnostmi delovanja, ki jim jih daje na voljo ta konvencija.

1. Pogodbenice pošljejo generalnemu sekretarju Sveta Evrope vse ustrezne informacije o sporazumih in dogovorih, predvidenih v 3. členu.
2. Predlogi ene ali več pogodbenic za dopolnitev ali razširitev te konvencije ali vzorčnih sporazumov in dogovorov se pošljejo generalnemu sekretarju Sveta Evrope. Generalni sekretar jih nato predloži Odboru ministrov Sveta Evrope, ki odloči o nadaljnjih postopkih.

1. Ta konvencija je na voljo za podpis državam članicam Sveta Evrope. Konvencija se ratificira, sprejme ali odobri. Listine o ratifikaciji, sprejetju ali odobritvi se deponirajo pri generalnem sekretarju Sveta Evrope.
2. Konvencija začne veljati tri mesece po deponiranju četrte listine o ratifikaciji, sprejetju ali odobritvi pod pogojem, da sta to formalnost izpolnili vsaj dve državi, ki imata skupno mejo.
3. Za države podpisnice, ki jo ratificirajo, sprejmejo ali odobrijo naknadno, konvencija začne veljati tri mesece po datumu deponiranja njihove listine o ratifikaciji, sprejetju ali odobritvi.

1. Po začetku veljavnosti te konvencije lahko Odbor ministrov Sveta Evrope soglasno sklene, da bo povabil evropske države, ki niso članice, naj pristopijo k tej konvenciji. S tem povabilom mora izrecno soglašati vsaka od držav, ki je konvencijo ratificirala.
2. H konvenciji se pristopi tako, da se pri generalnem sekretarju Sveta Evrope deponira listina o pristopu, ki začne veljati tri mesece po datumu deponiranja.

1. Vsaka pogodbenica lahko v svojem imenu odpove to konvencijo, tako da generalnemu sekretarju Sveta Evrope pošlje uradno obvestilo.
2. Odpoved začne veljati šest mesecev po tem, ko je generalni sekretar prejel tako uradno obvestilo.

Generalni sekretar Sveta Evrope države članice Sveta Evrope in vsako državo, ki je pristopila k tej konvenciji, obvesti o:
a. vsakem podpisu;
b. deponiranju vsake listine o ratifikaciji, sprejetju, odobritvi ali pristopu;
c. vsakem datumu začetka veljavnosti te konvencije v skladu z njenim 9. členom;
d. vsaki izjavi, prejeti na podlagi določb drugega odstavka 2. člena ali petega odstavka 3. člena;
e. vsakem uradnem obvestilu, prejetem na podlagi določb 11. člena, in datumu začetka veljavnosti odpovedi.
V potrditev tega so podpisani, ki so bili za to pravilno pooblaščeni, podpisali to konvencijo.
Sestavljeno v Madridu 21. maja 1980 v angleškem in francoskem jeziku, pri čemer sta besedili enako verodostojni, v enem samem izvirniku, ki se hrani v arhivu Sveta Evrope. Generalni sekretar Sveta Evrope pošlje overjene kopije te konvencije vsaki državi članici Sveta Evrope in vsaki državi, ki je bila povabljena, da k njej pristopi.

(1) Objava vzorčnih in okvirnih dodatnih sporazumov je bila odobrena; priloge k tej konvenciji so bile oštevilčene od 1.6 do 1.14 in 2.7 do 2.16.

Za izvajanje konvencije skrbi Ministrstvo za notranje zadeve.

Ta zakon začne veljati naslednji dan po objavi v Uradnem listu Republike Slovenije – Mednarodne pogodbe.

EPA 782-III

* Vzorčni in okvirni sporazumi, statuti in pogodbe, oštevilčeni od 1.1 do 1.5 in od 2.1 do 2.6, kakor jih navaja drugi pododstavek prvega odstavka 3. člena konvencije, so na vpogled v Sektorju za mednarodnopravne zadeve pri Ministrstvu za zunanje zadeve.