Agreement between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the International Service for
National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) concerning the headquarters of ISNAR
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
[Wordt voorlopig toegepast per 16-10-2002]
The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the International Service for
National Agricultural Research,
Having regard to paragraph 52 of ISNAR's Constitution,
Desiring to define the privileges and immunities referred to in the said paragraph
52,
Article 1. Definitions
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
[Wordt voorlopig toegepast per 16-10-2002]
For the purpose of this Agreement:
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(a) “ISNAR” means the International Service for National Agricultural Research;
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(b) “Government” means the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
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(c) “Staff Member” means the Director General of ISNAR and all persons assigned by ISNAR
under ISNAR staff regulations, other than persons for supporting services assigned
to hourly rates of pay;
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(d) “Premises of ISNAR” means the buildings or parts of buildings and the land ancillary
thereto used for the official purpose of ISNAR;
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(e) “Official activities of ISNAR” means ISNAR's activities pursuant to its Constitution
and includes its administrative activities;
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(f) “Intern” means a graduate or postgraduate who has been accepted by ISNAR into the
internship programme of ISNAR for the purpose of performing certain tasks for ISNAR
without receiving salary from ISNAR therefor. An intern shall in no case fall under
the definition of Staff Member.
Article 2. Juridical personality
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
ISNAR shall possess juridical personality. It shall in particular have the capacity
Article 3. Inviolability of premises
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The premises of ISNAR shall be inviolable subject to the provisions of Articles 17
and 18 of this Agreement. Any person authorized to enter any place under any legal
provision or on the strength of the law as described in the said Article 17 shall
not exercise that authority in respect of the premises of ISNAR unless permission
to do so has been given by or on behalf of the Director General. Such permission shall
be assumed in case of fire or other disaster requiring prompt protective action.
If the person referred to in the second sentence of this Article has written authority
given by the Public Prosecutor (Procureur-Generaal) in the Court of Appeal (Gerechtshof),
within the jurisdiction of which the building is located, the Director General or
the person acting on his behalf shall give permission forthwith.
Article 4. Inviolability of archives
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The archives of ISNAR shall be inviolable. The term “archives” includes all records,
correspondence, documents, manuscripts, photographs, films and recordings belonging
to or held by ISNAR, wherever located.
Article 5. Immunity
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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2 ISNAR's property and assets wherever situated shall be immune from any form of requisition,
confiscation, expropriation and sequestration. They shall also be immune from any
form of administrative or provisional judicial constraint, except insofar as may be
temporarily necessary in connection with the prevention of, and investigation into,
accidents involving motor vehicles belonging to, or operated on behalf of ISNAR.
Article 6. Exemption from taxes
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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1 ISNAR, its assets, income and other property shall be exempt from all direct taxes.
Direct taxes include income tax, capital tax, corporation tax and direct taxes, levied
by local authorities. It is understood, however, that ISNAR will not claim exemption
from taxes which are, in fact, no more than charges for public utility services.
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3 ISNAR shall be accorded a refund of car tax and value added tax payed on the purchase
of motor cars, and value added tax payed on the supply of goods or services of substantial
value for official use. ISNAR shall be accorded a refund of the excise duty element
included in the price of spirits and hydrocarbons suchs as fuel oils and motor fuels
purchased by ISNAR for official use.
Article 7. Imports and exports
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
ISNAR shall be
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(a) exempt from customs duties and prohibitions and restrictions on imports and exports
in respect of articles imported or exported by ISNAR for its official use; it is understood,
however, that articles imported under such exemption will not be sold in the Netherlands
except under conditions agreed to with the Government;
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(b) exempt from duties and prohibitions and restrictions on imports and exports in respect
of its publications.
Article 8. Funds
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
Without being restricted by financial controls, regulations or moratoria of any kind,
ISNAR may
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(a) receive and hold funds, currency, cash or securities of any kind and operate accounts
in any currency;
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(b) freely transfer its funds, currency, cash or securities and convert any currency held
by it into any other currency.
Article 9. Communications
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
Article 10. Publications
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The transmission of publications and other information material sent by or to ISNAR
shall not be restricted in any way.
Article 11. Board of Trustees and official visitors
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The Government shall facilitate the entry, stay and departure of the members of the
Board of Trustees and of persons attending meetings of ISNAR or visiting ISNAR on
official business. The members of the Board shall be accorded the same privileges
in respect of currency or exchange as are accorded to Staff Members of ISNAR.
Article 12. Staff Members
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The Staff Members of ISNAR shall
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(a) have immunity from jurisdiction in respect of words spoken or written and all acts
performed by tham in their official capacity and within the limits of their authority.
This immunity shall not apply in the case of a motor traffic offence committed by
a Staff Member, nor in the case of damage caused by a motor verhicle belonging to
or driven by a Staff Member;
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(b) enjoy inviolability for all their official papers and documents;
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(c) enjoy, together with the members of their families, the same repatriation facilities
in time of international crises as diplomatic agents;
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(d) be accorded the same privileges in respect of exchange facilities as are accorded
by the Netherlands to Staff Members of international organizations;
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(e) have the right, unless they are Netherlands nationals, to import free of duty their
household effects and personal belongings at the time of first taking up their functions
in the Netherlands. The same applies to the export of the said goods on termination.
Article 12 bis. Director General
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The Director General and the Deputy Director General, when performing the functions
of the Director General shall enjoy within and with respect to the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, the privileges, exemptions and facilities granted in accordance with
the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, of 18 April 1961, to heads of diplomatic
missions.
Article 13. Registration, permits
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
Article 14. Taxation of income
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
Subject to the conditions and following the procedure laid down by the Board of Trustees
and agreed with the Government the Director General and the Staff Members shall be
subject to a tax, for the benefit of ISNAR, on salaries and emoluments paid by ISNAR.
From the date on which this tax is applied such salaries and emoluments shall be exempt
from Netherlands income tax.
The Government shall retain the right to take these salaries and emoluments into account
when assessing the amount of tax to be applied to income from other sources. In the
event that ISNAR operates a system for the payment of pensions and annuities to its
former Staff Members and their dependents, the provisions of this Article shall not
apply to such pensions and annuities.
Article 15. Social security scheme
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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1 Provided ISNAR establishes its own social security scheme or adheres to a social security
scheme, ISNAR, the Director General and the other Staff Members shall be exempt from
all compulsory contributions to the Netherlands social security organizations. Consequently,
they shall not be covered against the risks described in the Netherlands social security
regulations.
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2 The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall apply mutatis mutandis to partners
and dependent children, who are forming part of the households of the persons referred
to in paragraph 1 of this Article, unless they are employed otherwise than by ISNAR
or self-employed in the Netherlands or unless they receive Netherlands social security
benefit.
Article 15 bis. Employment
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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1 Persons who have been recognised by the Government as
and who are forming part of the households of Staff Members, shall be authorised to
engage in gainful employment for the duration of the employment of the said Staff
Members.
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2 Persons who obtain employment under paragraph 1 of this Article shall have no immunity
from criminal, civil and administrative jurisdiction with respect to matters arising
in the course of or in connection with such employment, provided that measures of
execution are taken without infringing the inviolability of their person or of their
residence.
Article 15 ter. ISNAR provident fund
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
A provident fund established by or conducted under the authority of ISNAR shall enjoy
legal capacity in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and shall enjoy the same exemptions,
privileges and immunities as ISNAR itself.
Article 16. Purpose and scope of privileges and immunities
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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2 The Director General has the right and the duty to waive such immunities (other than
his own) in any case where the immunity would impede the course of justice, and where
it can be waived without prejudice to the interests of ISNAR. In respect of the Director
General the Board of Trustees of ISNAR has a similar right and duty.
Article 16 bis. Interns
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
[Wordt voorlopig toegepast per 16-10-2002]
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2 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall register an intern for the purpose of his internship
with ISNAR for a maximum period of one year, provided that ISNAR supplies the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs with a declaration signed by the intern, accompanied by adequate
proof, to the effect that:
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a. the intern entered the Netherlands in accordance with the applicable immigration procedures;
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b. the intern has sufficient financial means for living expenses and for repatriation,
as well as sufficient medical insurance (including coverage of costs of hospitalization
for at least the duration of the internship plus one month) and third party liability
insurance, and will not be a charge to the public means of the Netherlands;
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c. the intern will not work in the Netherlands during his internship otherwise than as
an intern at ISNAR;
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e. the intern will not bring any family members to reside with him in the Netherlands
other than in accordance with the applicable immigration procedures;
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e. the intern will leave the Netherlands within 14 days after the end of the internship.
Article 17. Cooperation
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
ISNAR shall cooperate at all times with the appropriate Netherlands authorities in
order to facilitate the proper administration of justice, to ensure the observance
of police regulations and regulations concerning the handling of inflammable material,
public health, labour inspection and other similar national legislation, and to prevent
any abuse of the privileges and immunities and facilities provided for in this Agreement.
Article 18. Security
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
The Government retains the right to take all precautionary measures in the interest
of its security.
Article 19. Arbitration
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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1 Where ISNAR enters into contracts (other than contracts concluded in accordance with
staff regulations) ISNAR shall include an arbitration clause whereby any disputes
arising out of the interpretation or execution of the contract may at the request
of either party be submitted to private arbitration. Unless otherwise agreed, the
arbitration shall be conducted under the rules of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute.
Article 20. Settlement of disputes
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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1 Any dispute between the Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the
present Agreement which cannot be settled amicably, shall be submitted, at the request
of any Party to the dispute, to an arbitral tribunal, composed of three members. Each
Party shall appoint one arbitrator and the two arbitrators thus appointed shall together
appoint a third arbitrator as their chairman.
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3 If the two arbitrators are unable te reach agreement, in the two months following
their appointment, on the choice of the third arbitrator, either Party may invite
the President of the International Court of Justice to make the necessary appointment.
Article 21. Reporting on staff situation
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
ISNAR shall communicate to the Government from time to time a list of Staff Members.
ISNAR shall inform the Government of the appointment and dismissal of Staff Members
individually.
Article 22. Final provisions
[Regeling vervallen per 31-03-2004]
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2 The Agreement will remain in force for an indefinite period.
The Agreement may be terminated after consultation between the Parties hereto.
This Agreement will automatically be terminated at the dissolution of ISNAR.
