Евразийское экономическое сообщество

AGREEMENT

between the Government of the Republic of Belarus,

the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan,

the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic,

the Government of the Russian Federation

and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan

on mutual visa-free travel of citizens

of 30 November 2000¹

The Government of the Republic of Belarus, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,

determined to develop friendly neighborly relations and reinforce economic, trade, scientific and technical, cultural and other bonds between the states of the Parties,

based on mutual interest in approving the measures necessary to further reinforce integration among the states of the Parties,

guided by the desire to simplify, as far as possible, the travel conditions for citizens within the territory of the states of the Parties,

have agreed as follows:

Article 1

Citizens of the states of the Parties, regardless of their place of residence, shall be entitled to enter, leave, pass on transit, move and stay on the territory of the states of the Parties without visas, using one of the valid documents listed in Appendices No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hereto.

On signing this Agreement, the Parties shall immediately exchange samples of the documents listed in Appendices No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hereto through diplomatic channels.

Article 2

Citizens of the states of the Parties shall enter the territory of each of the states of the Parties and leave it through checkpoints open for international traffic.

The Parties shall exchange through diplomatic channels lists of checkpoints open for travel for citizens of the member states under this Agreement.

Article 3

The Parties shall let the citizens of the states of the Parties with valid documents issued in compliance with national legislation certifying the right to cross the border pass to third countries at checkpoints open for international traffic, and shall take measures to forbid exit to a third state for individuals who are denied such exit by competent organs of the states of the Parties.

Article 4

The provisions of this Agreement shall not concern the right of the Parties to take extraordinary measures to protect their borders and territory in emergency situations, in particular in situations that threaten their security, public order or the healthcare of the population. In this case the interested Party may introduce temporary restrictions for entering, leaving, staying in, travel and transit of the citizens of the states of the Parties upon notification of all the other Parties through diplomatic channels, 72 hours before the above restrictions come into effect.

Article 5

The Parties shall regularly inform each other on issues related to application of the provisions of this Agreement, such as provisions on valid identification documents and documents certifying the citizenship of their holders; on changing the procedure of their issuing and use; on regulations of the sojourn of foreign citizens on the territory of member States, and on corresponding legislative and other regulatory and legal acts.

In the case of adopting new documents or modifying the documents indicated in Appendices No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to this Agreement, the Parties shall exchange their samples through diplomatic channels, not later than 30 days before the modified or new documents take effect.

Article 6

Citizens of states of the Parties that violated the provisions of this Agreement or the rules of sojourn on the territory of the states of the Parties shall be responsible according to the legislation of the state of the Party on whose territory the breach was committed.

Article 7

Upon mutual agreement of the Parties, this Agreement may be modified with amendments registered in protocols that form an integral part of this Agreement.

Article 8

This Agreement shall be made for an indefinite period. Each Party may withdraw from it by sending a written notice to the depositary – the Integration Committee of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan – with regard to its intention to withdraw from this Agreement. The notice shall be sent at least 90 days before the date of withdrawal.

This Agreement shall not restrict the right of each Party, if considered necessary, to change travel regulations for citizens of one or several members of this Agreement to travel regulations that are different from those stated in this Agreement. In this case the other Parties shall hold consultations in order to decide to what extent their obligations under this Agreement remain practicable, within 30 days after receiving through diplomatic channels a notice about the decision.

Article 9

This Agreement shall be open for accession by any state with consent of all the Parties.

Article 10

This Agreement shall be temporarily applied from the date of signature and shall take effect from the date the depositary receives the last written notice of completion by the Parties of the interstate procedures necessary for its coming into effect.

Done at Minsk on November 30, 2000, in one copy in the Belarusian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian and Tajik languages; all the texts having equal legal force.

The text in Russian shall be used for the purpose of interpreting the provisions of this Agreement.

The original of this Agreement deposited with the Integration Committee of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan. The Integration Committee shall transmit a certified copy to the States that have signed this Agreement.

For the government

of the Republic of Belarus                                V. Yermoshin

For the government

of the Republic of Kazakhstan                          K. Tokayev

For the government

of the Kyrgyz Republic                                      M. Imanaliev

For the government

of the Russian Federation                                 M. Kasyanov

For the government

of the Republic of Tajikistan                             A. Akilov

Annex 1

to the Agreement