12. pants

Nobeiguma noteikumi

1. Šis nolīgums stājas spēkā dienā, kad saņemts pēdējais

Līgumslēdzēju pušu rakstiskais paziņojums par to iekšējo

procedūru īstenošanu, kas nepieciešamas, lai šis nolīgums stātos

spēkā.

2. Šis nolīgums ir piemērojams no brīža, kad:

2.1. ir parakstīts apakšnolīgums;

2.2. ir notikusi diplomātisko notu apmaiņa, apstiprinot,

ka ir izpildīts šā panta 2.1. punkts.

3. Šis nolīgums ir spēkā trīs gadus. Pēc tam tas automātiski

tiks pagarināts uz nākamo trīs gadu periodu, ja vien kāda no

Līgumslēdzējām pusēm rakstveidā nepaziņo otrai Līgumslēdzējai

pusei par savu nodomu izbeigt šo nolīgumu vismaz sešus mēnešus

pirms attiecīgā trīs gadu perioda beigām, izmantojot

diplomātiskos kanālus.

4. Šo nolīgumu var papildināt un grozīt, abām Līgumslēdzējām

pusēm abpusēji parakstot Protokolu. Protokols stājas spēkā

saskaņā ar šā panta 1. punktā noteikto procedūru un ir šī

nolīguma neatņemama sastāvdaļa.

Parakstīts 2018. gada 3.oktobrī divos eksemplāros

latviešu, lietuviešu un angļu valodā. Visi teksti ir vienlīdz

autentiski. Domstarpību gadījumos par pamatu ņem tekstu angļu

valodā.

Latvijas Republikas valdības

vārdā

Anda Čakša

Veselības ministre

Lietuvas Republikas valdības

vārdā

Aurelijus Veryga

Veselības ministrs

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT

OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF

LITHUANIA ON THE CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE PROVISION OF

AMBULANCE SERVICES IN THE BORDER AREA BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF

LATVIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of

the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as "the

Contracting Parties"),

recognising the need for cooperation between the two

countries,

seeking to promote mutual aid in the provision of

medical assistance services in the border area between the

Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania and to speed up

the provision of ambulance services,

considering this agreement as a framework agreement on

mutual cooperation in the provision of ambulance services,

and

committing themselves to further cooperation in this

field, while

respecting the laws and regulations applicable within

their territories and international obligations assumed by the

States of the Contracting Parties,

noting that the provisions of the European Union (EU)

regulations on coordination of social security systems are

intact, and

acknowledging that the provisions of this Agreement

shall be applicable, insofar as the border control is not

introduced at the border between the Republic of Latvia and the

Republic of Lithuania

have agreed on the following:

Article 1

Scope of the Agreement

1. This Agreement covers the principles and issues related to

the cross-border cooperation in the provision of ambulance

services in case of emergency in the border area.

2. This Agreement does not apply to the events of natural or

human caused disasters.

Article 2

Definitions

The terms used in this Agreement shall mean the following:

"ambulance crew" shall mean a team of persons

authorised to provide ambulance services in accordance with

out-patient treatment conditions, equipped with a specialised

ambulance vehicle that meets the harmonised technical and quality

requirements of the EU, medicines, medical devices, personal

protective equipment, rescue and safety equipment, as well as

communication equipment;

"ambulance services" shall mean the

out-patient health care services provided by an ambulance crew

for the initial diagnosis and care in life-threatening critical

conditions, and, if necessary, transportation of patients to the

nearest hospital capable of providing the necessary in-patient

health care in the territory of the State of the Contracting

Party requesting aid, as well as the processing of emergency

calls and dispatch of ambulance crews;

"border" - the Latvian-Lithuanian state

border in accordance with the Agreement between the Republic of

Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania on the Restoration of the

State Border of 29 June 1993;

"border area" shall mean the municipal,

administrative territories of the Republic of Latvia and the

Republic of Lithuania adjacent to the border and located within

20 km from it, and where an ambulance crew operates;

"competent authority" shall mean the

institution which, in accordance with this Agreement, is

authorised by the respective Contracting Party to make direct

contacts and enter into the Sub-agreements;

"case of emergency" shall mean an event that

requires an immediate provision of ambulance services for

person/persons in life-threatening situation;

"providers of ambulance services" shall mean

legal persons who own an ambulance crew and are responsible for

the provision of ambulance services;

"cooperation partners" shall mean the

providers of ambulance services in the border area which could be

involved by a competent authority in the provision of ambulance

services if the ambulance crew which is nearest to the emergency

site is out of its operational area.

Article 3

Competent Authorities and Cooperation Partners

1. The competent authority of the Republic of Lithuania is the

public institution Šiauliai Ambulance Service of the Republic of

Lithuania which is authorised to establish direct contacts and

conclude the Sub-agreements in accordance with the terms of this

Agreement, as well as to implement and supervise them. The public

institution Šiauliai Ambulance Service has the right to:

1.1. receive and reject calls and dispatch an ambulance

crew;

1.2. complete performance of actions related to ambulance

services on site;

1.3. establish a territory of activities for individual

ambulance crews;

1.4. organise and coordinate technical precision of

reports;

1.5. compile medical records of the provided ambulance

services;

1.6. intensify and improve communication, organise and provide

cross-border ambulance services, as well as prepare joint

training;

1.7. forward the calls received from the competent authority

requesting aid to cooperation partners and receive from

cooperation partners information necessary for the competent

authority requesting aid.

2. The competent authority of the Republic of Latvia is the

State Emergency Medical Service of the Republic of Latvia which

is authorised to establish direct contacts and conclude the

Sub-agreements in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, as

well as to implement and supervise them. The State Emergency

Medical Service of the Republic of Latvia has the right to:

2.1. receive and reject calls and dispatch an ambulance

crew;

2.2. complete performance of actions related to ambulance

services on site;

2.3. establish a territory of activities for individual

ambulance crews;

2.4. organise and coordinate technical precision of

reports;

2.5. compile medical records of the provided ambulance

services;

2.6. intensify and improve communication, organise and provide

cross-border ambulance services, as well as prepare joint

training;

2.7. perform quality and safety assessment and control of the

provided ambulance services.

3. The cooperation partners of the Republic of Lithuania

are:

3.1. the public institution Klaipėdos Ambulance Service;

3.2. the public institution Panevėžys Ambulance Service;

3.3. the public institution Vilnius Ambulance Service.

4. The competent authorities and cooperation partners shall

conclude the Sub-agreement which specifies exact procedures of

requesting and providing aid, including the processing and

forwarding of emergency calls received from the border area. The

Sub-agreement shall be signed within three months after the

entering into force of this Agreement.

Article 4

Persons Authorised to Provide Ambulance Services

1. Rights, obligations and responsibilities of the providers

of ambulance services are established by their national laws and

regulations regulating the organisation of activities and

provision of the ambulance services.

2. Persons providing ambulance services in accordance with

this Agreement are not obliged to register or inform in advance

on their intentions to provide ambulance crew services and to be

authorised to act in the territory of the State of the other

Contracting Party. Moreover, these persons are exempt from the

membership in trade unions of the other Contracting Party. The

competent authorities ensure that ambulance crews are entitled to

provide out-patient health care services and are equipped in

accordance with the national laws and regulations of their

States. This requirement also has to apply to the provision of an

ambulance service in the territory of the State of the other

Contracting Party in accordance with this Agreement.

3. Persons providing ambulance services in accordance with

this Agreement shall act in accordance with their professional

qualification.

Article 5

Provision of Ambulance Services

1. For the purpose of this Agreement, both in the Republic of

Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania, the provision of ambulance

services commences with the processing of emergency call and the

dispatch of an ambulance crew and terminates when the ambulance

crew reaches the base of its permanent location or receives a new

dispatch order from the competent authority of its State of

origin. When providing medical care to a patient, the ambulance

crew decides whether the patient can be released for further

out-patient treatment at home, transported to the nearest

appropriate hospital or handed over to the ambulance crew of the

State of the Contracting Party requesting aid.

2. The competent authority responsible for the dispatch of

ambulance crews (as stated in Article 3) in case of

emergency within the border area has the right to make a direct

call to the dispatching authority of an ambulance crew of the

State of the other Contracting Party and ask to dispatch the

ambulance crew for the provision of ambulance services.

3. When called, the respective competent authority is obliged

to organize the provision of ambulance services in accordance

with the national laws and regulations. If the prioritization of

an ambulance crew dispatch is required, all cases have to be

treated in accordance with the same national laws and

regulations.

4. The competent authorities responsible for dispatching

ambulance crews shall continuously exchange information during

the provision of the respective service. Each competent authority

ensures that the relevant information is delivered to the

ambulance crew of its origin.

5. When being present in the State of the other Contracting

Party:

5.1. the ambulance crew ensures that the quality of service is

in accordance with the national laws and regulations of its State

of origin. The ambulance crew shall take full responsibility for

the provided service in accordance with the national laws and

regulations of its State of origin.

5.2. the ambulance crew ensures that the service provided is

documented as is the case when the respective service is provided

in its State of origin.

6. When the case of emergency requires involvement of

additional resources, they have to be organized by the competent

authority of the State in which case of emergency occurs.

7. The Contracting Party requesting aid may withdraw its

request at any time by informing the competent authority of the

Contracting Party providing aid.

Article 6

Expenses

1. Ambulance crew services are provided by the States of the

Contracting Parties without remuneration (free of charge) in the

border area between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of

Lithuania.

2. Provisions of EU regulations on coordination of social

security systems are intact.

Article 7

Personal Data Protection

Personal data are protected in accordance with the EU data

protection legislation and corresponding national laws and

regulations of the States of the Contracting Parties.

Article 8

Joint Commission

1. A Joint Commission shall be formed consisting of equal

number of representatives of the relevant authorities of each of

the Contracting Parties. The Commission's task shall be to

monitor the proper implementation of the provisions of this

Agreement and propose the necessary amendments to its contents.

Meetings of the Joint Commission shall take place when

necessary.

2. Expenses incurred as a result of organising a meeting of

the Joint Commission shall be covered by the Contracting Party

which is organising the meeting. The Contracting Parties shall

decide on organizational work.

3. Divergences in the application and interpretation of this

Agreement shall be addressed to the Joint Commission which is

closely cooperating with the relevant bodies of the Contracting

Parties. In the case of failure to reach an agreement,

divergences in the application and interpretation of this

Agreement shall be addressed through diplomatic channels.

4. The Contracting Parties shall notify each other of their

Joint Commission's representatives within a month after the

signing of this Agreement by Contracting Parties.

Article 9

Compensation for Damages or Injuries

1. Each Contracting Party shall renounce any claim of

compensation against the other Contracting Party in cases of

death, bodily injury or any other damage to the health, or damage

to the personal property of the members of the ambulance crew, if

such damage has been caused in the course of fulfilling

obligations deriving from this Agreement.

2. If a member of the ambulance crew of the State of the

Contracting Party providing aid causes damage to a third party in

the territory of the State of the Contracting Party requesting

aid by fulfilling obligations deriving from this Agreement, the

State of the Contracting Party requesting aid shall compensate

the damage in accordance with the same national laws and

regulations as it would be if the damage had been caused by an

employee or ambulance crew member of the State of the Contracting

Party requesting aid.

Article 10

Obligation to Exchange Information

1. The Contracting Parties shall undertake to immediately

inform each other of all organisational and legal changes that

may influence the implementation of this Agreement.

2. The Contracting Parties shall agree on the list of the

administrative territories in border area as soon as possible,

but not later than within two months after this Agreement comes

into force. The agreed list will become an integral part of this

Agreement.

Article 11

Relationship with Other Agreements

This Agreement does not prejudice rights and obligations of

the Contracting Parties assumed in accordance with other

international agreements.

Article 12

Final Provisions

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of

receipt of the last written notification by the Contracting

Parties about the fulfillment of the necessary internal

procedures required for this Agreement to enter into force.

2. This Agreement shall become applicable when:

2.1. the Sub-agreement is signed;

2.2. exchange of diplomatic notes has taken place,

acknowledging the fulfilment of Paragraph 2.1. of this

Article.

3. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of three

years. It shall be automatically prolonged for another three

years period unless either of the Contracting Party has notified

the other Contracting Party in writing of its intention to

terminate this Agreement at least six months prior to the expiry

of the three year period through diplomatic channels.

4. This Agreement may be supplemented and amended by mutual

written Protocol of the Contracting Parties. The Protocol shall

enter into force according to the procedure specified in the

paragraph 1 of Article 12 and is an integral part of this

Agreement.

Done at Bauska on «____» October 2018, in duplicate in

Latvian, Lithuanian and English languages, all texts being

equally authentic. In case of any divergence in interpretation of

the provisions of the Agreement, the English text shall

prevail.

On behalf of the Government

of the Republic of Latvia

Anda Čakša

Minister for Health

On behalf of the Government

of the Republic of Lithuania

Aurelijus Veryga

Minister of Health