12. pants

1Nobeiguma noteikumi

21. Šis nolīgums stājas spēkā dienā, kad saņemts pēdējais

3Līgumslēdzēju pušu rakstiskais paziņojums par to iekšējo

4procedūru īstenošanu, kas nepieciešamas, lai šis nolīgums stātos

5spēkā.

62. Šis nolīgums ir piemērojams no brīža, kad:

72.1. ir parakstīts apakšnolīgums;

82.2. ir notikusi diplomātisko notu apmaiņa, apstiprinot,

9ka ir izpildīts šā panta 2.1. punkts.

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

11tiks pagarināts uz nākamo trīs gadu periodu, ja vien kāda no

12Līgumslēdzējām pusēm rakstveidā nepaziņo otrai Līgumslēdzējai

13pusei par savu nodomu izbeigt šo nolīgumu vismaz sešus mēnešus

14pirms attiecīgā trīs gadu perioda beigām, izmantojot

15diplomātiskos kanālus.

164. Šo nolīgumu var papildināt un grozīt, abām Līgumslēdzējām

17pusēm abpusēji parakstot Protokolu. Protokols stājas spēkā

18saskaņā ar šā panta 1. punktā noteikto procedūru un ir šī

19nolīguma neatņemama sastāvdaļa.

20Parakstīts 2018. gada 3.oktobrī divos eksemplāros

21latviešu, lietuviešu un angļu valodā. Visi teksti ir vienlīdz

22autentiski. Domstarpību gadījumos par pamatu ņem tekstu angļu

23valodā.

24Latvijas Republikas valdības

25vārdā

26Anda Čakša

27Veselības ministre

28Lietuvas Republikas valdības

29vārdā

30Aurelijus Veryga

31Veselības ministrs

32AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT

33OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF

34LITHUANIA ON THE CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE PROVISION OF

35AMBULANCE SERVICES IN THE BORDER AREA BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF

36LATVIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

37The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of

38the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as "the

39Contracting Parties"),

40recognising the need for cooperation between the two

41countries,

42seeking to promote mutual aid in the provision of

43medical assistance services in the border area between the

44Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania and to speed up

45the provision of ambulance services,

46considering this agreement as a framework agreement on

47mutual cooperation in the provision of ambulance services,

48and

49committing themselves to further cooperation in this

50field, while

51respecting the laws and regulations applicable within

52their territories and international obligations assumed by the

53States of the Contracting Parties,

54noting that the provisions of the European Union (EU)

55regulations on coordination of social security systems are

56intact, and

57acknowledging that the provisions of this Agreement

58shall be applicable, insofar as the border control is not

59introduced at the border between the Republic of Latvia and the

60Republic of Lithuania

61have agreed on the following:

62Article 1

63Scope of the Agreement

641. This Agreement covers the principles and issues related to

65the cross-border cooperation in the provision of ambulance

66services in case of emergency in the border area.

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

68human caused disasters.

69Article 2

70Definitions

71The terms used in this Agreement shall mean the following:

72"ambulance crew" shall mean a team of persons

73authorised to provide ambulance services in accordance with

74out-patient treatment conditions, equipped with a specialised

75ambulance vehicle that meets the harmonised technical and quality

76requirements of the EU, medicines, medical devices, personal

77protective equipment, rescue and safety equipment, as well as

78communication equipment;

79"ambulance services" shall mean the

80out-patient health care services provided by an ambulance crew

81for the initial diagnosis and care in life-threatening critical

82conditions, and, if necessary, transportation of patients to the

83nearest hospital capable of providing the necessary in-patient

84health care in the territory of the State of the Contracting

85Party requesting aid, as well as the processing of emergency

86calls and dispatch of ambulance crews;

87"border" - the Latvian-Lithuanian state

88border in accordance with the Agreement between the Republic of

89Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania on the Restoration of the

90State Border of 29 June 1993;

91"border area" shall mean the municipal,

92administrative territories of the Republic of Latvia and the

93Republic of Lithuania adjacent to the border and located within

9420 km from it, and where an ambulance crew operates;

95"competent authority" shall mean the

96institution which, in accordance with this Agreement, is

97authorised by the respective Contracting Party to make direct

98contacts and enter into the Sub-agreements;

99"case of emergency" shall mean an event that

100requires an immediate provision of ambulance services for

101person/persons in life-threatening situation;

102"providers of ambulance services" shall mean

103legal persons who own an ambulance crew and are responsible for

104the provision of ambulance services;

105"cooperation partners" shall mean the

106providers of ambulance services in the border area which could be

107involved by a competent authority in the provision of ambulance

108services if the ambulance crew which is nearest to the emergency

109site is out of its operational area.

110Article 3

111Competent Authorities and Cooperation Partners

1121. The competent authority of the Republic of Lithuania is the

113public institution Šiauliai Ambulance Service of the Republic of

114Lithuania which is authorised to establish direct contacts and

115conclude the Sub-agreements in accordance with the terms of this

116Agreement, as well as to implement and supervise them. The public

117institution Šiauliai Ambulance Service has the right to:

1181.1. receive and reject calls and dispatch an ambulance

119crew;

1201.2. complete performance of actions related to ambulance

121services on site;

1221.3. establish a territory of activities for individual

123ambulance crews;

1241.4. organise and coordinate technical precision of

125reports;

1261.5. compile medical records of the provided ambulance

127services;

1281.6. intensify and improve communication, organise and provide

129cross-border ambulance services, as well as prepare joint

130training;

1311.7. forward the calls received from the competent authority

132requesting aid to cooperation partners and receive from

133cooperation partners information necessary for the competent

134authority requesting aid.

1352. The competent authority of the Republic of Latvia is the

136State Emergency Medical Service of the Republic of Latvia which

137is authorised to establish direct contacts and conclude the

138Sub-agreements in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, as

139well as to implement and supervise them. The State Emergency

140Medical Service of the Republic of Latvia has the right to:

1412.1. receive and reject calls and dispatch an ambulance

142crew;

1432.2. complete performance of actions related to ambulance

144services on site;

1452.3. establish a territory of activities for individual

146ambulance crews;

1472.4. organise and coordinate technical precision of

148reports;

1492.5. compile medical records of the provided ambulance

150services;

1512.6. intensify and improve communication, organise and provide

152cross-border ambulance services, as well as prepare joint

153training;

1542.7. perform quality and safety assessment and control of the

155provided ambulance services.

1563. The cooperation partners of the Republic of Lithuania

157are:

1583.1. the public institution Klaipėdos Ambulance Service;

1593.2. the public institution Panevėžys Ambulance Service;

1603.3. the public institution Vilnius Ambulance Service.

1614. The competent authorities and cooperation partners shall

162conclude the Sub-agreement which specifies exact procedures of

163requesting and providing aid, including the processing and

164forwarding of emergency calls received from the border area. The

165Sub-agreement shall be signed within three months after the

166entering into force of this Agreement.

167Article 4

168Persons Authorised to Provide Ambulance Services

1691. Rights, obligations and responsibilities of the providers

170of ambulance services are established by their national laws and

171regulations regulating the organisation of activities and

172provision of the ambulance services.

1732. Persons providing ambulance services in accordance with

174this Agreement are not obliged to register or inform in advance

175on their intentions to provide ambulance crew services and to be

176authorised to act in the territory of the State of the other

177Contracting Party. Moreover, these persons are exempt from the

178membership in trade unions of the other Contracting Party. The

179competent authorities ensure that ambulance crews are entitled to

180provide out-patient health care services and are equipped in

181accordance with the national laws and regulations of their

182States. This requirement also has to apply to the provision of an

183ambulance service in the territory of the State of the other

184Contracting Party in accordance with this Agreement.

1853. Persons providing ambulance services in accordance with

186this Agreement shall act in accordance with their professional

187qualification.

188Article 5

189Provision of Ambulance Services

1901. For the purpose of this Agreement, both in the Republic of

191Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania, the provision of ambulance

192services commences with the processing of emergency call and the

193dispatch of an ambulance crew and terminates when the ambulance

194crew reaches the base of its permanent location or receives a new

195dispatch order from the competent authority of its State of

196origin. When providing medical care to a patient, the ambulance

197crew decides whether the patient can be released for further

198out-patient treatment at home, transported to the nearest

199appropriate hospital or handed over to the ambulance crew of the

200State of the Contracting Party requesting aid.

2012. The competent authority responsible for the dispatch of

202ambulance crews (as stated in Article 3) in case of

203emergency within the border area has the right to make a direct

204call to the dispatching authority of an ambulance crew of the

205State of the other Contracting Party and ask to dispatch the

206ambulance crew for the provision of ambulance services.

2073. When called, the respective competent authority is obliged

208to organize the provision of ambulance services in accordance

209with the national laws and regulations. If the prioritization of

210an ambulance crew dispatch is required, all cases have to be

211treated in accordance with the same national laws and

212regulations.

2134. The competent authorities responsible for dispatching

214ambulance crews shall continuously exchange information during

215the provision of the respective service. Each competent authority

216ensures that the relevant information is delivered to the

217ambulance crew of its origin.

2185. When being present in the State of the other Contracting

219Party:

2205.1. the ambulance crew ensures that the quality of service is

221in accordance with the national laws and regulations of its State

222of origin. The ambulance crew shall take full responsibility for

223the provided service in accordance with the national laws and

224regulations of its State of origin.

2255.2. the ambulance crew ensures that the service provided is

226documented as is the case when the respective service is provided

227in its State of origin.

2286. When the case of emergency requires involvement of

229additional resources, they have to be organized by the competent

230authority of the State in which case of emergency occurs.

2317. The Contracting Party requesting aid may withdraw its

232request at any time by informing the competent authority of the

233Contracting Party providing aid.

234Article 6

235Expenses

2361. Ambulance crew services are provided by the States of the

237Contracting Parties without remuneration (free of charge) in the

238border area between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of

239Lithuania.

2402. Provisions of EU regulations on coordination of social

241security systems are intact.

242Article 7

243Personal Data Protection

244Personal data are protected in accordance with the EU data

245protection legislation and corresponding national laws and

246regulations of the States of the Contracting Parties.

247Article 8

248Joint Commission

2491. A Joint Commission shall be formed consisting of equal

250number of representatives of the relevant authorities of each of

251the Contracting Parties. The Commission's task shall be to

252monitor the proper implementation of the provisions of this

253Agreement and propose the necessary amendments to its contents.

254Meetings of the Joint Commission shall take place when

255necessary.

2562. Expenses incurred as a result of organising a meeting of

257the Joint Commission shall be covered by the Contracting Party

258which is organising the meeting. The Contracting Parties shall

259decide on organizational work.

2603. Divergences in the application and interpretation of this

261Agreement shall be addressed to the Joint Commission which is

262closely cooperating with the relevant bodies of the Contracting

263Parties. In the case of failure to reach an agreement,

264divergences in the application and interpretation of this

265Agreement shall be addressed through diplomatic channels.

2664. The Contracting Parties shall notify each other of their

267Joint Commission's representatives within a month after the

268signing of this Agreement by Contracting Parties.

269Article 9

270Compensation for Damages or Injuries

2711. Each Contracting Party shall renounce any claim of

272compensation against the other Contracting Party in cases of

273death, bodily injury or any other damage to the health, or damage

274to the personal property of the members of the ambulance crew, if

275such damage has been caused in the course of fulfilling

276obligations deriving from this Agreement.

2772. If a member of the ambulance crew of the State of the

278Contracting Party providing aid causes damage to a third party in

279the territory of the State of the Contracting Party requesting

280aid by fulfilling obligations deriving from this Agreement, the

281State of the Contracting Party requesting aid shall compensate

282the damage in accordance with the same national laws and

283regulations as it would be if the damage had been caused by an

284employee or ambulance crew member of the State of the Contracting

285Party requesting aid.

286Article 10

287Obligation to Exchange Information

2881. The Contracting Parties shall undertake to immediately

289inform each other of all organisational and legal changes that

290may influence the implementation of this Agreement.

2912. The Contracting Parties shall agree on the list of the

292administrative territories in border area as soon as possible,

293but not later than within two months after this Agreement comes

294into force. The agreed list will become an integral part of this

295Agreement.

296Article 11

297Relationship with Other Agreements

298This Agreement does not prejudice rights and obligations of

299the Contracting Parties assumed in accordance with other

300international agreements.

301Article 12

302Final Provisions

3031. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of

304receipt of the last written notification by the Contracting

305Parties about the fulfillment of the necessary internal

306procedures required for this Agreement to enter into force.

3072. This Agreement shall become applicable when:

3082.1. the Sub-agreement is signed;

3092.2. exchange of diplomatic notes has taken place,

310acknowledging the fulfilment of Paragraph 2.1. of this

311Article.

3123. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of three

313years. It shall be automatically prolonged for another three

314years period unless either of the Contracting Party has notified

315the other Contracting Party in writing of its intention to

316terminate this Agreement at least six months prior to the expiry

317of the three year period through diplomatic channels.

3184. This Agreement may be supplemented and amended by mutual

319written Protocol of the Contracting Parties. The Protocol shall

320enter into force according to the procedure specified in the

321paragraph 1 of Article 12 and is an integral part of this

322Agreement.

323Done at Bauska on «____» October 2018, in duplicate in

324Latvian, Lithuanian and English languages, all texts being

325equally authentic. In case of any divergence in interpretation of

326the provisions of the Agreement, the English text shall

327prevail.

328On behalf of the Government

329of the Republic of Latvia

330Anda Čakša

331Minister for Health

332On behalf of the Government

333of the Republic of Lithuania

334Aurelijus Veryga

335Minister of Health