Page 449 - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
P. 449

Article 14.5: Non-Application of Dispute Settlement   CHAPTER 15

 Dispute settlement mechanisms in this Agreement shall not apply to any   ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION
 matter arising under this Chapter.

                       Article 15.1: Definition

                       For the purposes of this Chapter, work programme means the list of
                       economic and technical cooperation activities mutually determined by
                       the Parties in accordance with Article 15.5 (Work Programme).


                       Article 15.2: Objectives

                       1.     The  Parties  reaffirm  the  importance  of  ongoing  economic  and
                              technical  cooperation  initiatives  between  Parties  and  agree  to
                              complement their existing economic partnership in areas where
                              the Parties have mutual benefits and interests.

                       2.     The  Parties  shall  seek  to  prioritise  economic  and  technical
                              cooperation initiatives and, where possible, minimise duplication
                              of ongoing efforts and utilisation of resources, particularly under
                              the free trade agreements between the Member States of ASEAN
                              and their free trade partners.

                       3.     The Parties agree that the economic and technical cooperation in
                              the RCEP context aims at narrowing development gaps among
                              the  Parties  and  maximising  mutual  benefits  from  the
                              implementation and utilisation of this Agreement.  The economic
                              and  technical  cooperation  shall  take  into  account  the  different
                              levels of development and national capacity of each Party.

                       4.     The  Parties  acknowledge  the  provisions  to  encourage  and
                              facilitate economic and technical cooperation included in various
                              Chapters of this Agreement.


                       Article 15.3: Scope

                       1.     Economic  and  technical  cooperation  under  this  Chapter  shall
                              support the inclusive, effective and efficient implementation and
                              utilisation  of  this  Agreement  through  economic  and  technical
                              cooperation  activities  which  are  trade  or  investment  related  as
                              specified in the work programme.







 14-3                                                      15-1
   444   445   446   447   448   449   450   451   452   453   454