Page 513 - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

(i) the work of all committees and subsidiary bodies DONE in a single original in the English language and SIGNED
established pursuant to Chapter 18 (Institutional on the Fifteenth Day of November in the Year of Two Thousand
Provisions); and and Twenty at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam;
Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Bogor, Indonesia; Vientiane, Lao PDR;
(ii) relevant developments in international fora.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar; Manila,
Philippines; Singapore; Bangkok, Thailand; Ha Noi, Viet Nam;
Article 20.9: Accession Canberra, Australia; Beijing, China; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul,
Republic of Korea; and Auckland, New Zealand.
1. This Agreement shall be open for accession by any State or
separate customs territory 18 months after the date of entry into
force of this Agreement. Such accession shall be subject to the
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consent of the Parties and any terms or conditions that may be
agreed between the Parties and the State or separate customs
territory.

2. A State or separate customs territory may seek to accede to this
Agreement by submitting a request in writing to the Depositary.

3. The instrument of accession shall be deposited with the
Depositary.

4. A State or separate customs territory shall become a Party to this
Agreement subject to the terms and conditions agreed pursuant
to paragraph 1, either:

(a) 60 days after the date on which it deposits an instrument
of accession with the Depositary indicating it accepts such
terms and conditions; or

(b) on the date on which all Parties have notified the
Depositary that they have completed their respective
applicable legal procedures,

whichever is later.

5. In addition to this Article, the accession process shall be carried
out in accordance with the procedures for accession to be
adopted by the RCEP Joint Committee.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorised by
their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

Notwithstanding this sentence, this Agreement shall be open for accession by India,
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as an original negotiating State, from the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

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