AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA ON THE PROMOTION AND RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Croatia (hereinafter referred to as the "Contracting Parties");

Desiring to promote greater economic co-operation between them, with respect to investments by investors of one Contracting Party in the territory of the other Contracting Party;

Recognizing that agreement upon the treatment to be accorded to such investment will stimulate the flow of private capital and the economic development of the Contracting Parties;

Agreeing that a stable framework for investment will maximise effective utilisation of economic resources and improve living standards;

Having resolved to conclude the Agreement on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments;

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

Definitions

For the purposes of the Agreement:

1. The term "investment" means every kind of assets invested by investors of one Contracting party in the territory of the other Contracting Party in accordance with its laws and regulations and shall include, in particular, though not exclusively:

a) movable and immovable property, including land property, as well as any other rights in rem such as mortgages, liens, pledges, usufructs and similar rights;

b) stocks, shares, debentures and other forms of participation in companies;

c) claims to money or to any performance having economic value, including every loan granted for the purpose of creating economic value;

d) intellectual property rights, as defined in the multilateral agreements concluded under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, in as far as both Contracting Parties are parties to them, including, but not limited to, copyrights and neighbouring rights, industrial property rights, trademarks, patents, industrial designs and technical processes, rights in plants varieties, know-how, trade secrets, trade names and goodwill;

e) rights to engage in economic and commercial activities conferred by law and by virtue of a contract, including the concessions to search for, cultivate, extract or exploit natural resources.

Any change of the form in which assets are invested or reinvested shall not affect their character as an investment.

2. The term "investor" means any natural or legal person who invests in the territory of the other Contracting Party.

a) In respect of the Republic of Latvia:

i) "natural person" means a citizen or a non-citizen in accordance with the law of the Republic of Latvia;

(ii) "legal person" means any entity incorporated or constituted in accordance with the law of the Republic of Latvia;

b) In respect of the Republic of Croatia:

i) "natural person" means national of the Republic of Croatia in accordance with its law;

ii) "legal person" means any entity incorporated, constituted or otherwise duly organised in accordance with Croatian laws and regulations, having its seat and performing real business activity in its territory.

3. The term "returns" means income deriving from an investment and includes, in particular though not exclusively, profits, dividends, interests, capital gains, royalties, patents licence fees, and other fees.

4. The term "without delay" shall mean such period as is normally required for the completion of necessary formalities for the transfer of payments. The said period shall commence on the day on which the request for transfer has been submitted and may on no account exceed one months.

5. The term "freely convertible currency" shall mean any currency that the International Monetary Fund determines, from time to time, as freely usable currency in accordance with the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund and any amendment thereto.

6. The term "territory" means

a) in respect of the Republic of Latvia: the territory of the Republic of Latvia including the territorial sea, as well as any maritime area beyond that where the Republic of Latvia in conformity with international law exercises sovereign rights with regard to the seabed and subsoil and the natural resources of such areas.

b) in respect of the Republic of Croatia: the territory of the Republic of Croatia as well as those maritime areas adjacent to the outer limit of the territorial sea, including the seabed and subsoil thereof, over which it exercises, in accordance with international law, sovereign rights and jurisdiction;

Article 2

Promotion and Admission of Investments

1. Each Contracting Party shall encourage and create favourable conditions for investors of the other Contracting Party to make investments in its territory and shall admit such investments in accordance with its laws and regulations.

2. In order to encourage mutual investment flows, each Contracting Party shall endeavour to inform the other Contracting Party, at the request of either Contracting Party, on the investment opportunities in its territory.

3. Each Contracting Party shall grant, whenever necessary, in accordance with its laws, regulations and procedures, without undue delay, the permits required in connection with the activities of consultants and experts, as well as key personnel including top managerial and technical persons who are employed for the purposes of investments by investors of the other Contracting Party.

Article 3

Protection of Investments

1. Each Contracting Party shall extend in its territory full protection and security to investments and returns of investors of the other Contracting Party. Neither Contracting Party shall hamper, by arbitrary or discriminatory measures, the development, management, maintenance, use, enjoyment, expansion, sale and if it is the case, the liquidation of such investments. Either Contracting Party shall observe any other obligation it may have entered into with regard to investments of investors of the other Contracting Party.

2. Investments or returns of investors of either Contracting Party in the territory of the other Contracting Party shall be accorded fair and equitable treatment in accordance with international law and provisions of this Agreement.

Article 4

Nation Treatment and Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment

1. Neither Contracting Party shall accord in its territory to investments and returns of investors of the other Contracting Party a treatment less favourable than that which it accords to investments and returns of its own investors, or investments and returns of investors of any third State, whichever is more favourable to the investors concerned.

2. Neither Contracting Party shall accord in its territory to the investors of the other Contracting Party, as regards management, maintenance, enjoyment, use or disposal of their investment, a treatment which is less favourable than that which it accords to its own investors or to investors of any third State, whichever is more favourable to the investors concerned.

3. The provisions of paragraph 1 and 2 of this Article shall not be construed so as to oblige one Contracting Party to extend to the investors of the other Contracting Party the benefit of any treatment, preference or privilege which may be extended by the former Contracting Party by virtue of:

a) any existing or future customs union or economic union, free trade area or similar international agreements to which either of the Contracting Party is or may become a party in the future;

b) any international agreement or arrangement, completely or partially related to taxation.

Article 5

Expropriation

1. A Contracting Party shall not expropriate or nationalise directly or indirectly an investment in its territory of an investor of another Contracting Party or take any measure or measures having equivalent effect (hereinafter referred to as "expropriation") except:

a) for a purpose which is in the public interest,

b) on a non-discriminatory basis,

c) in accordance with due process of law, and

d) accompanied by payment of prompt, adequate and effective compensation.

2. Compensation shall be paid without delay.

3. Compensation shall be equivalent to the fair market value of the expropriated investment immediately before the expropriation occurred. The fair market value shall not reflect any change in value occurring because the expropriation had become publicly known earlier.

4. Compensation shall be fully realisable and freely transferable.

5. An investor of a Contracting Party affected by the expropriation carried out by the other Contracting Party shall have the right to prompt review of its case, including the valuation of its investment and the payment of compensation in accordance with the provisions of this Article, by a judicial authority or another competent and independent authority of the latter Contracting Party.

Article 6

Compensation for damage or loss

1. When investments made by investors of either Contracting Party suffer loss or damage owing to war or other armed conflict which is not a result of the activities of the Contracting Party to which the investors belong, civil disturbances, revolution, riot or similar events in the territory of the latter Contracting Party, they shall be accorded by the latter Contracting Party, treatment, as regards restitution, indemnification, compensation or any other settlement, not less favourable than that accorded by the latter Contracting Party to its own investors or to investors of any third State, whichever is most favourable to the investors concerned.

2. Without prejudice to paragraph 1 of this Article, investors of one Contracting Party who in any of the events referred to in that paragraph suffer damage or loss in the territory of the other Contracting Party resulting from:

a) requisitioning of their property or part thereof by its forces or authorities;

b) destruction of their property or part thereof by its forces or authorities which was not caused in combat action or was not required by the necessity of the situation,

shall be accorded prompt restitution, and where applicable prompt, adequate and effective compensation for damage or loss sustained during the period of requisitioning or as a result of destruction of their property. Resulting payments shall be made in freely convertible currency and be freely transferable without delay.

Article 7

Transfers

1. Each Contracting Party shall ensure that all payments relating to an investment in its territory of an investor of the other Contracting Party may be freely transferred into and out of its territory without delay. Such transfers shall include, in particular, though not exclusively:

a) the initial capital and additional amounts to maintain or increase an investment;

b) returns;

c) payments made under a contract including a loan agreement;

d) proceeds from the sale or liquidation of all or any part of an investment;

e) payments of compensation under Articles 5, 6 and 8 of this Agreement;

f) payments arising out of the settlement of an investment dispute;

g) earnings and other remuniration of personnel engaged from abroad in connection with an investment.

2. Each Contracting Party shall ensure that the transfers under paragraph 1 of this Article are made in freely convertible currency at the official rate of exchange valid on the date of transfer in the territory of the Contracting Party in which the investment is made.

3. Each Contracting Party shall ensure that the interest at LIBOR rate is calculated together with compensation for the period starting from the occurrence of events under Articles 5, 6 and 8 until the date of transfer of payment and payment will be effected in accordance with provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article.

Article 8

Subrogation

If either Contracting Party or its designated agency makes a payment under an indemnity, guarantee or contract of insurance against non-commercial risks given in respect of an investment of an investor in the territory of the other Contracting Party, the latter Contracting Party shall recognise the assignment of any right or claim of such investor to the former Contracting Party or its designated agency and the right of the former Contracting Party or its designated agency to exercise by virtue of subrogation any such right and claim to the same extent as its predecessor in title.

Article 9

Application of other provisions

If the provisions of law of either Contracting Party or international obligations existing at present or established thereafter between the Contracting Parties in addition to the present Agreement, contain a rule, wether general or specific, entitling investments by investors of the other Contracting Patry to a treatment more favourable than is provided for by the present Agreement, such rule shall to the extent that it is more favourable prevail over the present Agreement.

Article 10

Settlement of disputes between a Contracting Party

and an investor of the other Contracting Party

1. Any investment dispute between a Contracting Party and an investor of the other Contracting Party shall be settled by negotiation.

2. If a dispute under paragraph 1 of this Article can not be settled within six (6) months of a written notification, the dispute shall be upon the request of the investor settled as follows:

a) by a competent court of the Contracting Patry, or

b) by conciliation or arbitration by the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), established by the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of the other States, opened for signature in Washington D.C. on March 18th , 1965. In case of arbitration, each Contracting Party, by this Agreement irrevocably consents in advance, even in the absence of an individual arbitral agreement between the Contracting Patry and the investor, to submit any such dispute to this Centre. This Consent implies the renunciation of the requirement that the internal administrative or judicial remedies should be exhausted; or

c) by arbitration by three arbitrators in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), as amended by the last amendment accepted by both Contracting Patries at the time of the request for initiation of the arbitration procedure. In case of arbitration, each Contracting Party, by this Agreement irrevocably consents in advance, even in the absence of an individual arbitral agreement between the Contracting Party and the investor, to submit any such dispute to the tribunal mentioned; or

d) by arbitration in accordance with the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

3. The award shall be final and binding; it shall be executed according to the national law; each Contracting Party shall ensure the recognition and enforcement of the arbitral award in accordance with its relevant laws and othe regulations.

4. A Contracting Party which is a party to a dispute shall not, at any stage of conciliation or arbitration proceedings or enforcement of an award, raise the objection that the investor who is other party to the dispute has received an indemnity by virtue of a guarantee in respect of all or a part of its losses.

Article 11

Settlement of Disputes between the Contracting Parties

1. Disputes between the Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall be settled as far as possible by negotiations.

2. If a dispute according to paragraph 1 of this Article cannot be settled within six (6) months it shall upon the request of either Contracting Party be submitted to an arbitral tribunal.

3. Such arbitral tribunal shall be constituted ad hoc as follows: each Contracting Party shall appoint one arbitrator and these two arbitrators shall agree upon a national of a third State as their chairman. Such arbitrators shall be appointed within two (2) months from the date one Contracting Party has informed the other Contracting Party, of its intention to submit the dispute to an arbitral tribunal, the chairman of which shall be appointed within two (2) further months.

4. If the periods specified in paragraph 3 of this Article are not observed, either Contracting Party may, in the absence of any other relevant arrangement, invite the President of the International Court of Justice to make the necessary appointments. If the President of the International Court of Justice is a national of either of the Contracting Parties or if he is otherwise prevented from discharging the said function, the Vice-President or in case of his inability the member of the International Court of Justice next in seniority shall be invited under the same conditions to make the necessary appointments.

5. The arbitral tribunal shall establish its own rules of procedure.

6. The arbitral tribunal shall reach its decision in virtue of the present Agreement and pursuant to the rules of international law. It shall reach its decision by the majority of votes; the dicision shall be final and binding.

7. Each Contracting Party shall bear the costs of its own arbitrator and of its legal representation in the arbitration proceedings. The costs of the chairman and the remaining costs shall be borne in equal parts by both Contracting Parties. The tribunal may, however, in its award determine another distribution of costs.

Article 12

Application of the Agreement

This Agreement shall apply to investments made prior to or after the entry into force of this Agreement, but shall not apply to any investment dispute that may have arisen before its entry into force.

Article 13

Entry into Force

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of receipt of the later notification through diplomatic channels by which either Contracting Party notifies the other Contracting Party that its internal legal requirements for the entry into force of this Agreement have been fulfilled.

Article 14

Duration and denunciation

1. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of ten (10) years and shall be extended thereafter for following 10 years' periods unless, one year before the expiration of the initial or any subsequent period, either Contracting Party notifies the other Contracting Party of its intention to denounce the Agreement. In that case, the denunciation shall become effective by the expiration of current period of ten (10) years.

2. In respect of investments made prior to the date when the denunciation of this Agreement becomes effective, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to be effective for a period of ten (10) years from the date of denunciation of this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned representatives, duly authorised thereto, have signed the present Agreement.

Done at Riga on 4 April, 2002 in two originals, in Latvian, Croatian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

 

FOR THE GOVERNMENT  OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA Minister of Foreign Affairs       Indulis Bērziņš            

FOR THE GOVERNMENT  OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Minister of Foreign Affairs Tonino Picula