Date: Wednesday 6/9/2006

Venue: Cairo

Preamble:

The member states of the Arab League (Hereinafter referred to as “member states”) who are parties to this Agreement,

Desiring to promote and develop the social and economic relationship between the member States of the Arab League, and an analysis pursuant to the provisions of Article II of the League Contract of the necessity for close cooperation among the member states of the Arab League in economic and financial affairs;

In pursuit of the aims to organize passenger road transport between and across the member States of the Arab League and promote the development of economic and social bonds;

In pursuit of the aims to promote tourism and remove barriers facing international road movement of passengers between the member states of the Arab League; and In light of pactasuntservanda and principles of reciprocity,

The undersigned member states of the Arab League, hereby have agreed as follows:

 

Article 1

In the Agreement, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them, except where the context otherwise requires:

1 - “Competent Authority”: The relevant governmental authority in each of the member states having jurisdiction over the application of laws and regulations related to the implementation of this Agreement.

2 – “Transporter”: Is the natural or legal person from any of the member states who is licensed according to the laws and regulations of their own state to carry out the international transportation for the road passengers.

3 –“Passenger”: A person who intended to travel through the roads of the member state for a purpose of public, private, tourism or for any other purpose thereof.4 –“Means of transportation”: Vehicles that are registered in one of the member states and authorized to engage in such activity by competent authority in the respective member state for transportation of passengers and include the following:

A - “Private cars”: Vehicles that are intended for personal use and driven by the owner or his official authorized representative thereof.

B – “Buses”: Vehicles that are licensed to transport more than eight (8) passengers excluding the driver. It must meet all the technical conditions related to the safety, passenger comfort, and traffic safety, and should not exceed the lifespan of ten (10) years from the date of manufacture thereof.

C – “Taxis”: Vehicles that are licensed to transport eight (8) passengers or less in return for payment of a fare.

5 – “Regular transportation” : It is intended to transport passengers and their personal belongings and goods from one member state, an Arab country  being party to the Agreement, on the specific routes according to  the fixed declared  dates and transportation tariffs to another Arab state being party to the Agreement, in the form of a regular land transport service for the international transport of passengers among them by licensed transporters provided by the competent authorities and the sharing among them on the basis of mutual benefits and common interests of each party to this Agreement.

6 – “Regular Crossing/ Passing Transportation”: It is intended to transport passengers from the territory of a member state being party of this Agreement, through the territory of another member state, being party of this Agreement, targeting a third member state being party to this Agreement, or a non party state to this Agreement, and vice versa, without landing or taking passengers from the crossing states, according to the list of the passengers’ names recorded by the information of each passenger.

7 – “Tourism Transportation”: This refers to the transportation of one group of passengers and their personal belongings, for a tourist trip in a defined itinerary, beginning from the country of registration of the vehicle and ending in the country of another party without landing or taking passengers along the itinerary and return the bus to either with the same group of passengers or being empty.

8 – “Transportation tariff”: It means the fare paid by the passenger for his transportation and carriage of his personal belongings or goods.

9 – “Parties to the Agreement”: The governments of the member States of the Arab League who are parties to this  Agreement.

 

Article 2

The provisions of this Agreement shall be applicable on the transportation of passengers (public, private or tourist) on the roads through and to the territory of any of the parties to the Agreement by the means of transportation, or passing through.

 

Article 3

In accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, Parties to the Agreement hereby undertake to facilitate the free passage for the means of transportation with its plates*, passengers and their personal belongings.

 

* Reservation for the Arab Republic of Egypt: shall be entitled to the addition of the word “its plates” in the wording of the foregoing article.

 

Article 4

The drivers of the transportation shall be obliged to possess the following documents while driving their vehicles within the territory of any other parties to the Agreement: -

1 - A valid passport contains the necessary visas, if required.

2 - A valid international driving license (Permission) or a national license recognized by the Parties to the Agreement, related to the category of the vehicle that has been driven.

3 –Valid Passing Certificate (certificate of registration) for the vehicle that has been driven.

4 – The International traffic book valid and approved by the parties to the Agreement.

5 - Baggage Registration Statement, which includes the number, approximate weight, the passenger's name and address, and the name and address of the transporter, and the name of the local agent in the state of destination and his address.

6 –List of passengers, that includes their names, nationalities and passport numbers, which shall be provided to the competent authorities upon their request.

7 - An insurance policy on the vehicle, covering the journey from beginning to end, including third party liability, the driver and passengers, and which should be issued by an insurance company approved in the state of crossing and state of destination of the parties to the Agreement.

 

Article 5

Operations of transportation subject to the provisions of this Agreement must be covered by insurance, issued by an insurance company approved in the states of crossing and arrival, from the beginning of the journey until to the end thereof.

 

Article 6

The transporters under the parties to the Agreement must have local agents, for regular transport in the destination state of party to the Agreement in order to facilitate the implementation of the passengers’ transportations operations procedures in accordance with  the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Article 7

The public transport media registered with any of the Parties to the Agreement shall not be permitted to enter into the territory of any of the other parties as empty for transporting passengers except by virtue of  the prior permission granted by the competent authorities.

 

Article 8

The public transport media, registered with any of the parties to the Agreement shall not be permitted to carryout public transport between two points within the territory of any other party to this agreement.

Article 9

The entry of various means of transportation should be through the official entrance of any of the parties to the Agreement and it shall be permitted for such parties to oblige the intended or crossing means of transportation to its territory of the specific itinerary.

 

Article 10

Parties to the Agreement shall provide all facilities for passengers and means of passengers transport according to  this Agreement.

 

Article 11

The means of transport of any of the parties to the Agreement shall not be allowed to stay in the territory of another party to the Agreement after the expiry of the period allotted except upon the  special permission from the competent authority in that member State.

 

Article 12

Without prejudice to the laws and national legislation in force, in the case of any violation of the provisions of this Agreement by the transporter of any of the parties to the Agreement, the territory of the party to the Agreement wherein the  violation may have been committed shall have the right to take the following actions:

- A warning to the offending transporter, in case of violation for the first time.

- The temporary deprivation of the transportation in its territory for a period of maximum three (3) months, in case of violation for the second time.

- The permanent deprivation, in case of subsequent repetition.

The competent authority in the member state, where the offense has been committed over its territory, shall be obliged to inform the competent authority of the state of the transporter, who issued license for him to transport, to take action against him, and the offending transporter shall have the right to appeal such action taken against him within sixty (60) days from the date of notification in this respect.

 

Article 13

A - Transporter shall issue individual tickets to passengers submitting the passenger's name, address and ID number or passport and his travel destination, in addition to the name and address of the transporter.

B - Transporter shall issue passengers’ baggage registration statement consists of the number, nature of the permitted baggage, approximate weighs, passenger name, address, and the name and address of the transporter.

 

Article 14

A - The transporter shall be responsible for the safety of passengers transported in his vehicle, provided that they are inside such vehicle, and the Insurance document thereof shall determine the value of compensation for death, injury or damage related thereto, resulting from accidents during transport and transporter shall pay such compensation to passengers.

B - The transporter shall be bound to pay compensation for loss, damage or deficiency or defect occurring in the luggage thereto, and the compensation shall be subject to the value and status of baggage at delivery time, provided that, such event has been reported to the transporter in a timely manner and substantiated the same with valid  records.

 

Article 15

Passenger affected by the loss, damage or deficiency or defect in his luggage shall be entitled to claim compensation, and such claims shall be made to the  transporter or his legal representative in its head office or his approved agent in the state of the other party to the Agreement.

Without prejudice to the provision of the foregoing paragraph, the  right to claim compensation for damage or loss of or deficiency or defect occurring in luggage shall be void, unless the same has been reported to the transporter or its agent, within a period not exceeding sixty (60) days from the date of the occurrence of the event as proven by records related thereto.

                                      

Article 16

The claim for compensation to the loss or damage or deficiency or defect in the luggage shall be in accordance with  the law of either the state of departure or arrival wherein such loss, or damage or deficiency or defect happens in the luggage.

 

Article 17

The means of transportation as well as their drivers and passengers may be registered with any of the parties to the Agreement, during their presence in the territory of another party to the Agreement, they shall be subjected to all laws and regulations in force at that party of, unless otherwise stipulated in this Agreement.

 

Article 18

Each Party to the Agreement,, when the means of registered transportation of any of the other parties to the Agreement enter or cross through their respective territory, shall relieve all the fees and taxes of any kind. However, the actual service charges, and the service fees which has been listed herein and exchanged among the parties to the Agreement shall be collected.

 

Article 19

The transfer of revenue resulting from the international transport shall be allowed for passengers in the state of Party to the Agreement by way of the registered transportation in the state of another party to the Agreement under convertible currencies by banks and banks licensed by the parties to the Agreement and in accordance with the laws and regulations concerning the currency conversion, in force at each party.

 

Article 20

Without prejudicing the provisions of the Agreement herein, the parties to the Agreement shall be permitted to grant more facilities to each other in agreement with each other than what has been stipulated in this agreement.,

 

Article 21

The amount of fuel and oil filled only in the original tanks of the means of transport entering or crossing, as well as the tire and spare parts backup for the purpose of repair, and not intended for  commercial use thereof, shall be exempted from taxes and fees. The used and unused spare parts, as well as the parts that have been replaced must be re-exported or disposed under the supervision of the customs authorities of the other party to the Agreement.

 

Article 22

This Agreement shall be open to the member states for signature and subject to ratification by the member states in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures and shall deposit the instruments of ratification with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, which has been deemed as the place to keep the instruments of ratification of each member state and  the other parties to the Agreement shall be duly notified in this respect.

 

Article 23

The non-signing  member states to this Agreement from Arab League may accede to it after its entry into force, by virtue of the declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Arab League, which shall subsequently  notify its accession to the remaining member states of parties to the Agreement.

 

Article 24

This Agreement shall enter into force  thirty (30) days following the date of deposit of its instruments of ratification or accession by the seven (7) member states.

 

Article 25

For each member state  ratifying or acceding to this Agreement after the deposit of the instruments of ratification and accession of the seven (7) member states, this Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth  (30^th) day following  the date of deposit by such member states of its instrument of ratification or accession.

 

Article 26

1 - Any Party to the Agreement shall be entitled to announce his intention to withdraw from this Agreement by virtue of a written document submitted at the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.

2 - The foregoing withdrawal shall take in effect on those  member states following the lapse of a period of six (6) months from the date of submission of the document of withdrawal at the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.

3 - Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article concerning the withdrawal of any of the party to the Agreement, the obligation to the provisions of this Agreement with respect to any process of entry into or cross, takes place prior to the effective date of the withdrawal shall remain thereof.

 

Article 27

1 - The implementation of this Agreement shall be supervised by a technical committee composed of the authorized representatives of the Parties to the Agreement, shall meet within three (3) months from the date of entry into force of the Agreement and whenever the need arises and with the participation of a representative of the Arab Union of Land Transport, as an observer. Furthermore, committee shall issue resolutions under the internal  Rules and regulations of the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport, on the disputes or differences arising out of or relating to  the interpretation and implementation of this Agreement. Such resolution shall be passed by the two-thirds majority of votes of the members present. In the event of failure to pass or implement these resolutions, the matter shall be referred to the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport at its subsequent meeting to take the appropriate actions.

2 - The Committee shall meet at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States at the invitation of the Secretariat, and any of the party to the Agreement shall  hold a meeting of the Committee by the invitation sent to the Secretariat.

 

Article 28

1 -The proposal to amend this Agreement shall be allowed by a party to the Agreement or more, by way of introducing the proposal to the Technical Committee referred to in Article 27 of this Agreement to make recommendations thereon.

2 - Any amendments thereof shall be deemed to take effect thirty (30) days following the date of submission by the seventh Party to the Agreement of the instruments of ratification on the amendments thereof with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.

 

Article 29

This Agreement shall be deemed a expired if the number of parties to the Agreement remained to be less than seven (7) for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months subsequent to its entry into force.

 

Article 30

The Secretary General of the League of Arab States shall undertake to inform the member states, the following matters:

A –The  member states which have signed and ratified in accordance with the provisions of Article (22) of this Agreement.

B - The  member states that joined in accordance with the provisions of Article (23) of this Agreement.

C - The date of entry into force of the Agreement herein, in accordance with the provisions of Article (24) of this Agreement.

D –The member states that intents to withdraw from the Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Article (26) of this Agreement.

E - The member states which have withdrawn from this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Article (26) of this Agreement.

F– Any effective date of amendment in accordance with the provisions of Article (28) of this Agreement.

G - The cancellation/ abolition of the Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Article (29) of this Agreement.

Article 31

The original version of this agreement shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Arab League, who shall send certified copies thereof to all the member state ratifying or acceding to this Agreement.

Done in Arabic at Cairo on Wednesday 6/9/2006,

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Plenipotentaries, being duly authorized thereto by their respective governments, have signed this Agreement.

Signature of Authorized Signatories

Signatures                     For Jordan:

For United Arab Emirates:

For The Kingdom of Bahrain:

For Republic of Tunisia:

For People's Democratic Republic of Algeria:

For Republic of Djibouti:

For The Kingdome of Saudi Arabia:

For Republic of the Sudan:

For The Syrian Arab Republic:

For Democratic Republic of Somalia:

For The Republic of Iraq:

For The Sultanate of Oman:

For The State of Palestine:

For The State of Qatar:

For United Republic of Comoros:

For The State of Kuwait:

For Lebanese Republic:

For Libyan Arab Republic:

For Arab Republic of Egypt:

For Kingdom of Morocco:

For Islamic Republic of Mauritania:

For Republic of Yemen: