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The International Criminal Police Organization-Interpol, hereinafter referred to as 'Interpol',

The Southeast European Cooperative Initiative Regional Center for Combating Transborder Crime, hereinafter referred to as 'the SECI Center',

Hereinafter jointly referred to as 'the Parties',

Considering the Co-operation agreement on communication connectivity for the exchange of information concluded between the Parties and the Government of Romania on 25 February 2002 with a view to enabling SECI Liaison Officers to exchange information with Interpol via the technical equipment of the Interpol National Central Bureau of Romania,

Considering that the above mentioned Co-operation agreement was concluded on an interim basis in order to provide additional time for negotiation of an Agreement regulating the direct exchange of information between Interpol and the SECI Center,

Considering that the term of the Co-operation agreement has elapsed and that additional time is needed to finalize the above Agreement on direct exchange,

Taking into account that Interpol has since then adopted a new communication system, hereinafter referred to as 'the I-24/7 network',

Taking into account the entry into force on 1st January 2004 of Interpol Rules on the Processing of Information for the Purposes of International Police Co-operation, abrogating part 1 of the Rules on International police cooperation and on the internal control of Interpol's archives,

Have agreed as follows:

1. The objective of this Agreement is to allow each SECI Liaison Officer, duly authorized by the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) of his or her country, to exchange police information with Interpol's General Secretariat and with the above NCB.
   
   
2. This Agreement is concluded on an interim basis. The SECI Center and Interpol shall continue negotiations in order to reach an Agreement regulating the direct exchange of information between the two organizations.

1. In order to exchange police information under the scope of the present Agreement, each SECI Liaison Officer must be duly authorized by the NCB of his or her country, in conformity with Interpol regulations.
   
   
2. With this in view, the SECI Center shall send to Interpol's General Secretariat the declaration signed by each SECI Liaison Officer committing him or her to abide by Interpol's Rules on the Processing of Information for the Purposes of International Police Co-operation and by Interpol's Data Protection Charter. The above declaration shall be based on the form attached as Appendix 1 of the present Agreement.
   
   
3. Interpol shall then seek the authorization from the NCBs concerned and shall inform the SECI Center within the shortest delay of each authorization granted.

1. Communication between the SECI Liaison Officers and Interpol's General Secretariat and between each SECI Liaison Officer and the NCB of his or her country shall be conducted through the I-24/7 network. The technical modalities are specified in Appendix 2 of the present Agreement.
   
   
2. Interpol shall provide SECI Liaison Officers with training on the equipment (hardware and software) to be used for the exchange of information.
   
   
3. The SECI Center undertakes to comply with the Interpol Security requirements attached as Appendix 3 of the present Co-operation agreement.
   
   
4. In order to ensure maximum coordination and avoid duplication of efforts, all messages from a SECI Liaison Officer to Interpol's General Secretariat shall be copied to the NCB of his or her country. Likewise, all messages from Interpol's General Secretariat to a SECI Liaison Officer shall be copied to the above NCB.
   
   
5. In case of failure to comply with (3) or (4) above, Interpol may without prior warning terminate access to the I-24/7 network for the SECI Liaison Officer concerned.
   
   
6. The SECI Center shall not interfere with the processing of information by SECI Liaison Officers and shall not process information exchanged under the scope of the present Agreement for its own use.
   
   
7. Each Party shall inform the other, without delay, of any misuse or breach of rules by a Liaison Officer. Interpol's General Secretariat reserves the right to use any means of surveillance and monitoring it deems necessary to guarantee the security of its information systems and to verify compliance with the relevant rules.

The Parties shall each designate a point of contact in order to ensure the day-to-day implementation of the present Agreement. A joint evaluation of the co-operation under the scope of the present Agreement shall be conducted at least once a year or whenever it is deemed necessary by one of the Parties.

This Agreement shall enter into force immediately upon signature by the duly authorized representatives of the Parties, and shall remain in force until the conclusion of a co-operation agreement regulating the direct exchange of information between the SECI Center and Interpol unless terminated in accordance with article 8 below.

Any disputes or disagreements between the Parties with respect to the interpretation or implementation of the present Agreement shall be resolved amicably by good-faith negotiations between the Parties.

This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent between the Parties at any time in accordance with their respective statutory requirements. The Parties shall enter into consultations with respect to the amendment of this Agreement at the request of any Party.

Any Party may terminate this Agreement by giving three months written notice to the other Party.

In witness whereof, the undersigned, duly representatives of the SECI Center and the ICPO-Interpol, have signed the present Co-operation Agreement in duplicate, in English, on the dates appearing under their respective signatures.

I, the undersigned ........................................................................(forename and family name), ..........................................................................(title of post), duly authorized by the Interpol National Central Bureau of ...................................................................................... to exchange information with Interpol under the scope of the Co-operation agreement signed between Interpol and the SECI Center:

• Undertake to abide by Interpol's Rules on the Processing of Information for the Purposes of International Police Co-operation, and
  
  
• Undertake to comply with the provisions of Interpol's Data Protection Charter, and
  
  
• Undertake not to interfere with the processing of information by another SECI Liaison Officer, and
  
  
• Acknowledge that, in the case of failure to comply with these rules, Interpol may terminate direct access to the above information without prior warning.

Done at........................................... on ..............................................

Signature: ........................................................

1. Type of communication:
   
   
   1. The messages sent out by the SECI liaison officers will be directed to Interpol's General Secretariat via a dedicated access to the I-24/7 network.
      
      
   2. The messages from Interpol's General Secretariat to the SECI liaison officers will be directed to the SECI Center through that access.
      
      
2. Equipment:
   
   
   1. The SECI Center infrastructure will be directly connected to the Interpol Global Communication System via an Internet access or a leased line between Bucharest and Lyon. The installation and running costs will be borne by the SECI Center.
      
      
   2. The necessary VPN (Virtual Private Network) device using IPSec protocol and 3DES encryption algorythm will be bought, installed and maintained by the SECI Center. Interpol's General Secretariat will provide the technical specifications to the SECI Center and the necessary technical assistance for the installation and the tests.
      
      
   3. The access to Interpol Global Communication System will be done via the standard internet protocols i.e. SMTP (messaging system) protocol.
      
      
   4. The SECI Center must take all the measures to implement the necessary hardware and software to comply with the Interpol Security requirements in particular for the antivirus software and corresponding firewalls
      
      
3. Connection rules:
   
   
   1. The technical staff of Interpol's General Secretariat shall authorize the traffic from each SECI Liaison officer's workstations toward Interpol's General Secretariat or the NCB of his or her country and reverse. The routing map will be studied jointly by Interpol GS and the SECI Center.
      
      
   2. The technical staff of the SECI Center shall perform the necessary activities to set up maintain and monitor the connection with the General secretariat. For that purpose, Interpol's General Secretariat shall provide assistance to the SECI Center.
      
      
4. Table:

1. Security Officer

   The SECI Center shall communicate to the General Secretariat the contact details of their Security Officer(s) who have been designated to ensure the application and observance of the basic security principles laid down below.

2. Protection of the I-24/7 communication system

   2.1 Exclusive nature of the I-24/7 communication system

   The SECI Center infrastructure is connected to the I-24/7 network by means of an infrastructure whose security elements are the VPN with authentication, encryption and firewalls. These standards shall be met before introduction into and use of the network.

   The General Secretariat and the SECI Center shall use technical means to ensure that the link between the General Secretariat and each NCB or authorized entity is isolated to the greatest extent possible from unauthorized third parties.

   2.2 Physical security perimeter

   The General Secretariat and The SECI Center shall ensure that the I-24/7 system equipment is housed in secure premises, protected by a clearly defined security perimeter.

   2.3 Backup and restoration.

   The General Secretariat and the SECI Center shall carry out regular backup operations of data on their respective equipment, ensuring that such data can be restored when necessary.

   2.4 Equivalence of security levels

   The parties shall ensure that the security features installed on the workstations connected to the I-24/7 communication system meet a standard agreed between Interpol and the SECI Center.

3. Protecting access to the I-24/7 communication system

   3.1 Responsibility for access to the system

   The SECI Center shall be responsible for authorizing access to workstations of the SECI Liaison Officers operating on the I-24/7 communication system, and for ensuring the protection of such access.
   

   3.2 Use of workstations

   Each workstation non exclusively used for access to the I-24/7 communication system should be dealt with in accordance with Article 2.4 above.

   3.3 Antivirus protection

   Each workstation connected directly to the I-24/7 communication network shall be equipped with antivirus software supplied, managed and regularly updated by the SECI Center.

   3.4 Access-control to workstations

   The SECI Center shall be solely responsible for equipping workstations which are non exclusively used for access to the I-24/7 communication system with adequate access-control tools.

4. Operational security procedures

   4.1 Access to operational procedures

   The General Secretariat shall provide the SECI Center with a complete set of operational procedures relating to the secure operation of the I-24/7 communication system, in particular the procedures relating to the crisis plan, the issue and management of passwords, and user assistance.

   4.2 User assistance and support

   The General Secretariat shall place at the SECI Center's disposal a single contact point capable of providing a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week assistance and support service to system users. This contact point shall ensure that the SECI Center receive a technical response as quickly as possible.

   4.3 Detection of malfunctions

   1. The SECI Center and the General Secretariat shall inform one another, without delay, of any event which might disrupt the operation, efficiency or integrity of all or part of the I-24/7 communication system.
      
      
   2. Where there is a doubt as to the gravity of the malfunction detected, the SECI Center shall consult the General Secretariat and vice versa before carrying out any operations on the I-24/7 communication system.
      
      

   4.4 Mutual security checks

   Without detriment to any security or confidentiality provisions by which either the General Secretariat, individual NCBs or authorized entity are bound, the General Secretariat and the SECI Center shall regularly carry out, with prior consent, mutual security checks, either in situ or by remote means, to ensure a uniform level of security over the entire I-24/7 communication network.

   4.5 Protection

   1. If a malfunction is detected on the I-24/7 communication system, the General Secretariat shall immediately take the necessary protection measures to maintain the operation and integrity of the system.
      
      
   2. The measures taken by the General Secretariat shall be proportionate to the potential risk to the I-24/7 communication system caused by the malfunction detected.
      
      
   3. When implementing protection measures, the General Secretariat shall inform the SECI Center, at regular intervals, of all the stages of its intervention on the I-24/7 communication system and of the possible consequences.
      
      
5. Mutual responsibilities

   5.1 Technical security

   The technical security of equipment not directly connected to the I-24/7 communication system shall be the sole responsibility of the SECI Center.

   5.2 Security Officer training

   The General Secretariat and the SECI Center shall ensure that the designated Security Officer has the necessary level of training to develop, co-ordinate and monitor security measures on the I-24/7 communication system within its respective security perimeter.