Congress approves deal regarding the Intergovernmental Committee of the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway

The Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense approved an agreement signed by the Brazilian delegation in the Mercosur Parliament on the operation of the Executive Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway, which is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The agreement was signed in Asunción, Paraguay, on March 9, 2018, and is subject to ratification by the National Congress to enter into force. The text is currently being discussed in the Lower House under the denomination Project of Parliamentary Decree 927/21.

The document reviewed by the deputies addresses the committee’s headquarters, outlining the relationship between the Executive Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway (CIH) and Argentina, the body’s host country.

The text establishes the legal basis for the Executive Secretariat of the CIH to run its operations, including legal standing, communication norms, the inviolability of the institution’s headquarters, tax exemptions, diplomatic immunity for the executive secretary and other CIH employees, and currency and exchange rules, among other things.

The proposal completes the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Agreement, which regulates shared river navigation along the Paraguay – Paraná waterway. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are part of the cooperation treaty signed in 1992.

The rapporteur, Deputy Rubens Bueno (Cidadania party – PR), claimed that the legislation incorporates worldwide best practices and will help the Intergovernmental Committee of the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway function more effectively.

“As a result, increased cooperation in programs and projects will be possible, including the promotion and expansion of waterway traffic, the merchandise agenda, and other related measures, such as the safety of transported goods, the enforcement of safe navigation standards, environmental preservation, among other things,” he concluded.

Procedural protocol 

Before being voted on by the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, the proposal will be examined by the committees on Travel and Transportation, Finance and Taxation, and Constitution, Justice, and Citizenship.

Source: Agência Câmara de Notícias

To read the full original article please visit:

https://www.camara.leg.br/noticias/843473-comissao-aprova-acordo-sobre-comite-intergovernamental-da-hidrovia-paraguai-parana/

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