(A Magyar Köztársaságnak az Egyezményhez, a Megállapodáshoz és a Jegyzőkönyvekhez történő csatlakozásáról szóló diplomáciai jegyzék átadása a letéteményesnek 2004. augusztus 31-én megtörtént. Az Egyezmény, a Megállapodás és a Jegyzőkönyvek rendelkezéseit 2004. november 1-jétől kell a Magyar Köztársaságban alkalmazni.)
1. § Az Országgyűlés e törvénnyel kihirdeti:
a) az Európai Unióról szóló szerződés K.3 cikke alapján létrehozott, az informatika vámügyi alkalmazásáról szóló, Brüsszelben, 1995. július 26-án kelt Egyezményt,
b) a Brüsszelben, 1995. július 26-án kelt Megállapodást az Európai Unióról szóló szerződés K.3 cikke alapján létrehozott, az informatika vámügyi alkalmazásáról szóló Egyezménynek az Európai Unió egyes tagállamai közötti ideiglenes alkalmazásáról,
c) a Brüsszelben, 1996. november 29-én kelt Jegyzőkönyvet az Európai Unióról szóló szerződés K.3 cikke alapján létrehozott, az informatika vámügyi alkalmazásáról szóló Egyezménynek az Európai Közösségek Bírósága általi előzetes döntéshozatal révén történő értelmezéséről,
d) a Brüsszelben, 1999. március 12-én kelt Jegyzőkönyvet az Európai Unióról szóló szerződés K.3 cikke alapján létrehozott, az informatika vámügyi alkalmazásáról szóló Egyezményben a jövedelmek tisztára mosásának fogalmáról és a szállítóeszközök rendszámának az Egyezménybe foglalásáról,
e) a Brüsszelben, 2003. május 8-án kelt Jegyzőkönyvet, az informatika vámügyi alkalmazásáról szóló Egyezménynek vámügyirat-azonosítási adatbázis létrehozása tekintetében történő módosításáról:
2. § Az Egyezmény, a Megállapodás és a Jegyzőkönyvek angol nyelvű szövege és hivatalos magyar nyelvű fordítása a következő:
The High Contracting Parties to this Convention, Member States of the European Union,
referring to the Act of the Council of the European Union of 23 July 1995;
recalling the commitments contained in the Convention on Mutual Assistance between Customs Administrations, signed in Rome on 7 September 1967;
considering that customs administrations are responsible, together with other competent authorities, at the external frontiers of the Community and within the territorial limit thereof, for the prevention, investigation and suppression of offences against not only Community rules, but also against national laws, in particular those laws covered by Articles 36 and 223 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;
considering that a serious threat to public health, morality and security is constituted by the developing trend towards illicit trafficking of all kinds;
convinced that it is necessary to reinforce cooperation between customs administrations, by laying down procedures under which customs administrations may act jointly and exchange personal and other data concerned with illicit trafficking activities, using new technology for the management and transmission of such information, subject to the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, done at Strasbourg on 28 January 1981;
bearing in mind that the customs administrations in their day-to-day work have to implement both Community and non-Community provisions, and that there is consequently an obvious need to ensure that the provisions of mutual assistance and administrative cooperation in both sectors evolve as far as possible in parallel,
have agreed on the following provisions:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Convention,
1. The term ’national laws’ means laws or regulations of a Member State, in the application of which the customs administration of that Member State has total or partial competence, concerning:
- the movement of goods subject to measures of prohibition, restriction or control, in particular those measures covered by Articles 36 and 223 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,
- the transfer, conversion, concealment, or disguise of property or proceeds derived from, obtained directly or indirectly through or used in, illicit international drug trafficking.
2. The term ’personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.
3. The term ’supplying Member State’ means a State which includes an item of data in the Customs Information System.
Article 2
1. The customs administrations of the Member States shall set up and maintain a joint automated information system for customs purposes, hereinafter referred to as the ’Customs Information System’.
2. The aim of the Customs Information System, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, shall be to assist in preventing, investigating and prosecuting serious contraventions of national laws by increasing, through the rapid dissemination of information, the effectiveness of the cooperation and control procedures of the customs administrations of the Member States.
Article 3
1. The Customs Information System shall consist of a central data-base facility and it shall be accessible via terminals in each Member State. It shall comprise exclusively data necessary to achieve its aim as stated in Article 2 (2), including personal data, in the following categories:
(i) commodities;
(ii) means of transport;
(iii) businesses;
(iv) persons;
(v) fraud trends;
(vi) availability of expertise.
2. The Commission shall ensure the technical management of the infrastructure of the Customs Information System in accordance with the rules provided for by the implementing measures adopted within the Council.
The Commission shall report on the management to the committee referred to in Article 16.
3. The Commission shall communicate to that committee the practical arrangements adopted for the technical management.
Article 4
The Member States shall determine the items to be included in the Customs Information System relating to each of the categories (i) to (vi) in Article 3 to the extent that this is necessary to achieve the aim of the system. No items of personal data shall be included in any event within categories (v) and (vi) of Article 3. The items of information included in respect of persons shall comprise no more than:
(i) name, maiden name, forenames and aliases;
(ii) date and place of birth;
(iii) nationality;
(iv) sex;
(v) any particular objective and permanent physical characteristics;
(vi) reason for inclusion of data;
(vii) suggested action;
(viii) a warning code indicating any history of being armed, violent or escaping.
In any case personal data listed in Article 6, first sentence of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, done at Strasbourg on 28 January 1981, hereinafter referred to as the ’1981 Strasbourg Convention’, shall not be included.
Article 5
1. Data in categories (i) to (iv) of Article 3 shall be included in the Customs Information System only for the purpose of sighting and reporting, discreet surveillance or specific checks.
2. For the purpose of the suggested actions referred to in paragraph 1, personal data within any of the categories (i) to (iv) of Article 3 may be included in the Customs Information System only if, especially on the basis of prior illegal activities, there are real indications to suggest that the person concerned has committed, is in the act of committing, or will commit serious contraventions of national laws.
Article 6
1. If the suggested actions referred to in Article 5 (1) are carried out, the following information may in whole, or in part, be collected and transmitted to the supplying Member State:
(i) the fact that the commodity, means of transport, business or person reported has been found;
(ii) the place, time and reason for the check;
(iii) the route and destination of the journey;
(iv) persons accompanying the person concerned or occupants of the means of transport;
(v) the means of transport used;
(vi) objects carried;
(vii) the circumstances under which the commodity, means of transport, business or person was found.
When such information is collected in the course of discreet surveillance steps must be taken to ensure that the discreet nature of the surveillance is not jeopardized.
2. In the context of a specific check referred to in Article 5 (1) persons, means of transport and objects may be searched to the extent permissible and in accordance with the laws, regulations, and procedures of the Member State in which the search takes place. If the specific check is not permitted by the law of a Member State, it shall automatically be converted by that Member State into sighting and reporting.
Article 7
1. Direct access to data included in the Customs Information System shall be reserved exclusively for the national authorities designated by each Member State. These national authorities shall be customs administrations, but may also include other authorities competent, according to the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State in question, to act in order to achieve the aim stated in Article 2 (2).
2. Each Member State shall send the other Member States and the committee referred to in Article 16 a list of its competent authorities which have been designated in accordance with paragraph 1 to have direct access to the Customs Information System stating, for each authority which data it may have access to and for what purposes.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, Member State may, by unanimous agreement, permit access to the Customs Information System by international or regional organizations. Such agreement shall „take the form of a protocol to this Convention. In reaching their decision the Member States shall take account of any reciprocal arrangements and any opinion of the Joint Supervisory Authority referred to in Article 18 on the adequacy of data protection measures.
Article 8
1. The Member States may only use data obtained from the Customs Information System in order to achieve the aim stated in Article 2 (2); however they may use it for administrative or other purposes with the prior authorization of and subject to any conditions imposed by the Member State which included it in the system. Such other use shall be in accordance with the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State which seeks to use it and should take into account Principle 5.5 of the Recommendation R (87) 15 of 17 September 1987 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
2. Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 and 4 of this Article and Article 7 (3), data obtained from the Customs Information System shall only be used by national authorities in each Member State designated by the Member State in question, which are competent, in accordance with the laws, regulations and procedures of that Member State, to act in order to achieve the aim stated in Article 2 (2).
3. Each Member State shall send the other Member States and the committee referred to in Article 16 a list of the competent authorities it has designated in accordance with paragraph 2.
4. Data obtained from the Customs Information System may, with the prior authorization of, and subject to any conditions imposed by, the Member State which included it in the System, be communicated for use by national authorities other than those designated under paragraph 2. non-Member States, and international or regional organizations wishing to make use of them. Each Member State shall take special measures to ensure the security of such data when it is being transmitted or supplied to services located outside its territory. Details of such measures must be communicated to the Joint Supervisory Authority referred to in Article 18.
Article 9
1. The inclusion of data in the Customs Information System shall be governed by the laws, regulations and procedures of the supplying Member State unless this Convention lays down more stringent provisions.
2. The use of data obtained from the Customs Information System, including performance of any action under Article 5 suggested by the supplying Member State, shall be governed by the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State using such data, unless this Convention lays down more stringent provisions.
Article 10
1. Each of the Member States shall designate a competent customs administration which shall have national responsibility for the Customs Information System.
2. This administration shall be responsible for the correct operation of the Customs Information System within the Member State and shall take the measures necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Convention.
3. The Member States shall inform one another of the competent administration referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 11
1. Only the supplying Member State shall have the right to amend, supplement, correct, or delete data which it has included in the Customs Information System.
2. Should a supplying Member State note, or have drawn to its attention, that the data it included are factually inaccurate or were included, or are stored contrary to this Convention, it shall amend, supplement, correct or delete the data, as appropriate, and shall advise the other Member States accordingly.
3. If one of the Member States has evidence to suggest that an item of data is factually inaccurate, or was included or is stored on the Customs Information System, contrary to this Convention, it shall advise the supplying Member State as soon as possible. The latter shall check the data concerned and, if necessary, correct or delete the item without delay. The supplying Member State shall advise the other Member States of any correction or deletion effected.
4. If, when including data in the Customs Information System, a Member State notes that its report conflicts with a previous report as to content or suggested action, it shall immediately advise the Member State which made the previous report. The two Member States shall then attempt to resolve the matter. In the event of disagreement, the first report shall stand, but those parts of the new report which do not conflict shall be included in the System.
5. Subject to the provisions of this Convention, where in any Member State a court, or other competent authority within that Member State, makes a final decision as to amendment, supplementation, correction, or deletion, of data in the Customs Information System, the Member States undertake mutually to enforce such a decision. In the event of conflict between such decisions of courts or other competent authorities in different Member States, including those referred to in Article 15 (4) concerning correction or deletion, the Member State which included the data in question shall delete it from the System.
Article 12
1. Data included in the Customs Information System shall be kept only for the time necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was included. The need for its retention shall be reviewed at least annually by the supplying Member State.
2. The supplying Member State may, within the review period, decide to retain data until the next review if its retention is necessary for the purposes for which it was included. Without prejudice to Article 15, if there is no decision to retain data it shall automatically be transferred to that part of the Customs Information System to which access shall be limited in accordance with paragraph 4.
3. The Customs Information System shall automatically inform the supplying Member State of a scheduled transfer of data from the Customs Information System under paragraph 2, giving one month’s notice.
4. Data transferred under paragraph 2 shall continue to be retained for one year within the Customs Information System, but, without prejudice to Article 15, shall be accessible only to a representative of the committee referred to in Article 16 or to the supervisory authorities referred to in Articles 17 (1) and 18 (1). During that period they may consult the data only for the purposes of checking its accuracy and lawfulness, after which it must be deleted.
Article 13
1. Each Member State intending to receive personal data from, or include it in, the Customs Information System shall, no later than the time of entry into force of this Convention, adopt the national legislation sufficient to achieve a level of protection of personal data at least equal to that resulting from the principles of the 1981 Strasbourg Convention.
2. A Member State shall receive personal data from, or include it in, the Customs Information System only where the arrangements for the protection of such data provided for in paragraph 1 have entered into force in the territory of that Member State. The Member State shall also have previously designated a national supervisory authority or authorities in accordance with Article 17.
3. In order to ensure the proper application of the data protection provisions in this Convention, the Customs Information System shall be regarded in every Member State as a national data file subject to the national provisions referred to in paragraph 1 and any more stringent provisions contained in this Convention.
Article 14
1. Subject to Article 8 (1), each Member State shall ensure that it shall be unlawful under its laws, regulations and procedures for personal data from the Customs Information System to be used other than for the purpose of the aim stated in Article 2 (2).
2. Data may be duplicated only for technical purposes, provided that such duplication is necessary for direct searching by the authorities referred to in Article 7. Subject to Article 8 (1), personal data included by other Member States may not be copied from the Customs Information System into other national data files.
Article 15
1. The rights of persons with regard to personal data in the Customs Information System, in particular their right of access, shall be put into effect in accordance with the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State in which such rights are invoked.
If laid down in the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State concerned, the national supervisory authority provided for in Article 17 shall decide whether information is to be communicated and the procedures for so doing.
A Member State which has not supplied the data concerned may only communicate data if it has first given the supplying Member State an opportunity to adopt its position.
2. A Member State, to which an application for access to personal data is made, shall refuse access if access may undermine the performance of the legal task specified in the report pursuant to Article 5 (1), or in order to protect the rights and freedoms of others. Access shall be refused in any event during the period of discreet surveillance or sighting and reporting.
3. In each Member State, a person may, according to the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State concerned, have personal data relating to himself corrected or deleted if that data is factually inaccurate, or was included or is stored in the Customs Information System contrary to the aim stated in Article 2 (2) of this Convention or to the provisions of Article 5 of the 1981 Strasbourg Convention.
4. In the territory of each Member State, any person may, in accordance with the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State in question, bring an action or, if appropriate, a complaint before the courts or the authority competent under the laws, regulations and procedures of that Member State concerning personal data relating to himself on the Customs Information System, in order to:
(i) correct or delete factually inaccurate personal data;
(ii) correct or delete personal data included or stored in the Customs Information System contrary to this Convention;
(iii) obtain access to personal data;
(iv) obtain compensation pursuant to Article 21 (2).
The Member States concerned undertake mutually to enforce the final decisions taken by a court, or other competent authority, pursuant to (i), (ii) and (iii).
5. The references in this Article and in Article 11 (5) to a ’final decision’ do not imply any obligation on the part of any Member State to appeal against a decision taken by a court or other competent authority.
Article 16
1. A Committee consisting of representatives from the Customs Administrations of the Member States shall be set up. The Committee shall take its decisions unanimously where the provisions of the first indent of paragraph 2 are concerned and by a two-thirds majority where the provisions of the second indent of paragraph 2 are concerned. It shall adopt its rules of procedure unanimously.
2. The Committee shall be responsible:
- for the implementation and correct application of the provisions of this Convention, without prejudice to the powers of the authorities referred to in Articles 17 (1) and 18 (1);
- for the proper functioning of the Customs Information System with regard to technical and operational aspects. The Committee shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the measures set out in Articles 12 and 19 are properly implemented with regard to the Customs Information System. For the purpose of applying this paragraph, the Committee may have direct access to, and use of, data from the Customs Information System.
3. The Committee shall report annually to the Council, in accordance with Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the Customs Information System, making recommendations as necessary.
4. The Commission shall be party to the Committee’s proceedings.
Article 17
1. Each Member State shall designate a national supervisory authority or authorities responsible for personal data protection to carry out independent supervision of such data included in the Customs Information System.
The supervisory authorities, in accordance with their respective national laws shall carry out independent supervision and checks, to ensure that the processing and use of data held in the Customs Information System do not violate the rights of the person concerned. For this purpose the supervisory authorities shall have access to the Customs Information System.
2. Any person may ask any national supervisory authority to check personal data relating to himself on the Customs Information System and the use which has been or is being made of that data. That right shall be governed by the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State in which the request is made. If the data has been included by another Member State, the check shall be carried out in close coordination with that Member State’s national supervisory authority.
Article 18
1. A Joint Supervisory Authority shall be set up, consisting of two representatives from each Member State drawn from the respective independent national supervisory authority or authorities.
2. The Joint Supervisory Authority shall perform its task in accordance with the provisions of this Convention and of the 1981 Strasbourg Convention taking into account Recommendation R (87) 15 of 17 September 1987 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
3. The Joint Supervisory Authority shall be competent to supervise operation of the Customs Information System, to examine any difficulties of application or interpretation which may arise during its operation, to study problems which may arise with regard to the exercise of independent supervision by the national supervisory authorities of the Member States, or in the exercise of rights of access by individuals to the System, and to draw up proposals for the purpose of finding joint solutions to problems.
4. For the purpose of fulfilling its responsibilities, the Joint Supervisory Authority shall have access to the Customs Information System.
5. Reports drawn up by the Joint Supervisory Authority shall be forwarded to the authorities to which the national supervisory authorities submit their reports.
Article 19
1. All necessary administrative measures to maintain security shall be taken:
(i) by the competent authorities of the Member States in respect of the terminals of the Customs Information System in their respective States;
(ii) by the Committee referred to in Article 16 in respect of the Customs Information System and the terminals located on the same premises as the System and used for technical purposes and the checks required by paragraph 3.
2. In particular the competent authorities and the committee referred to in Article 16 shall take measures:
(i) to prevent any unauthorized person from having access to installations used for the processing of data;
(ii) to prevent data and data media from being read, copied, modified or removed by unauthorized persons;
(iii) to prevent the unauthorized entry of data and any unauthorized consultation, modification, or deletion of data;
(iv) to prevent data in the Customs Information System from being accessed by unauthorized persons by means of data transmission equipment;
(v) to guarantee that, with respect to the use of the Customs Information System, authorized persons have right of access only to data for which they have competence;
(vi) to guarantee that it is possible to check and establish to which authorities data may be transmitted by data transmission equipment;
(vii) to guarantee that it is possible to check and establish a posteriori what data has been introduced into the Customs Information System, when and by whom, and to monitor interrogation;
(viii) to prevent the unauthorized reading, copying, modification or deletion of data during the transmission of data and the transport of data media.
3. The committee referred to in Article 16 shall monitor interrogation of the Customs Information System for the purpose of checking that searches made were admissible and were made by authorized users. At least 1% of all searches made shall be checked. A record of such searches and checks shall be maintained in the System, shall be used only for the abovementioned purpose by the said committee and the supervisory authorities referred to in Articles 17 and 18, and shall be deleted after six months.
Article 20
The competent customs administration referred to in Article 10 (1) of this Convention shall be responsible for the security measures set out in Article 19, in relation to the terminals located in the territory of the Member State concerned, the review functions set out in Article 12 (1) and (2), and otherwise for the proper implementation of this Convention so far as is necessary under the laws, regulations and procedures of that Member State.
Article 21
1. Each Member State shall be responsible for the accuracy, currency and lawfulness of data it has included in the Customs Information System. Each Member State shall also be responsible for complying with the provisions of Article 5 of the 1981 Strasbourg Convention.
2. Each Member State shall be liable, in accordance with its own laws, regulations and procedures for injury caused to a person through the use of the Customs Information System in the Member State concerned.
This shall also be the case where the injury was caused by the supplying Member State entering inaccurate data or entering data contrary to this Convention.
3. If the Member State against which an action in respect of inaccurate data is brought is not the Member State which supplied it, the Member States concerned shall seek agreement as to what proportion, if any, of the sums paid out in compensation shall be reimbursed by the supplying Member State to the other Member State. Any such sums agreed shall be reimbursed on request.
Article 22
1. The costs incurred in connection with the operation and use of the Customs Information System by the Member States on their territories shall be borne by each of them.
2. Other expenditure incurred in the implementation of this Convention, except for that which cannot be kept separate from the operation of the Customs Information System for the purpose of applying the customs and agricultural rules of the Community, shall be borne by the Member States. Each Member State’s share shall be determined according to the proportion of its gross national product to the sum total of the gross national products of the Member States for the year preceding the year in which the costs are incurred.
For the purpose of applying this paragraph, the expression ’gross national product’ means the gross national product determined in accordance with Council Directive 89/130/EEC, Euratom of 13 February 1989 on the harmonization of the compilation of gross national product at market prices * or any amending or replacing Community instrument.
Article 23
The information provided for under this Convention shall be exchanged directly between the authorities of the Member States.
Article 24
1. This Convention shall be subject to adoption by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
2. Member States shall notify the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union of the completion of their constitutional requirements for adopting this Convention.
3. This Convention shall enter into force 90 days after the notification, referred to in paragraph 2, by the last Member State to fulfil that formality.
Article 25
1. This Convention shall be open to accession by any State that becomes a member of the European Union.
2. The text of this Convention in the language of the acceding State, drawn up by the Council of the European Union, shall be authentic.
3. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the depositary.
4. This Convention shall enter into force with respect to any State that accedes to it ninety days after the deposit of its instrument of accession or on the date of entry into force of the Convention if it has not already entered into force at the time of expiry of the said period of ninety days.
Article 26
1. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall act as depositary of this Convention.
2. The depositary shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities information on the progress of adoptions and accessions, declarations and reservations, and also any other notification concerning this Convention.
Article 27
1. Any dispute between Member States on the interpretation or application of this Convention must in an initial stage be examined by the Council in accordance with the procedure set out in Title VI of the Treaty on European Union with a view to reaching a solution.
If no solution is found within six months, the matter may be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Communities by a party to the dispute.
2. Any dispute between one or more Member States and the Commission of the European Communities concerning the application of this Convention which it has proved impossible to settle through negotiation may be submitted to the Court of Justice.
In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have hereunto set their hands.
Done at Brussels on the twenty-sixth day of July in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five in a single original, in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each text being equally authentic, such original remaining deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.
(95/C 316/04)
The Kingdom of Belgium,
the Kingdom of Denmark,
the Federal Republic of Germany,
the Hellenic Republic,
the Kingdom of Spain,
the French Republic, Ireland,
the Italian Republic,
the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg,
the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
the Republic of Austria,
the Portuguese Republic,
the Republic of Finland,
the Kingdom of Sweden,
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Member States of the European Union and signatories of the Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union on the use of information technology for customs purposes, of 26 July 1995, hereinafter referred to as the ’Convention’,
having regard to the importance of early application of the Convention;
whereas, pursuant to Article K.7 of the Treaty on European Union, the provision of Title VI of that Treaty do not prevent the establishment or development of closer cooperation between two or more Member States in so far as such cooperation does not conflict with, or impede, that provided for in Title VI of the said Treaty;
whereas provisional application between certain Member States of the European Union of the Convention would not conflict with, or impede, the cooperation provided for in Title VI of the Treaty on European Union,
have agreed as follows:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Agreement:
- ’Convention’ means the Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union on the use of information technology for customs purposes,
- ’High Contracting Parties’ means the Member States of the European Union, parties to the Convention,
- ’Parties’ means the Member States of the European Union, parties to this Agreement.
Article 2
The Convention shall apply provisionally between the High Contracting Parties parties to this Agreement as of from the first day of the third month following the deposit of the instrument of approval, acceptance or ratification of this Agreement by the eighth High Contracting Party to do so.
Article 3
The transitional provisions necessary for provisional application of the Convention shall be adopted by common accord amongst the High Contracting Parties between which the Convention is to apply provisionally and in consultation with the other High Contracting Parties. During this period of provisional application, the functions of the Committee provided for in Article 16 of the Convention shall be exercised by the High Contracting Parties acting by common accord in close association with the Commission of the European Communities. Article 7 (3) and Article 16 of the Convention shall not be implemented during that period.
Article 4
1. This Agreement shall be open for signing by the Member States signatories of the Convention. It shall be subject to approval, acceptance or ratification. It shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the instrument of approval, acceptance or ratification by the eighth High Contracting Party to do so.
2. For any High Contracting Party depositing its instrument of approval, acceptance or ratification at a later date, this Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following such deposit.
3. Instruments of approval, acceptance or ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, who shall act as depositary.
Article 5
This Agreement, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each text being equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, who shall transmit a certified copy to each of the parties.
Article 6
This Agreement shall expire upon entry into force of the Convention.
In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have hereunto set their hands.
Done at Brussels on the twenty-sixth day of July in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five in a single original, in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each text being equally authentic, such, original remaining deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.
The High Contracting Parties,
have agreed on the following provisions, which shall be annexed to the Convention:
Article 1
The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall have jurisdiction, pursuant to the conditions laid down in this Protocol, to give preliminary rulings on the interpretation of the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes.
Article 2
1. By a declaration made at the time of the signing of this Protocol or at any time thereafter, any Member State shall be able to accept the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Communities to give preliminary rulings on the interpretation of the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes pursuant to the conditions specified in either paragraph 2 a) or paragraph 2 b).
2. A Member State making a declaration pursuant to paragraph 1 may specify that either:
a) any court or tribunal of that State against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law may request the Court of Justice of the European Communities to give a preliminary ruling on a question raised in a case pending before it and concerning the interpretation of the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes if that court or tribunal considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgment, or
b) any court or tribunal of that State may request the Court of Justice of the European Communities to give a preliminary ruling on a question raised in a case pending before it and concerning the interpretation of the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes if that court or tribunal considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgment.
Article 3
1. The Protocol on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Communities and the Rules of Procedure of that Court of Justice shall apply.
2. In accordance with the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, any Member State, whether or not it has made a declaration pursuant to Article 2, shall be entitled to submit statements of case or written observations to the Court of Justice of the European Communities in cases which arise pursuant to Article 1.
Article 4
1. This Protocol shall be subject to adoption by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
2. Member States shall notify the depositary of the completion of their respective constitutional requirements for adopting this Protocol and communicate to him any declaration made pursuant to Article 2.
3. This Protocol shall enter into force 90 days after the notification, referred to in paragraph 2, by the Member State which, being a member of the European Union on the date of adoption by the Council of the Act drawing up this Protocol, is the last to fulfil that formality. However, it shall at the earliest enter into force at the same time as the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes.
Article 5
1. This Protocol shall be open to accession by any State that becomes a member of the European Union.
2. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the depositary.
3. The text of this Protocol in the language of the acceding State, drawn up by the Council of the European Union, shall be authentic.
4. This Protocol shall enter into force with respect to any State that accedes to it 90 days after the date of deposit of its instrument of accession, or on the date of the entry into force of this Protocol if the latter has not yet come into force when the said period of 90 days expires.
Article 6
Any State that becomes a member of the European Union and accedes to the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes in accordance with Article 25 thereof shall accept the provisions of this Protocol.
Article 7
1. Amendments to this Protocol may be proposed by any Member State, being a High Contracting Party. Any proposal for an amendment shall be sent to the depositary, who shall forward it to the Council.
2. Amendments shall be established by the Council, which shall recommend that they be adopted by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
3. Amendments thus established shall enter into force in accordance with the provisions of Article 4.
Article 8
1. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall act as depositary of this Protocol.
2. The depositary shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities the notifications, instruments or communications concerning this Protocol.
In witness whereof the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Protocol.
Done at Brussels, this twenty-ninth day of November in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six, in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each text being equally authentic.
The High Contracting Parties to this Protocol, Member States of the European Union,
referring to the Act of the Council of the European Union of 12 March 1999,
having regard to the Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union on the use of information technology for customs purposes, hereinafter referred to as ’the Convention’,
have agreed on the following provisions:
Article 1
The second indent of Article 1(1) of the Convention shall be amended to read as follows:
’- the transfer, conversion, concealment or disguise of property or proceeds derived from, obtained directly or indirectly through or used in, illicit international drug trafficking or any infringement of:
(i) all laws, regulations and administrative provisions of a Member State the application of which comes wholly or partly within the jurisdiction of the customs administration of the Member State concerning cross-border traffic in goods subject to bans, restrictions or controls, in particular pursuant to Articles 36 and 223 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, and non-harmonised excise duties, or
(ii) the body of Community provisions and associated implementing provisions governing the import, export, transit and presence of goods traded between Member States and third countries, and between Member States in the case of goods that do not have Community status within the meaning of Article 9 (2). of the Treaty establishing the European Community or goods subject to additional controls or investigations for the purposes of establishing their Community status, or
(iii) the body of provisions adopted at Community level under the common agricultural policy and the specific provisions adopted with regard to goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products, or
(iv) the body of provisions adopted at Community level for harmonised excise duties and for value-added tax on importation together with the national provisions implementing them.’
Article 2
The data categories listed in Article 4 of the Convention shall be supplemented by the following category:
’(ix) registration number of the means of transport.’
Article 3
1. This, Protocol shall be subject to adoption by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
2. Member States shall notify the depositary of the completion of their respective constitutional requirements for adopting this Protocol.
3. This Protocol shall enter into force 90 days after the notification, referred to in paragraph 2, by the Member State which, being a member of the European Union on the date of adoption by the Council of the Act drawing up this Protocol, is the last to fulfil that formality. However, it shall at the earliest enter into force at the same time as the Convention.
Article 4
1. This Protocol shall be open to accession by any State that becomes a Member State of the European Union.
2. The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the depositary.
3. The texts of this Protocol in the language of the acceding State, drawn up by the Council of the European Union, shall be authentic.
4. This Protocol shall enter into force with respects to any State that accedes to it 90 days after the date of deposit of its instrument of accession or on the date of entry into force of this Protocol if the latter has not already entered into force upon expiry of the said period of 90 days.
Article 5
Any State that becomes a Member State of the European Union and accedes to the Convention in accordance with Article 25 thereof shall accept the provisions of this Protocol.
Article 6
1. Amendments to this Protocol may be proposed by any Member State that is a High Contracting Party. Any proposed amendment shall be sent to the depositary, who shall communicate it to the Council.
2. Amendments shall be adopted by the Council, which shall recommend them to the Member States for adoption in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
3. Amendments adopted in this manner shall come into force in accordance with Article 3.
Article 7
1. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall act as depositary of this Protocol.
2. The depositary shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities the notifications, instruments or communications concerning this Protocol.
Done at Brussels on the twelfth day of March in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.
The High Contracting Parties to this Protocol, Member States of the European Union,
referring to the Act of the Council of the European Union of 8 May 2003,
whereas customs cooperation in the European Union is an important component of the area of freedom, security and justice,
whereas the exchange of information between customs services of the various Member States is central to such cooperation,
implementing the conclusions of the Tampere European Council of 15 and 16 October 1999, according to which
- maximum benefit should be derived from cooperation between the Member States’ competent authorities when investigating cross-border crime (point 43 of the conclusions),
- a balanced development should be achieved of Union-wide measures to fight crime while at the same time protecting the freedom and the constitutional rights of individuals as well as of economic operators (point 40 of the conclusions), and
- serious economic crime increasingly includes aspects of tax and customs law (point 49 of the conclusions),
having regard to the fact that in its Resolution of 30 May 2001 on a strategy for the customs union * the Council:
- expressed its agreement that a main objective must be to improve cooperation to combat fraud and other acts threatening the security of persons and goods efficiently,
- emphasised that customs play a significant role in the fight against cross-border crime through the prevention, detection and, within the national competences of the customs services, through investigation and prosecution of criminal activities in the areas of fiscal fraud, money laundering as well as trafficking in drugs and other illicit goods, and,
- emphasised that, by virtue of the variety of tasks assigned to them, the customs authorities are required to work both in a Community context and in the context of cooperation in the framework of Title VI of the Treaty on European Union,
considering that the Customs Information System created by virtue of the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes permits the entry of personal data exclusively for the purpose of sighting and reporting, discreet surveillance or specific checks (Article 5 of the Convention), and that for any additional purposes a supplementary legal basis must be established,
mindful of the fact that at the moment no possibility exists of exchanging information concerning the existence of investigation files about ongoing or completed investigations between all competent authorities electronically and systematically and thus of coordinating their investigations appropriately, and that the Customs Information System should be used for that purpose,
mindful of the fact that the findings of an evaluation of EU third pillar databases may identify the need for complementarity between these systems,
whereas, in connection with the storage, processing and use of personal data in the customs sphere, due account should be taken of the principles laid down in the Council of Europe Convention of 28 January 1981 for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data and of point 5.5 of Recommendation R (87)15 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe of 17 September 1987 regulating the use of personal data in the police sector,
realising that according to point 48 of the Action plan of the Council and the Commission of 3 December 1998 on how best to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam on an area of freedom, security and justice * , there is a need to examine whether and how the European Police Office (Europol) could have access to the Customs Information System,
have agreed on the following provisions:
Article 1
The Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes(4), shall be amended as follows:
1. after Chapter V, the following three chapters shall be inserted:
„Chapter V A
CREATION OF A CUSTOMS FILES IDENTIFICATION DATABASE
Article 12A
1. The Customs Information System shall contain data in accordance with this chapter, in addition to data in accordance with Article 3, in a special database, hereinafter referred to as ’the customs files identification database’. Without prejudice to the provisions of this chapter and of Chapters V B and V C, all the provisions of this Convention shall also apply to the customs files identification database.
2. The aim of the customs files identification database shall be to enable the national authorities responsible for carrying out customs investigations designated pursuant to Article 7, when opening a file on or investigating one or more persons or businesses, to identify competent authorities of other Member States which are investigating or have investigated those persons or businesses, in order, through information on the existence of investigation files, to achieve the aim referred to in Article 2(2).
3. For the purposes of the customs files identification database, each Member State shall send the other Member States and the committee mentioned in Article 16 a list of serious infringements of its national laws.
This list shall comprise only infringements that are punishable:
- by deprivation of liberty or a detention order for at least 12 months, or
- by a fine of at least EUR 15000.
4. If the Member State retrieving data from the customs files identification database requires further information on the stored investigation file on a person or a business, it shall request the assistance of the supplying Member State on the basis of the instruments in force relating to mutual assistance.
Chapter V B
OPERATION AND USE OF THE CUSTOMS FILES IDENTIFICATION DATABASE
Article 12B
1. The competent authorities shall enter data from investigation files in the customs files identification database for the purposes set out in Article 12A(2). The data shall cover only the following categories:
(i) a person or a business which is or has been the subject of an investigation file opened by a competent authority of a Member State, and which:
- in accordance with the national law of the Member State concerned, is suspected of committing or having committed, or participating or having participated in the commission of, a serious infringement of national laws, or
- has been the subject of a report establishing that such an infringement has taken place, or
- has been the subject of an administrative or legal sanction for such an infringement;
(ii) the field covered by the investigation file;
(iii) the name, nationality and contact information of the Member State’s authority handling the case, together with the file number.
Data according to (i) to (iii) shall be entered in a data record separately for each person or business. Links between data records shall not be permitted.
2. The personal data referred to in paragraph 1(i) shall consist only of the following:
(i) for persons: name, maiden name, forenames and aliases, date and place of birth, nationality and sex;
(ii) for businesses: business name, name under which trade is conducted, registered office and VAT identifier.
3. Data shall be entered for a limited period in accordance with Article 12E.
Article 12C
A Member State shall not be obliged to make entries pursuant to Article 12B in any particular case if and for such time as this would harm public policy or other essential interests, in particular with regard to data protection, of the Member State concerned.
Article 12D
1. Entry of data in the customs files identification database and consultation thereof shall be reserved for the authorities referred to in Article 12A(2).
2. Any consultation concerning the customs files identification database shall cover the following personal data:
(i) for persons: forename and/or name and/or maiden name and/or aliases and/or date of birth;
(ii) for businesses: business name and/or name under which trade is conducted and/or VAT identifier.
Chapter V C
PERIOD OF RETENTION OF DATA IN THE CUSTOMS FILES IDENTIFICATION DATABASE
Article 12E
1. Storage periods shall be determined in accordance with the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State introducing the data. However, the following time limits, starting on the date on which the data were entered in the file, shall on no account be exceeded:
(i) data relating to current investigation files shall not be retained beyond a period of three years if it has not been established that an infringement has taken place within that time; the data shall be deleted before then if one year has passed since the last investigative act;
(ii) data relating to investigation files which have established that an infringement has taken place but which have not yet led to a conviction or to imposition of a fine shall not be retained beyond a period of six years;
(iii) data relating to investigation files which have led to a conviction or a fine shall not be retained beyond a period of 10 years.
2. At all stages of an investigation as referred to in paragraph 1 (i), (ii) and (iii), as soon as a person or business within the scope of Article 12B is eliminated from an investigation pursuant to the laws and administrative regulations of the supplying Member State, all data relating to that person or business shall be deleted immediately.
3. Data shall automatically be deleted from the customs files identification database as from the date on which the maximum data retention periods laid down in paragraph 1 are exceeded.”
2. in Article 20, the words „Article 12(1) and (2)” shall be replaced by „Articles 12(1) and (2) and 12E”.
Article 2
1. This Protocol shall be subject to adoption by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
2. Member States shall notify the depositary of the completion of their constitutional requirements for the adoption of this Protocol.
3. This Protocol shall, 90 days after the notification referred to in paragraph 2 by the State, member of the European Union at the time of adoption by the Council of the Act drawing up this Protocol, which is the eighth to complete this formality, enter into force for the eight Member States concerned. If, however, the Convention has not entered into force on that date, this Protocol shall enter into force for the eight Member States concerned on the date on which the Convention enters into force.
4. Any notification by a Member State subsequent to the receipt of the eighth notification made pursuant to in paragraph 2 shall have the effect that, 90 days after the subsequent notification, this Protocol shall enter into force between this Member State and those Member States for which the Protocol has already entered into force.
5. Member States shall enter in the customs files identification database only data which are recorded in an investigation after the entry into force of this Protocol.
Article 3
1. This Protocol shall be open to accession by any State which becomes a member of the European Union and which accedes to the Convention.
2. The text of this Protocol in the language of the acceding State, drawn up by the Council of the European Union, shall be authentic.
3. The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the depositary.
4. This Protocol shall enter into force with respect to any State that accedes to it 90 days after the date of deposit of its instrument of accession or on the date of entry into force of this Protocol if it has not already entered into force at the time of expiry of the said period of ninety days, provided the Convention is in force for it.
Article 4
Any State that becomes a member of the European Union and accedes to the Convention in accordance with Article 25 thereof after the entry into force of this Protocol shall be deemed to have acceded to the Convention as amended by this Protocol.
Article 5
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall act as depositary of this Protocol.
The depositary shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union information on the progress of adoptions and accessions, declarations and any other notification concerning this Protocol.
Done at Brussels, on the eighth day of May in the year two thousand and three, in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each text being equally authentic, the original being deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.
Ezen egyezmény Magas Szerződő Felei, az Európai Unió tagállamai,
hivatkozással az Európai Unió Tanácsának 1995. július 23-i jogi aktusára,
felidézve azon kötelezettségeket, amelyeket a vámigazgatási szervek közötti kölcsönös segítségnyújtásról szóló, 1967. szeptember 7-én Rómában aláírt egyezményben vállaltak,
figyelembe véve, hogy a vámigazgatási szervek az egyéb illetékes hatóságokkal együtt felelősek a Közösség külső határainál és a területén belül nemcsak a közösségi jogszabályok, de a nemzeti, és különösen az Európai Közösséget létrehozó szerződés 36. és 223. cikke szerinti jogszabályok megsértésének megelőzéséért, nyomozásáért és üldözéséért,
figyelembe véve, hogy az illegális kereskedelem növekedése súlyos fenyegetést jelent a közegészségre, a közerkölcsre és a közbiztonságra,
meggyőződve arról, hogy erősíteni kell a vámigazgatási szervek közötti együttműködést olyan eljárások megállapításával, amelyek alapján a vámigazgatási szervek közösen tudnak fellépni, és az illegális kereskedelmi tevékenységekkel kapcsolatos személyes és egyéb adatokat új adatkezelési és adatátviteli technológiák segítségével ki tudják cserélni, az Európa Tanácsnak az egyéneknek a személyes adataik gépi feldolgozása során való védelméről szóló, 1981. január 28-i, Strasbourgban aláírt egyezményének rendelkezéseire is figyelemmel,
szem előtt tartva, hogy a vámigazgatási szerveknek napi munkájuk során egyaránt alkalmazniuk kell a közösségi és a nem közösségi rendelkezéseket, és ezért célszerű, hogy a kölcsönös segítségnyújtásra és az igazgatási együttműködésre vonatkozó rendelkezések mindkét területen a lehető legnagyobb mértékben párhuzamosan fejlődjenek,
a következő rendelkezésekben állapodtak meg:
1. cikk
Ezen egyezmény alkalmazásában
(1) „nemzeti jogszabályok”: a tagállam azon törvényei és rendeletei, amelyek végrehajtása részben vagy teljes egészében a tagállam vámigazgatási szerveinek hatáskörébe tartozik, és
- olyan árumozgásokra vonatkoznak, amelyekre tilalmak, korlátozások vagy ellenőrző intézkedések vonatkoznak, különösen az Európai Közösséget létrehozó Szerződés 36. és 223. cikkében foglalt intézkedések, továbbá
- olyan javak és jövedelmek átruházására, átváltására, eltitkolására vagy elleplezésére vonatkoznak, amelyek a tiltott nemzetközi kábítószer-kereskedelemből származnak, azokat közvetlenül vagy közvetve onnan szerezték, vagy abban használatosak;
(2) „személyes adat”: egy azonosított vagy azonosítható természetes személyre vonatkozó bármilyen információ;
(3) „szolgáltató tagállam”: az a tagállam, amely a váminformációs rendszerbe adatok egységét viszi be.
2. cikk
(1) A tagállamok vámigazgatási szervei vámügyi célokra egy közös automatizált információs rendszert hoznak létre és tartanak fenn, továbbiakban „váminformációs rendszer”.
(2) Ezen egyezmény rendelkezéseinek megfelelően a váminformációs rendszer célja, hogy az információk gyors terjesztése révén segítse a nemzeti jogszabályok súlyos megsértésének megelőzése, nyomozása és üldözése során a tagállamok vámigazgatási szervei által folytatott együttműködés és ellenőrzési eljárások hatékonyságának növelését.
3. cikk
(1) A váminformációs rendszer egy központi adatbázisból áll, amely a terminálokon keresztül mindegyik tagállamban elérhető. A rendszer kizárólag a 2. cikk (2) bekezdésben szereplő céljainak eléréséhez szükséges adatokat tartalmazza, beleértve a személyes adatokat, a következő kategóriákban:
(i) áruk;
(ii) szállítóeszközök;
(iii) vállalkozások;
(iv) személyek;
(v) csalási módszerek;
(vi) rendelkezésre álló szakismeretek.
(2) A Bizottság a Tanács által elfogadott végrehajtási intézkedésekben foglalt szabályokkal összhangban biztosítja a váminformációs rendszer infrastruktúrájának műszaki működtetését.
A Bizottság jelentést készít a váminformációs rendszer működtetéséről a 16. cikkben említett bizottság részére.
(3) A Bizottság közli az említett bizottsággal a technikai működtetésre vonatkozóan elfogadott gyakorlati szabályokat.
4. cikk
A tagállamok határozzák meg, hogy mely adatok kerülnek be a váminformációs rendszerbe a 3. cikk (i)-(vi) kategóriáiba, a rendszer céljának eléréséhez szükséges mértékben. A 3. cikk (v) és (vi) kategóriájába semmilyen esetben sem vehetők fel személyes adatok. A személyek vonatkozásában bevitt adatok csak a következőkre terjedhetnek ki:
(i) név, leánykori név, utónevek és felvett nevek;
(ii) születési hely és idő;
(iii) állampolgárság;
(iv) nem;
(v) más különleges objektív és állandó testi ismertetőjelek;
(vi) az adatok bevitelének oka;
(vii) javasolt intézkedések;
(viii) a fegyverviseléssel, erőszakos cselekménnyel és szökéssel kapcsolatos korábbi tapasztalatokra utaló figyelmeztető kód.
Semmi esetre sem szabad olyan személyes adatokat rögzíteni, amelyek az Európa Tanácsnak az egyéneknek a személyes adataik gépi feldolgozása során való védelméről szóló, 1981. január 28-i, Strasbourgban aláírt egyezménye (a továbbiakban: „az 1981. évi strasbourgi egyezmény”) 6. cikkének első mondatában szerepelnek.
5. cikk
(1) A 3. cikk (i)-(iv) kategóriájába tartozó adatokat csak megszemlélés és jelentéstétel, továbbá leplezett figyelés és célzott ellenőrzés céljára szabad rögzíteni a váminformációs rendszerben.
(2) Az (1) bekezdésben ajánlott intézkedések céljára személyes adatokat a váminformációs rendszerbe a 3. cikk (i)-(iv) kategóriáiba csak akkor szabad felvenni, ha - különösen korábbi illegális tevékenységei alapján - ténylegesen arra utaló jelek vannak, miszerint az érintett személy a nemzeti jogszabályokat súlyosan sértő cselekményt követett, illetve követ el, vagy fog elkövetni.
6. cikk
(1) Amennyiben az 5. cikk (1) bekezdésében ajánlott intézkedések végrehajtására kerül sor, úgy a következő információkat lehet teljes egészében vagy részben begyűjteni, és a szolgáltató tagállam számára átadni:
(i) az a tény, hogy a kérdéses árut, szállítóeszközt, vállalkozást vagy természetes személyt megtalálták;
(ii) az ellenőrzés helye, időpontja és indoka;
(iii) az útvonal és az úti cél;
(iv) az érintett személyt kísérő, illetve a szállítóeszközön utazó személyek;
(v) az alkalmazott szállítóeszköz;
(vi) a szállított tárgyak;
(vii) az áru, szállítóeszköz, vállalkozás vagy személy megtalálásának közelebbi körülményei.
Amennyiben az ilyen információkat leplezett figyelés útján szerzik be, úgy gondoskodni kell arról, hogy a figyelés leplezett jellege ne kerüljön veszélybe.
(2) Az 5. cikk (1) bekezdésében említett célzott ellenőrzés keretében a személyeket, szállítóeszközöket és tárgyakat át lehet vizsgálni a megengedett mértékben és azon tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezései szerint, amelyben a vizsgálat történik. Amennyiben a célzott ellenőrzés az adott tagállam joga szerint nem megengedett, úgy azt automatikusan e tagállam általi megszemlélésre és jelentéstételre kell váltani.
7. cikk
(1) A váminformációs rendszerbe bevitt adatokhoz közvetlenül kizárólag az egyes tagállamok által kijelölt nemzeti hatóságok férhetnek hozzá. E nemzeti hatóságok a vámigazgatási szervek, de a tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezései szerint lehetnek más hatóságok is, amelyek a 2. cikk (2) bekezdésben említett cél elérése érdekében jogosultak eljárni.
(2) Minden tagállam megküldi a többi tagállamnak és a 16. cikkben említett bizottságnak azon illetékes hatóságainak jegyzékét, amelyeket az (1) bekezdéssel összhangban a váminformációs rendszerhez történő közvetlen hozzáférésére jelölt ki, annak meghatározásával minden egyes hatóságra vonatkozóan, hogy mely adatokhoz milyen céllal férhetnek hozzá.
(3) Az (1) és (2) bekezdés rendelkezéseitől eltérően, a tagállamok egyhangú megállapodással nemzetközi, illetve regionális szervezetek részére is engedélyezhetik a hozzáférést a váminformációs rendszerhez. Az ilyen egyhangú megállapodást az ehhez az egyezményhez csatolt jegyzőkönyv formájában kell elfogadni. A tagállamok határozatuk meghozatalánál figyelembe veszik az esetleges viszonossági megállapodásokat, továbbá a 18. cikk szerinti közös ellenőrző hatóság véleményét az adatvédelmi intézkedések megfelelőségét illetően.
8. cikk
(1) A tagállamok a váminformációs rendszerből nyert adatokat csak a 2. cikk (2) bekezdésében említett célok eléréséhez használhatják fel; de az adatokat a rendszerbe bevivő tagállam előzetes engedélye és az általa szabott feltételek teljesülése esetén igazgatási és egyéb célokra is felhasználhatják. Ez az egyéb célú felhasználás a felhasználni kívánó tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezéseinek megfelelően és az Európa Tanács Miniszteri Bizottsága 1987. szeptember 17-i R (87) 15 ajánlása 5.5 alapelvének figyelembevételével történhet.
(2) E cikk (1) és (4) bekezdésének és a 7. cikk (3) bekezdésének sérelme nélkül, a tagállamokban a váminformációs rendszerből nyert adatokat csak azon nemzeti hatóságok használhatják fel, amelyeket az adott tagállam kijelölt, és amelyek az adott tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezései szerint a 2. cikk (2) bekezdésben említett cél elérése érdekében jogosultak eljárni.
(3) Az egyes tagállamok megküldik a többi tagállamnak és a 16. cikkben említett bizottságnak a (2) bekezdés szerint általuk kijelölt illetékes hatóságok jegyzékét.
(4) A váminformációs rendszerből nyert adatok az azokat a rendszerbe bevivő tagállam előzetes engedélyével, és az általa megszabott feltételekre is figyelemmel adhatók át felhasználásra a (2) bekezdés szerint kijelölt nemzeti hatóságokon kívüli olyan más nemzeti hatóságoknak, harmadik országoknak, továbbá nemzetközi és regionális szervezeteknek, amelyek azokat használni kívánják. A tagállamoknak külön intézkedéseket kell hozniuk az ilyen adatok biztonságának biztosítására, amikor azokat felségterületükön kívül működő szerv részére továbbítják, illetve szolgáltatják ki. Ezen intézkedések részleteit a 18. cikkben említett közös ellenőrző hatósággal ismertetni kell.
9. cikk
(1) Az adatok váminformációs rendszerbe történő bevitelére a szolgáltató tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezéseit kell alkalmazni, kivéve, ha ez az egyezmény szigorúbb rendelkezéseket tartalmaz.
(2) A váminformációs rendszerből nyert adatok felhasználására, beleértve a szolgáltató tagállam által javasolt, 5. cikk szerinti intézkedések végrehajtását is, a felhasználó tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezéseit kell alkalmazni, kivéve, ha ez az egyezmény szigorúbb rendelkezéseket tartalmaz.
10. cikk
(1) Minden egyes tagállam kijelöli azt az illetékes vámigazgatási szervet, amely a váminformációs rendszerért nemzeti szinten felelős.
(2) Ez a szerv gondoskodik a váminformációs rendszer megfelelő működtetéséről a tagállamban, és megteszi az ezen egyezmény rendelkezései betartásának biztosításához szükséges intézkedéseket.
(3) A tagállamok tájékoztatják egymást az (1) bekezdés szerint meghatározott illetékes hatóságokról.
11. cikk
(1) Csak a szolgáltató tagállam jogosult a váminformációs rendszerbe általa bevitt adatokat módosítani, kiegészíteni, helyesbíteni vagy törölni.
(2) Amennyiben egy szolgáltató tagállam megállapítja, vagy felhívják a figyelmét, hogy az általa bevitt adatok ténylegesen pontatlanok, illetve, hogy bevitelük vagy tárolásuk ellentétes az egyezménnyel, akkor a tagállam az adatokat szükség szerint módosítja, kiegészíti, helyesbíti vagy törli, és ezt a többi tagállam tudomására hozza.
(3) Amennyiben valamely tagállam alapos okkal feltételezi, hogy egyes adatok ténylegesen pontatlanok, vagy bevitelük, illetve tárolásuk ellentétes az egyezménnyel, úgy a lehető leghamarabb értesíti erről a szolgáltató tagállamot. A szolgáltató tagállam ellenőrzi az érintett adatokat és szükség esetén haladéktalanul helyesbíti vagy törli azokat. A szolgáltató tagállam a helyesbítéseket, illetve törléseket a többi tagállam tudomására hozza.
(4) Amennyiben valamely tagállam az adatoknak a váminformációs rendszerbe történő bevitelénél azt észleli, hogy közlése tartalmilag, vagy a javasolt intézkedés tekintetében ellentétben áll egy korábbi közléssel, erről azonnal értesíti azt a tagállamot, amely a korábbi közlést végezte. Ezután a két tagállam megpróbál megoldást találni. Vita esetén az első közlés marad fenn, de az új közlésből a korábbiakkal nem ellentétes részeket fel kell venni a rendszerbe.
(5) Ezen egyezmény rendelkezéseire is figyelemmel, amennyiben valamely tagállam bírósága vagy más illetékes hatósága a váminformációs rendszerben lévő adatok módosítására, kiegészítésére, helyesbítésére vagy törlésére vonatkozó végleges határozatot hoz, a tagállamok kölcsönösen vállalják e határozat végrehajtását. Különböző tagállamok bíróságainak vagy illetékes hatóságainak ellentmondó határozatai esetén, beleértve 15. cikk (4) bekezdése szerinti helyesbítésre, illetve törlésre irányuló határozatokat is, az adatokat a rendszerbe bevivő tagállam törli azokat a rendszerből.
12. cikk
(1) A váminformációs rendszerbe bevitt adatokat csak annyi ideig lehet tárolni, amennyi a bevitelüket céljának eléréséhez szükséges. A szolgáltató tagállam évente legalább egyszer felülvizsgálja az adat további tárolásának szükségességét.
(2) A felülvizsgálati időszakban a szolgáltató tagállam határozhat arról, hogy az adatokat tovább tárolják a legközelebbi felülvizsgálatig, ha a tárolást a bevitel célja szükségessé teszi. A 15. cikk sérelme nélkül, amennyiben nem határoztak az adatok további tárolásáról, úgy azokat automatikusan át kell tenni a váminformációs rendszernek azon részébe, amelyhez korlátozott a hozzáférés a (4) bekezdés szerint.
(3) A váminformációs rendszer az adatoknak a váminformációs rendszerből történő, a (2) bekezdés szerint tervezett átviteléről egy hónappal előbb automatikusan értesíti a szolgáltató tagállamot.
(4) A (2) bekezdés szerint átvitt adatok még további egy évig maradnak a váminformációs rendszerben, de - a 15. cikk sérelme nélkül - csak a 16. cikkben említett bizottság képviselője, illetve a 17. cikk (1) bekezdésében és a 18. cikk (1) bekezdésében említett ellenőrző hatóságok férhetnek azokhoz. Ez alatt az időszak alatt az említett szervek az adatokat csak azok pontosságának és jogszerűségének ellenőrzése céljából kérdezhetik le, ezt követően ezeket törölni kell.
13. cikk
(1) Azok a tagállamok, amelyek a váminformációs rendszerből személyes adatokat kívánnak kapni, illetve abba ilyen adatokat kívánnak bevinni, legkésőbb ezen egyezmény hatálybalépéséig elfogadják azokat a nemzeti jogszabályokat, amelyek a személyes adatoknak legalább az 1981. évi strasbourgi egyezmény alapelveiből eredő védelemmel azonos szintű védelmet biztosítanak.
(2) Egy tagállam csak azt követően kaphat személyes adatokat a váminformációs rendszerből, illetve csak azután vihet be ilyen adatokat a rendszerbe, miután e tagállam területén az ilyen adatok védelmét biztosító, (1) bekezdés szerinti rendelkezések hatályba léptek. A tagállamnak előzetesen a 17. cikk szerint ki kell jelölnie a nemzeti ellenőrző hatóságot vagy hatóságokat.
(3) Ezen egyezmény adatvédelmi rendelkezései megfelelő alkalmazásának biztosítása érdekében, a váminformációs rendszert minden egyes tagállamban olyan nemzeti adatállománynak kell tekinteni, amelyre az (1) bekezdésben említett nemzeti rendelkezések, valamint az egyezmény esetleges szigorúbb rendelkezései is vonatkoznak.
14. cikk
(1) A 8. cikk (1) bekezdésére is figyelemmel, minden tagállam biztosítja, hogy a váminformációs rendszerben tárolt személyes adatoknak bármely, a 2. cikk (2) bekezdésében említettektől eltérő célra történő felhasználása saját törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezései szerint tilos legyen.
(2) Az adatokat csak technikai célokból lehet lemásolni, feltéve, hogy a másolás a 7. cikkben szereplő hatóságok által történő közvetlen kereséshez szükséges. A 8. cikk (1) bekezdésére is figyelemmel, más tagállamok által bevitt személyes adatokat nem szabad a váminformációs rendszerből más nemzeti adatállományokba átmásolni.
15. cikk
(1) A váminformációs rendszerben tárolt személyes adatok vonatkozásában az érintett személyek jogait, különösen az adatokhoz való hozzáférés jogára, annak a tagállamnak a törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezéseit kell alkalmazni, amelyben ezeket a jogokat érvényesítik.
Amennyiben az érintett tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezései úgy rendelkeznek, a 17. cikkben szereplő nemzeti ellenőrző hatóság határoz arról, hogy lehet-e és miként lehet információt közölni.
Az a tagállam, amely nem az adatok szolgáltatója volt, csak akkor közölheti ezeket az adatokat, ha előzőleg lehetőséget biztosított a szolgáltató tagállamnak az ügyben történő állásfoglalásra.
(2) Az a tagállam, amelyhez személyes adatokhoz való hozzáférésre vonatkozó kérelem érkezett, megtagadja a hozzáférést, ha a hozzáférés valamely, az 5. cikk (1) bekezdése szerinti jogszerű intézkedés végrehajtását akadályozná, illetve ha mások jogainak és szabadságának védelme érdekében az nem megengedhető. A hozzáférést mindenképpen meg kell tagadni a leplezett figyelés, illetve a megszemlélés és jelentéstétel ideje alatt.
(3) Bármelyik tagállamban bármely személy, az adott tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezéseinek megfelelően, kijavíttathatja, illetve töröltetheti a rá vonatkozó személyes adatokat, ha ezek ténylegesen pontatlanok, vagy ha a váminformációs rendszerbe történő bevitelük és tárolásuk az egyezmény 2. cikkének (2) bekezdésében megfogalmazott céljával, illetve az 1981. évi strasbourgi egyezmény 5. cikkének rendelkezéseivel ellentétes.
(4) Bármely személy bármely tagállam területén, az adott tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezéseinek megfelelően keresetet vagy adott esetben panaszt nyújthat be a bíróságnál vagy a tagállam törvényi, rendeleti és eljárási rendelkezései szerint illetékes hatóságnál a váminformációs rendszerben található, rá vonatkozó személyes adatokkal kapcsolatosan, annak érdekében, hogy
(i) a ténylegesen pontatlan személyes adatait kijavíttassa vagy töröltesse;
(ii) a váminformációs rendszerbe az ezen egyezménnyel ellentétesen bevitt, illetve tárolt személyes adatait kijavíttassa vagy töröltesse;
(iii) a személyes adatokhoz hozzáférhessen;
(iv) a 21. cikk (2) bekezdése szerinti kártérítést kapjon.
Az érintett tagállamok kölcsönösen vállalják, hogy a bíróság vagy egyéb illetékes hatóság (i), (ii) és (iii) pont szerinti végleges határozatát végrehajtják.
(5) A „végleges határozat”-ra történő hivatkozás e cikkben és a 11. cikk (5) bekezdésében nem foglal magában semmilyen kötelezettséget egy tagállam számára sem, hogy a bíróság vagy más illetékes hatóság határozatát megtámadja.
