Among the addressed themes are the cooperation for education, research, science and technology; tourism, defense and extradition rules

On Thursday (14), the House approved 16 bills on a Legislative Decree which ratify international agreements. The bills follow not to Senate. Deputy Dr. Rosinha (PT-PR) reminded the visit to the Chamber of the minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, who asked for more swiftness in the approval of treaties. “We need to schedule the agreements which have already been reviewed by the committees; the House Floor can vote them with no greater discussions”, he said.

Among the bills is PDC 404/07, which ratifies the cooperation protocol between Brazil and France for the creation of a forum on high education and research. Its objective is to strengthen dialogue in those sectors and incentive mobility of students and researchers between the two countries.

The cooperation protocol in Defense (PDC 661/08) with the members of the Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) and an agreement on the extradition with one of those countries, Mozambique (PDC 789/08) were also approved.

Mercosul
The House Floor also approved PDC 500/08, which ratifies changes in the Olivos Protocol for the Solution of Controversies of Mercosul. Its objective is to adapt the text to the entry of new members in the bloc. PDC 405/07, though, addresses rules to resolve controversies among countries of Mercosul and Peru.

The deputies also authorized the agreement signed with the Bolivian government for the construction of a bridge on the Rapirrã brook, between the municipalities of Plácido de Castro (AC) and Montevideo, in Bolivia (PDC 855/08).

With Venezuela, the Chamber approved the ratification of an agreement to avoid the Double taxation on the profit of companies from one country actuating in the other country (PDC 1912/05), and a memorandum of understanding on scientific and technological cooperation (PDC 2144/06).

Tourism
In the tourism area, the Chamber approved PDC 792/08, which ratifies the agreement for regular aerial international service providing, for passengers and loads, between Brazil and Panama. PDC 565/08 handles the visa exemption to El Salvador. And PDC 383/07 ratifies the technical-cooperation treaty in tourism with Ecuador. Also with Ecuador, PDC 798/08 authorizes the ratification on the agreement on cooperation in Defense.

PDC 662/08, though, ratifies the cooperation agreement to strengthen trade with Kazakhstan, an Asiatic country in the South of Russia. With Rwanda, Africa, a technical-cooperation agreement was approved (PDC 737/08).
Moreover, the deputies approved two more general treaties. PDC 214/92, being debated for 17 years, ratified the text of the 1969 Convention on Treaties’ Law. That convention codified international law regarding treaties among countries. Another bill (PDC 293/07) approves the review of the Convention #185 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), to establish a new identification document for the maritime workers.

Report - Marcello Larcher
Editing - João Pitella Junior
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda