Article 3

For the purpose of this Convention the Contracting Parties shall, subject to the provisions of Artikel 2, paragraph 2, encourage any initiative by territorial communities and authorities inspired by the outline arrangements between territorial communities and authorities drawn up in the Council of Europe. If they judge necessary they may take into consideration the bilateral or multilateral inter-state model agreements drawn up in the Council of Europe and designed to facilitate co-operation between territorial communities and authorities.

The arrangements and agreements concluded may be based on the model and outline agreements, statutes and contracts appended to this Convention, numbered 1.1 to 1.5 and 2.1 to 2.6 with whatever changes are required by the particular situation of each Contracting Party. These model and outline agreements, statutes and contracts are intended for guidance only and have no treaty value.

If the Contracting Parties deem it necessary to conclude inter-state agreements, these may inter alia establish the context, forms and limits within which territorial communities and authorities concerned with transfrontier co-operation may act. Each agreement may also stipulate the authorities or bodies to which it applies.

The above provisions shall not prevent the Contracting Parties from having recourse, by common consent, to other forms of transfrontier co-operation. Similarly, the provisions of this Convention should not be interpreted as invalidating existing agreements on co-operation.

Agreements and arrangements shall be concluded with due regard to the jurisdiction provided for by the internal law of each Contracting Party in respect of international relations and general policy and to any rules of control or supervision to which territorial communities or authorities may be subject.

To that end, any Contracting Party may, when signing the present Convention or in a later communication to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, specify the authorities competent under its domestic law to exercise control or supervision with regard to the territorial communities and authorities concerned.