Article 30 Extradition

This Article shall apply to the criminal offences established in accordance with Article 14 of this Protocol when:

Each of the criminal offences to which this Article applies shall be deemed to be included as an extraditable offence in any extradition treaty existing between Parties. The Parties undertake to include such offences as extraditable offences in every extradition treaty to be concluded between them.

If a Party that makes extradition conditional on the existence of a treaty receives a request for extradition from another Party with which it has no extradition treaty, it may consider this Protocol as the legal basis for extradition in respect of any criminal offence to which this Article applies.

Parties that do not make extradition conditional on the existence of a treaty shall recognize the criminal offences to which this Article applies as extraditable offences between themselves.

Extradition shall be subject to the conditions provided for by the domestic law of the requested Party or by applicable extradition treaties, including, inter alia, conditions in relation to the minimum penalty requirement for extradition and the grounds upon which the requested Party may refuse extradition.

Parties shall, subject to their domestic law, endeavour to expedite extradition procedures and to simplify evidentiary requirements relating thereto in respect of any criminal offences to which this Article applies.

A Party in whose territory an alleged offender is present, if it does not extradite such person in respect of a criminal offence to which this Article applies solely on the ground that he or she is one of its nationals, shall, at the request of the Party seeking extradition, be obliged to submit the case without undue delay to its competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution. Those authorities shall take their decision and conduct their proceedings in the same manner as in the case of any other offence of a similar nature under the domestic law of that Party. The Parties concerned shall cooperate with each other, in particular on procedural and evidentiary aspects, to ensure the efficiency of such prosecution.

Whenever a Party is permitted under its domestic law to extradite or otherwise surrender one of its nationals only upon the condition that the person will be returned to that Party to serve the sentence imposed as a result of the trial or proceedings for which the extradition or surrender of the person was sought and that Party and the Party seeking the extradition of the person agree with this option and other terms that they may deem appropriate, such conditional extradition or surrender shall be sufficient to discharge the obligation set forth in paragraph 7.

If extradition, sought for purposes of enforcing a sentence, is refused because the person sought is a national of the requested Party, the requested Party shall, if its domestic law so permits and in conformity with the requirements of such law, upon application of the requesting Party, consider the enforcement of the sentence that has been imposed under the domestic law of the requesting Party or the remainder thereof.

Any person regarding whom proceedings are being carried out in connection with any of the criminal offences to which this Article applies shall be guaranteed fair treatment at all stages of the proceedings, including enjoyment of all the rights and guarantees provided by the domestic law of the Party in the territory of which that person is present.

Nothing in this Protocol shall be interpreted as imposing an obligation to extradite if the requested Party has substantial grounds for believing that the request has been made for the purpose of prosecuting or punishing a person on account of that person's sex, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin or political opinions or that compliance with the request would cause prejudice to that person's position for any one of these reasons.

Parties may not refuse a request for extradition on the sole ground that the offence is also considered to involve fiscal matters.

Before refusing extradition, the requested Party shall, where appropriate, consult with the requesting Party to provide it with ample opportunity to present its opinions and to provide information relevant to its allegation.

Parties shall seek to conclude bilateral and multilateral agreements or arrangements to carry out or to enhance the effectiveness of extradition. Where Parties are bound by an existing treaty or intergovernmental arrangement the corresponding provisions of that treaty or intergovernmental arrangement shall apply unless the Parties agree to apply paragraph 1 to 13 in lieu thereof.