Italy

Memorandum of Understanding

between the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Solidarity of the Italian Republic

on cooperation in the field of liver transplantation

Article 1

Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic,

represented by the statutory body: Richard Rashi, Minister

Limbová 2, 837 52 Bratislava

a

Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Solidarity of the Italian Republic,

Representative: Alessandro Nanni Costa, Director of the Italian National Transplant Centre, acting in authority on 18 December 2008

Viale Regina Elena 229, 00161 Rome

(hereinafter referred to as "the Contracting Parties'),

led by efforts to ensure cooperation in the field of medicine and health, with particular regard to liver transplantation and in accordance with the Declaration signed in Prague on 2 April 2004 between the Ministries of Health of the States which have recently become members of the European Community, they have agreed on the following general principles of mutual cooperation.

The Parties agree to declare that all activities will be carried out on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit.

Where possible, joint activities shall be consistent with:

1. the European Union,
2. intergovernmental organisations;
3. international agreements concluded by the Contracting Parties; and
4. EUROPEAN TRANSPLANTATION NETWORK (hereinafter referred to as "ETN").

This Memorandum of Understanding does not impose legal obligations on the Parties under international law.

Article 2

The Parties declare their interest in promoting mutual cooperation and ensuring joint implementation in the following areas:

1. Developing liver transplantation programmes.
2. Cooperation in the further development of the program of liver transplantation in Slovakia.
3. Ensuring the main objective of international cooperation in consistency, in particular with regard to:
   1. promoting hepatic donation under conditions of quality, safety and transparency;
   2. promoting appropriate use of liver obtained for transplant purposes.
4. Developing and implementing joint programmes for further training to ensure a common standard of quality and safety in liver transplantation.
5. Cooperation to create conditions for the use of livers suitable for transplantation in the shortest possible time, on the principle of mutual benefit.
6. The organisation of exchanges of health workers and specialists from the Slovak Republic in Bologna as part of their further training (short or longer-term training stays) based on specific needs defined by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic with the aim of further development of the liver transplantation programme in Slovakia.

The financial terms and conditions associated with the implementation of the exchanges will be specified in subsequent cooperation agreements concluded between the various cooperating entities.

Article 3

The methods of cooperation in the areas referred to in this Agreement shall include in particular:

• organising joint seminars;
• the implementation of further training courses for medical personnel from the Slovak Republic in the field of liver transplantation,
• exchange of experts and delegations,
• exchange of information,
• the possibility of exchange of livers in the event of an urgent need for livers, subject to the international agreements in force;
• joint programmes.

Other methods of cooperation may be agreed on the basis of the agreed opinion of both Parties to the Memorandum.

Article 4

The Contracting Parties shall promote direct cooperation between the competent institutions, in particular between the University Hospital S. Orsola - Malpighi in Bologna and the Slovak Centre of Organ Transplants, or other medical facilities providing the implementation of liver transplantation in the Slovak Republic.

Article 5

The Parties shall ensure that the activities envisaged in this Declaration cannot in any way become a source of economic enrichment and are not a source of any other benefit to natural and legal persons, except for improving the health of natural persons.

Article 6

Disputes concerning the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement shall be settled by mutual negotiation.

Article 7

1. This Memorandum of Understanding shall enter into force on the date of signature and shall be concluded for a fixed period until 31 December 2011.
2. Each Contracting Party may terminate the Memorandum at any time. The Memorandum shall expire six months after the date of receipt of the notice of denunciation by the other Party.

Article 8

Done in two original copies, each in Slovak, Italian and English, all texts having the same validity. In case of divergence, the English language version is crucial.

In Bratislava, 24. 3. 2009

For

Ministry of Health

Slovak Republic

Italian National Transplant

Centre

Rome, 9.4.2009

For

Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs

solidarity represented by the Italian Republic