Energy Charter Treaty

17 International Energy Charter In implementing this joint or coordinated action, they decide to foster private initiative, to make full use of the potential of enterprises, institutions and all available financial sources, and to facilitate cooperation including through technical cooperation, between such enterprises or institutions from different countries, acting on the basis of market principles. The signatories will ensure that the international rules on the protection of industrial, commercial and intellectual property are respected. 1. Access to and development of energy sources Considering that efficient development of energy resources is a sine qua non for attaining the objectives of this Charter, the signatories decide to facilitate access to and development of resources by the interested operators. To this end, they will ensure that relevant rules are publicly available and transparent in consistence with domestic legislation and international obligations; they recognise the need to formulate such rules wherever this has not yet been done, and to take all necessary measures to coordinate their actions in this area. Development of energy resources should take place in economic and environmentally sound conditions. With a view to facilitating the development and diversification of resources, the signatories decide to avoid imposing discriminatory rules on operators, notably rules governing the ownership of resources, internal operation of companies and taxation. 2. Access to markets The signatories will strongly promote access to national, regional and international markets for energy products for the implementation of the objectives of this Charter. Such access to markets should take account of the need to facilitate the operation of market forces, and promote competition. 3. Liberalisation of trade in energy In order to develop and diversify trade in energy, the signatories decide progressively to remove the barriers to such trade with each other in energy products, equipment and services in a manner consistent with the provisions of the WTO Agreement and its related instruments, where applicable, and nuclear non-proliferation obligations and undertakings. They will work together in view of the further development of market-oriented energy prices.