The Social Security (Norway) Order (Northern Ireland) 1991

Part IV Miscellaneous Provisions

Article 30

(1) The competent authorities of the two Parties shall establish the administrative measures necessary for the application of this Convention.

(2) The competent authorities of the two Parties shall communicate to each other, as soon as possible, all information about the measures taken by them for the application of this Convention or about changes in their national legislation in so far as these changes affect the application of the provisions of this Convention.

(3) The competent authorities, insurance authorities or competent institutions of the two Parties may, for the purpose of applying the provisions of this Convention, correspond directly with one another, or with any person affected by this Convention, or with his legal representative.

Article 31

(1) The competent authorities, insurance authorities and competent institutions of the two Parties shall assist one another on any matter relating to the application of this Convention as if the matter were one affecting the application of their own legislation. The assistance shall be free of charge.

(2) Where any benefit is payable under the legislation of one Party to a person in the territory of the other Party, the payment may be made by the competent institution of the latter Party, at the request of the competent institution of the former Party.

(3) Where a person who is in the territory of one Party has claimed benefit under the legislation of the other Party and a medical examination is necessary, the competent institution of the former Party, at the request of the competent institution of the latter Party, shall arrange for this examination. The cost of such examination shall be met by the competent institution of the former Party.

Article 32

(1) Where the legislation of one Party provides that any certificate or other document which is submitted under the legislation of that Party shall be exempt, wholly or partly, from any taxes, legal dues, consular fees or administrative charges, that exemption shall apply to any certificate or other document which is submitted under the legislation of the other Party or under the provisions of this Convention.

(2) All statements, documents and certificates of any kind required to be produced for the purposes of this Convention shall not require authentication by diplomatic or consular authorities.

Article 33

Where any certificate, document or written statement of any kind is submitted to a competent authority of one Party, it shall not be rejected on the ground that it is written in the official language of the other Party.

Article 34

(1) Any claim, notice or appeal which should, for the purposes of the legislation of one Party, have been submitted within a prescribed period to the insurance authority or the competent authority of that Party, shall be treated as if it had been submitted to that insurance authority or competent authority if it is submitted within the same period to an insurance authority or competent authority of the other Party.

(2) Any claim for benefit submitted under the legislation of one Party shall be deemed to be a claim for the corresponding benefit under the legislation of the other Party in so far as this corresponding benefit is payable in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.

Article 35

(1) Payment of any benefit in accordance with the provisions of this Convention may be made in the currency of the Party whose competent institution makes the payment and any such payment shall constitute a full discharge of the obligation in respect of which payment has been made.

(2) Where the competent institution of one Party has made a payment of benefit on behalf of the competent institution of the other Party in accordance with the provisions of Article 31(2) of this Convention any reimbursement of the amounts paid by the competent institution of the former Party shall be in the currency of the latter Party.

Article 36

(1) Any dispute between the competent authorities of the two Parties about the interpretation or application of this Convention shall be resolved through agreement between those authorities.

(2) If any such dispute cannot be resolved in this manner, it shall be submitted, at the request of either Party, to an arbitration tribunal which shall be composed in the following manner:

(a) each Party shall appoint an arbitrator within one month from receipt of the demand for arbitration. The two arbitrators shall jointly appoint a third arbitrator, who shall not be a national of either Party, within two months from the date on which the Party which was the last to appoint its arbitrator has notified the other Party of the appointment;

(b) if within the prescribed period either Party should fail to appoint an arbitrator, the other Party may request the President of the International Court of Justice or, in the event of his having the nationality of one of the Parties, the Vice-President or next senior judge of that Court not having the nationality of either Party, to make the appointment. A similar procedure shall be adopted at the request of either Party if the two arbitrators cannot agree on the appointment of the third arbitrator.

(3) The decision of the arbitration tribunal shall be the majority vote. Its decision shall be binding on both Parties. The costs of the arbitration tribunal shall be borne equally by the two Parties. The arbitration tribunal shall determine its own rules of procedure.