Diplomatic and Consular Relations (ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office) Order 2016

No. S 54

Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act

(CHAPTER 82A)

Diplomatic and Consular Relations
(ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office)
Order 2016

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6(3) of the Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act, the Minister for Foreign Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1. This Order is the Diplomatic and Consular Relations (ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office) Order 2016 and comes into operation on 9 February 2016.

Definitions

2. In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Advisory Panel” means the panel appointed by the Executive Committee pursuant to Article 10 of the AMRO Agreement;

“AMRO” means the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office established under the AMRO Agreement;

“AMRO Agreement” means the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office signed on 10 October 2014;

“Director” means the Director of the AMRO appointed pursuant to Article 11(1) of the AMRO Agreement;

“Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee of the AMRO referred to in Article 7 of the AMRO Agreement;

“Professional Staff” means —

(a)

the Director; and

(b)

those members of the staff of the AMRO —

(i)	whose core functions include the conduct of economic surveillance and research; and
(ii)	who the Executive Committee determines to be members of the Professional Staff for the purposes of this Order;

“staff of the AMRO” means officers and employees of the AMRO, and includes the Professional Staff.

Additional immunities and privileges of AMRO

3. In addition to its immunities and privileges under the International Organisations (Immunities and Privileges) (ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office) Order 2016 (G.N. No. S 55/2016) (called in this Order the AMRO Order 2016), the AMRO enjoys the following immunities and privileges:

(a)	inviolability of all its archives and documents belonging to or held by it;
(b)	freedom from censorship of its official communications, subject to any agreement between the Government and the AMRO on any appropriate security precaution that may be adopted.

Additional immunities and privileges of Director

4. In addition to the immunities and privileges of the Director under the AMRO Order 2016, the Director enjoys the like immunities and privileges as are accorded under Articles 29 to 35, 36(2) and 39 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to a diplomatic agent.

Additional immunities and privileges of staff

5. In addition to the immunities and privileges of members of the staff of the AMRO under the AMRO Order 2016 —

(a)

every member of the Professional Staff of the AMRO, and any other member of the staff of the AMRO who is mutually agreed upon between the Government and the AMRO to occupy a standing equivalent to that of a member of the Professional Staff of the AMRO, enjoys exemption from customs and excise duties when importing any goods (including tobacco and liquor) within 6 months after first taking up his or her post in Singapore; and

(b)

every member of the staff of the AMRO enjoys exemption from goods and services tax and customs duties when importing used furniture and personal effects (except motor vehicles) within 6 months after first taking up his or her post in Singapore.

Additional immunities and privileges of Executive Committee members and alternates, Advisory Panel members, staff and experts

6.—(1) In addition to his or her immunities and privileges under the AMRO Order 2016, each of the following persons enjoys inviolability of official papers and documents belonging to him or her:

(a)	members of the Executive Committee and their alternates;
(b)	members of the Advisory Panel;
(c)	members of the staff of the AMRO;
(d)	experts performing missions for the AMRO, whose names appear in a list mutually agreed upon between the Government and the AMRO in advance for this purpose.

(2) The immunity conferred under sub‑paragraph (1) on any person —

(a)

does not apply in the case of —

(i)	an offence against the written law relating to motor vehicle traffic committed by the person; or
(ii)	any damage caused by a motor vehicle belonging to or driven by the person; and

(b)

may be waived by the AMRO.

Waiver of immunity

7. Any immunity or privilege under paragraph 4, 5 or 6 which is enjoyed by any person in any particular case is to be waived by the AMRO if the AMRO is of the opinion that —

(a)	the immunity or privilege impedes the course of justice; and
(b)	the immunity or privilege can be waived without prejudice to the interest of the AMRO.

Non-application of immunities and privileges

8. Despite anything in this Order, no immunity or privilege under paragraph 4, 5 or 6 may be enjoyed by any person who is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore, except that the Chief Economist of the AMRO who is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore enjoys the immunity mentioned in paragraph 6(1).

[S 154/2016 wef 07/04/2016]

Made on 1 February 2016.

CHEE WEE KIONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Singapore.

[MFA C850-401/54/01 Vol. 2; AG/LEGIS/SL/82A/2015/1 Vol. 1]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 6(4) of the Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act).

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