18 | II Série A - Número: 083S1 | 14 de Março de 2009

agents under the Vienna Convention. 2. Upon receipt of notification from parties to proceedings before the Tribunal as to the appointment of an agent, counsel or advocate, a certification of the status of such representative shall be provided under the signature of the Registrar and limited to a period reasonably required for the proceedings. 3. The competent authorities of the State concerned shall accord the privileges, immunities and facilities provided for in this article upon production of the certification referred to in paragraph 2. 4. Where the incidence of any form of taxation depends upon residence, periods during which such agents, counsel or advocates are present in a State for the discharge of their functions shall not be considered as periods of residence.

Article 17 Witnesses, experts and persons performing missions
1. Witnesses, experts and persons performing missions by order of the Tribunal shall be accorded, during the period of their missions, including the time spent on journeys in connection with their missions, the privileges, immunities and facilities provided for in article 15, subparagraphs (a) to (f). 2. Witnesses, experts and such persons shall be accorded repatriation facilities in time of international crises.

Article 18 Nationals and permanent residents
Except insofar as additional privileges and immunities may be granted by the State Party concerned, and without prejudice to article 11, a person enjoying immunities and privileges under this Agreement shall, in the territory of the State Party of which he or she is a national or permanent resident, enjoy only immunity from legal process and inviolability in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by that person in the discharge of his or her duties, which immunity shall continue even after the person has ceased to exercise his or her functions in connection with the Tribunal.

Article 19 Respect for laws and regulations
1. Privileges, immunities, facilities and prerogatives as provided for in articles 13 to 17 of this Agreement are granted not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves but in order to safeguard the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the Tribunal. 2. Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons referred to in articles 13 to 17 to respect the laws and regulations of the State Party in whose territory they may be on the business of the Tribunal or through whose territory they may pass on such business. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.

Article 20 Waiver
1. Inasmuch as the privileges and immunities provided for in this Agreement are granted in the interests of the good administration of justice and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves, the competent authority has the right and the duty to waive the immunity in any case where, in its opinion, the immunity would impede the course of justice and can be waived without prejudice to the administration of justice. 2. For this purpose, the competent authority in the case of agents, counsel and advocates representing or designated by a State which is a party to proceedings before the Tribunal will be the State concerned. In the case of other agents, counsel and advocates, the Registrar, experts appointed under article 289 of the Convention and witnesses, experts and persons performing missions, the competent authority will