63 | II Série A - Número: 090 | 6 de Março de 2015

relevant law in the prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution and combating of illicit trade in tobacco, tobacco products or manufacturing equipment. The Parties shall deem the said information to be confidential and for restricted use, unless otherwise stated by the transmitting Party. Such information may include: (a) new customs and other enforcement techniques of demonstrated effectiveness; (b) new trends, means or methods of engaging in illicit trade in tobacco, tobacco products and manufacturing equipment; (c) goods known to be the subject of illicit trade in tobacco, tobacco products and manufacturing equipment as well as details of description, packaging, transport and storage and methods used in respect of those goods; (d) natural or legal persons known to have committed or to be a party to an offence established in accordance with Article 14; and (e) any other data that would assist designated agencies in risk assessment for control and other enforcement purposes.

ARTICLE 29 MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

1. Parties shall afford one another the widest measure of mutual legal assistance in investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings in relation to criminal offences established in accordance with Article 14 of this Protocol.
2. Mutual legal assistance shall be afforded to the fullest extent possible under relevant laws, treaties, agreements and arrangements of the requested Party with respect to investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings in relation to the offences for which legal persons may be held liable in accordance with Article 15 of this Protocol in the requesting Party.
3. Mutual legal assistance to be afforded in accordance with this Article may be requested for any of the following purposes: (a) taking evidence or statements from persons; (b) effecting service of judicial documents; (c) executing searches and seizures, and freezing; (d) examining objects and sites; (e) providing information, evidentiary items and expert evaluations; (f) providing originals or certified copies of relevant documents and records, including government, bank, financial, corporate or business records; (g) identifying or tracing proceeds of crime, property, instrumentalities or other things for evidentiary purposes; (h) facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons in the requesting Party; and (i) any other type of assistance that is not contrary to the domestic law of the requested Party.

4. This Article shall not affect the obligations under any other treaty, bilateral or multilateral, which governs or will govern, in whole or in part, mutual legal assistance.
5. Paragraphs 6 to 24 shall, on the basis of reciprocity, apply to requests made pursuant to this Article if the Parties in question are not bound by a treaty or intergovernmental agreement of mutual legal assistance. If the Parties are bound by such a treaty or intergovernmental agreement, the corresponding provisions of that treaty or intergovernmental agreement shall apply unless the Parties agree to apply paragraphs 6 to 24 in lieu thereof.
Parties are strongly encouraged to apply these paragraphs if they facilitate cooperation.
6. Parties shall designate a central authority that shall have the responsibility and power to receive requests for mutual legal assistance and either to execute them or to transmit them to their respective competent authorities for execution. When a Party has a special region or territory with a separate system of mutual legal assistance, it may designate a distinct central authority that shall have the same function for that region or territory. Central authorities shall ensure the speedy and proper execution or transmission of the requests received. Where the central authority transmits the request to a competent authority for execution, it shall encourage the speedy and proper execution of the request by the competent authority. Each Party shall notify the Head of the Convention Secretariat at the time of accession, acceptance, approval, formal confirmation or ratification of this Protocol of the central authority designated for this purpose. Transmission of requests for mutual