710 



the Parties about the site and stafiing of any regioanl office that might 

 be established. 



2. The Commission shall submit an annual budget of anticipated 

 expenses to be incurred in carrying out its responsibilities under this 

 Agreement to the Parties for approval. Each Party shall seek funds 

 to pay one-half of the annual budget so approved, but neither Party 

 shall be under an obligation to pay a larger amount than the other 

 toward this budget. 



Article VIII 



SUBMISSION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION 



1. The International Joint Commission shall be given at its request 

 any data or other information relating to the quality of the boundary 

 waters of the Great Lakes System in accordance with procedures to 

 be established, within three months of the entry into force of this 

 Agreement or as soon thereafter as possible, by the Commission in 

 consultation with the Parties and with the State and Provincial 

 Governments. 



2. The Commission shall make available to the Parties and to the 

 State and Provincial Governments upon request all data or other in- 

 formation furnished to it in accordance with this Article. 



3. Each Party shall make available to the other at its request any 

 data or other information in its control relating to the quality of the 

 waters of the Great Lakes System. 



4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Com- 

 mission shall not release without the consent of the owner any infor- 

 mation identified as proprietary information under the law of the 

 place where such information has been acquired. 



Article IX 



CONSULTATION AND REVIEW 



1. Following the receipt of each report submitted to the Parties by 

 the International Joint Commission in accordance with paragraph 3 

 of Article VI of this Agreement, the Parties shall consult on the rec- 

 ommendations contained in such report and shall consider such action 

 as may be appropriate, including : 



(a) The modification of existing water quality objectives and 

 the adoption of new objectives ; 



(b) The modification or improvement of programs and joint 

 measures ; 



(c) The amendment of this Agreement or any annex thereto. 

 Additional consultations may be held at the request of either Party 

 on any matter arising out of the implementation of this Agreement. 



2. When a Party becomes aware of a special pollution problem that 

 is of joint concern and requires an immediate response, it shall notify 

 and consult the other Party forthwith about appropriate remedial 

 action. 



3. The Parties shall conduct a comprehensive review of the opera- 

 tion and effectiveness of this Agreement during the fifth year after 

 its coining into force. Thereafter, further comprehensive reviews shall 

 be conducted upon the request of either Party. 



