ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(82)669
Vol.1982/0210

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenne etdelaCommunauté européenne del'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiés conformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
Inaccordance withCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
Community andtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity (OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocuments inthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung (EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeit zugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(82)669 final
Brussels-19thOctober1982
FINALCOMMISSION REPORTONTHERESULTS OFTHETHIRDUNITED
NATIONS CONFERENCE ONTHELAWOFTHESEAANDCOMMUNITY SIGNING
OFTHEFINALACTOFTHECONFERENCE ANDOFTHECONVENTION
(Commission communication totheCouncil)
Uj2,2-^^'H
w*M
l'!1
COM(82)669final

COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TOTHECOUNCIL
FinalCommissionreportontheresultsoftheThirdUnitedNations
ConferenceontheLawoftheSeaandCommunitysigningoftheFinalAot
oftheConference andoftheConvention
1.On16July1982theCommissionforwardedacommunication
(COM(82)421final)totheCounciltoreportontheresultsofthe
ThirdUnitedNationsConference ontheLawoftheSea.TheCouncil
iscurrentlystudyingthatcommunication *
ThispaperpresentsanoverallevaluationoftheConvention,onthe
basisofwhichtheCommission recommendstotheCouncilthatthe
CommunitysigntheFinalActoftheConferenceandtheConvention.
2.TheplenarysessionheldinNewYorkfrom22to24Septsraber1982
wasthefinalone,roundingofftheworkoftheThirdConferenceon
theLawoftheSea.Atthatsession,followingcompletionofthe
draftingcommittee'swork,thetextsoftheConventionandtheFinal
Actwereadopted,,ItwasdecidedattheConferencethattheFinalAct
wouldLasignedandtheConventionwouldbeopenforsignaturefrom
6to10December1982inJamaica.
TheCommunityistheonlyinternational organization which,byvirtue
ofthecompetencetransferredtoitincertainareascoveredbythe
Convention,hasbeenexpresslyadmittedasasignatorytotheFinal
ActamdtheConventionitself-

3.The Commission wishes toconfirm theassessment itmade inits
comauni cation ofJuly 1982 .
The results obtained "bythe Community inthematters within its
jurisdiction arepositive onthewhole asregardB fisheries ,the
marine environment andtheparticipation clause for international
organizations .Ofparticular importance ,theCommission feels ,is
international recognition ofthevalidity oftheCommunity 's
200-ffiile exclusive economic zone .
Onths other hand ,theresults asregards theexploration and
exploitation oftheseabed donotfully meet present objectives .The
provisions adopted have aroused serious concern inthe Community *s
industrial circles ^Doubts persist astoEsther exploitation ofthe
seabed ispossible under thepresent conditions .During theeleventh
session itproved possible tohave certain amendments ros .detothe text
asregards resources policy andtheoperational arrangements forthe
Review Conference ;howaver ,thearrangements forthecompulsory
traiiLfsr oftechnology ,the financial clauses ofcontracts andvoting
procedure within the Council have notbeen amended .
4.Objections tothe seabed regime asenvisaged should ,however ,be
assessed inthe light ofanoverall evaluation oftheConvention in
order toweigh upthe "pros "and "cons "oftheCommunity 'ssigning it.
(a)Signing oftheConvention bytheCommunity anditsMamber States
will help reinforce the Community identity .
Also ,thesaid signing will confirm theCommunity 'sdesire towork
with itspartners ,within theUnited Nations system ,towards
stabilizing international economic relations ,particularly with ths
Third World countries .

(b)Signing oftheConvention makes forlegal certainty since :
i*most oftheparties infavour ofsigning have declared that they
intend tocontest any claim tothebenefits ofthe Convention
under cuBtonary law *This would mean ,forthose that hadnot
signed ,theessential interests such asfishery zones andright
ofpassage would becalled inquestion ;
ii.legal uncertainty would make itself felt inasituation where
anexploration site wasallocated under national legisation ,
since such allocation should really bemade bythePreparatory
Commission (Resolution Ii);such uncertainty could discourage
firms from continuing their work despite thepositive aspects of
certain arrangements under Resolution 11;
iii.generally speaking ,states non-signatory totheConvention will
runtherisk ofconflicts with orretortion onthepart of
signatories *
(c)Signing oftheConvention will entitle theCommunity anditsMember
States tospeak andvote when work starts onimplementing the
Convention *ItisthePreparatory Commission that will implement
itandthework will probably start inspring 1983 (seeAnnex 1)*
Itwill bepossible tomake afinal assessment only once the
Preparatory Commission hasadopted theimplementing arrangements
forexploitation ofthe seabed *
5*Inthese circumstances theCommission recommends that theCouncil
decide that thePinal Act ofthe Conference andthe Convention itself
should besigned bytheCommunity anditsMember States *Forreasons
referred toinitsearlier communications the Commission isofthe
opinion that thesaid documents should besigned .jointly bytheCoranunity
and its Member States *
Inview ofitsimportance ,theseparate signing ofthis international
act ,would clearly putindoubt theCommunity 'sability totake action
atinternational level andwould have adverse repercussions onsome of
itspolicies *Meanwhile ,itshould benoted that ,from thelegal
viewpoint ,joint andsimultaneous participation bytheCommunity andits
Member States will betheonly waytoreconcile therights andobligations
incumbent upon them under theEECTreaty andtheConvention ontheLaw
ofthe Sea *

6.However ,theobjections referred toabove concerning theseabed
regime have ledtheCommission topropose that theCommunity andits
Kember States aooompany their signature with apolitical declaration
setting outthesoope oftheir accession (seeAnnex 2).
7.Participation intheConvention byinternational organizations
issubject tothedeposit ofdeclarations specifying thematters governed
bytheConvention inrespect ofwhich competence hasbeen transferred to
that organization .Tothis endtheCommission proposes that the Council :
-adopt aninternal Community procedure forthedrafting ofsuch
declarations (seeAnnex 3)*
Also ,theCommission intends toforward totheCouncil aworking paper
giving thelist ofmatters within Community jurisdiction ,which the
Community will have topresent atthemoment ofsigning bytheCommunity ,
orbyanyMember State should thesigning bytheCommunity bejeopardized .
8.The Commission recommends that the Council :
(a)deoide onthejoint andsimultaneous signing bytheCommunity andits
Member States oftheFinal Act ofthe Conference ;
(b)decide onthejoint andsimultaneous signing bytheCommunity andits
Member States ofthe Convention ;
(c)decide that apolitical declaration should accompany thesigning of
the Convention bythe Community andbyeach Member State ;
(d)authorize thePresident oftheCouncil todesignate theperson empowered
tosign theFinal Act oftheConference andtheConvention itself in
order tobind the Community ;

(e)adopt theproposal foradecision onthedrafting andcommunication
ofthedeclarations oncompetence provided forinArticles 2and5
ofAnnex IXtotheConvention .
*■*KMmUHHUm MMMKM»»

JiXLttfei.*.i
ofthemaintankstobecarriedoutbythePreparatory
Co!.,-iibblon'inconnectionwithPartXIoftheConvention
1.Drt-wtip&aysuohdraftrules,regulations and.proceduresforthe
iatsra&tloaal AuthorityasthePreparatory Cosaci«6ionrayconsider
^ecessapyforthesaidAuthoritytofulfilitsduties,namely:
(i)administrative andteohnioalproceduresrelatingtothe
prospecting ,exploration andexploitation oftheinternational
zone,includingenvironmental problems;
(ii)finawoialsafaiiagejnentandinternaladministration oftheAuthority
(includingrulesonborrowingsadonthetransferoffundsfrom
theAuthoritytotheKaterprise);
(iii)decision-making proceduresofthespecializedco&mssions
operatingundertheCounciloftheInternational Authority ;
(IT)criteriaforiapleaenting proceduresfortheternsofsponsorship
ofsa&b&dexploitation byoneorsorestatespartytothe
Convention ;
(v)fixingofan&&ObattobeplacedatthedisposaloftheEnterprise
th«rjp&rtystatesandofthecriteriaandfactorsdetermining
theadjustnents required;
(vi)devisingthestatisticalproceduresgoverningselectionofRubers
oftheAuthority'sCouncil.
2.C&rryoutstudies,withinaspecialcoss®lesion,ontheproblemsthat
bsGiioGuntarfed bydevelopinglaad-baesdproducerGts.t©So
3.ELttirciadthepowersaaddutiesassignedtoitregardingtheprovisions
govoruingpreparatoryinvestment(ResolutionII).
ThePreparatoryCoasiasionwillstartworkearlyin1983providedthe-t
fiftystatessigntheConventionandthattheUnitedNationsGeneral
Asseablyapprovesitsbudgetintheautunnof1982.

PEAF?POLITICAL DfJCLAMTICH
ThisdeclarationistobewadebytheGorajsamityrepresentative afe
t,h©CofjVG&t:.ossigningoerssdtsy.TfcaCosasiesi&nproposesthateash
JteaberSWwf.c&<mldrefert©thisdeclaration whenitsignsthe
Convention .
■^'fcr&pesnCo-smunityhasjnstsignedtheConventionontheLaw
jftheSeatthedecisiontosignwasadifficulton®.TheConvention
o»t;*3h<mofth©Seaisdelicately "balanced;theCoama&ityth®ref©3?i
i»3ahs>sdrc-iar©toitspartnersthatitcszmctconsiderthepn-iaeiplec
oftheCoBrraatianapplicablebeyondthestrictconfinesoftheLat?of
tliaSea.
TfceCoiaavjaitjrisnotconvincedthattheCojrrentio®providesthefavourable
conditicsic?requiredforthedevelopment oftheeoiivitieereferredtoia
FartSIofthsGoaveatiois.Itrealisesthatthereisagooddealofwork
yettob®dossinordertoi&pleaenttheConvention ?itwillcpareao
effortinagisting 1theFrop&ratory Commissiontofulfilitstask,in
thehope&f$s;!:J.<$Tingappropriatesolutions.TheCcwaiaaity'sfinal
vsrdiotonth*Conventionwilldepend©ath®olarifio&ticna andpropess
Badeonthisfront.
ThoC^i-Hnityisftellyawareoftheaaountofworkthathasgoneinto
th®negotiations rightfroathestart&ndoftheiaportasceofth®
aohie'vsc-ataj theetatepracticescodifiedinth®textofth«Conventi•.■-•a
tog-ether -wlJ-.b.theinnovationsitcontainshay®ledtoth©eet&blishiian «
ofa»©vlegalordergoverningthes@as.
*7n&nosamsnityconfidentlyefferwtotakepartinthissaajorundertaking
directed&tachievingjointly,tindertheaegisoftheUnitedffatioas,
stabilityandprogressininternational aeonosiorelations''.

Pi53CSDUKEFORDRAPTINGEECLARATI0S8 AH)SDTIFICATIOVS
HEQUIHEDUMDERARTICLES2A8D5OPOTIXTO
THEDRAFTCONVENTION OKTHELAWOPTHESEA
ProposalforaDecialcn
THECOUNCILOPTHEEDBOPEANGOMMUKITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
euadinparticularArticle116thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission,
WhereasitisstipulatedinArticles2and5ofAnnexIXtothe
ConventionontheLawoftheSeathatparticipation intheConvention
■feyaninternational organization enditsstatesmembersshallbesubject
tothedepositofdeclarations specifyingthemattersgovernedbythe
Conventioninrespectofwhichcompetencehasbeentransferred tothe
organization inquestion;whereassuchdeclarations srastbeaadsat
variousstagesoftheadoptionandimplementation oftheConvention,in
particularatthetimeofratification bythestatesmembersandatthe
timeofsigninganddepositingtheinstrumentofforma..!confirmation cr
accessionbytheorganisation ;whereasitshallbetheresponsibility
oftheorganizationitselforitsstatesmembers,dependingonthe
circumstances ,tomakethedeclarations ,actingontheirowninitiative
orattherequestofastatepartytotheConvention ;
Whereasthedeclarations ,notifications andooamnnioationsrequired
undertheabovearrangements mustbecoordinatedinordertoobviateany
riskthat,withintheorgansorinstitutions oftheConvention,the
distribution ofcompetences betweentheCommunityanditsMemberStates
saybecontested ;
Whereastothisendiprocedureshouldbeestablishedinacco:~dancewith
whichalldeclarations ,notifications andcomatinicationsaedeinapplication
cfArticles2and5ofAanexIXtoth®Contentionshellbedrafts..!sad
':J.opted,

EAS AD0F3SZD ®ÎS JJEGÎSIOHS
Artide 1
Thedeclarations ,notifications andooamraications specifyi ng -the
aatiers governed bytheContention ontheLawoftheSeainrespect
ofwhich eo@p@tenoe hasbeen transferred totheferopega Eaoao&io
Coasnmity shall beadopted bytheConnoil ,acting "byaqualified
■ajority ,onaproposal fron theCoiaaission .
Article 2
canoaBtnnnB
Tha$roc@d»re laid down inArticle 1shall apply tosaydeclarations ,
no .VfioatioRs and oosucranioations whioh theComranity oritsMember
States »ayfforwhatever reason ,berequired tosake byvirtu® of
Annex IXtothe Convention onthe Law ofthe Sea .
Article 3
AnyMember State oftheCoiuBwiity party totheConvention ontheLaw
oftheSeashall forward without delay tothe Coeosission anyreqmests
itaayreceive fro»astate party totheConvention acting tmder
Article 5(5)ofAnnex IKtothesaid Convention *
2fceCearasission shall appraise therequest andpresent theappropriate
proposals totheCovnoil *
Bone atBrussels .