Article 1 
The accession of the European Union to the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution resulting from exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf and the seabed and its subsoil is hereby approved on behalf of the Union. The text of the Offshore Protocol is attached to this Decision.
Article 2 
The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to proceed, on behalf of the Union, to the deposit of the instrument of approval with the Government of Spain which assumes the functions of Depositary, as provided for in Article 32(2) of the Offshore Protocol, in order to express the consent of the Union to be bound by the Offshore Protocol ( 5 ) .
Article 3 
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.