Bernaerts' Guide to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.INTRODUCTION TO THE EVOLUTION OF A NEW CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA

A. Events Affecting the Law of the Sea from 1945-1973

1. The Reasons for International Maritime Conflicts

2. The Truman Proclamations of 1945

3. Developments in the late 1940's and'1950's

4. The First and Second United Nations Conferences on the Law of the Sea (1958 and 1960)

5. Developments in'the 1960's

6. The Sea-Bed - "Common Heritage of Mankind"

7. The Sea-Bed Committee 1967-1973 and the Preparations for the Third United Nations Conference

B. The Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (1973-1982)

1. Participants, Sessions

2. Initial Problems

3. "Gentleman's Agreement" and "Package Deal"

4. Negotiating Process

C. The General Effects of the Convention

1. A Constitution for the Oceans

2. Impact of the Four UN Conventions on the Law of the Sea of 1958

3. Significant Achievements

4. Limits of Regulations

5. "Equality" - Equal Rights for All?

6. Major Objections to the Convention

7. A New Economic Order?

8. Provisions for Entry into Force

9. The Importance of Having Signed the Convention

10. Practice of the States in Recent Years

11. What is the "Law of the Sea" Today?

12. The Future of the Convention

D. Ratification and Signature

Status of the four Geneva Conventions of 1958 and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982

II. GUIDE TO THE CONVENTION

Preamble and Part I (Article 1)

1. Preamble

2. Introduction

3. Significant Content of the Preamble (Layout)

Part II (Articles 2-33)

1. Legal Status of the Territorial Sea

2. The Right of Foreign Nationals in Internal Waters and the Territorial Sea (Layout)

3. Baseline

4. Importance of Baseline (Layout)

5. Passage Through the Territorial Sea

6. Importance of the Concept "Innocent Passage" (Layout)

7. The Contiguous Zone

8. The Contiguous Zone (Layout)

Part III (Articles 34-45)

1. Straits Used for International Navigation

2. The Regime of Passage Through Straits (Layout)

Part IV (Articles 46-54)

1. Archipelagic States

2. Operations in Archipelagic Waters (Layout)

Part V (Articles 55-75)

1. Exclusive Economic Zone

2. Rights and Duties in the Exclusive Economic Zone (Layout)

3. Coastal State Fisheries

4. Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (Layout)

Part VI (Articles 76-85)

1. The Continental Shelf

2. Significant Rights of Others in the Economic Zone, Continental Shelf, and the High Seas (Layout)

Part VII (Articles 86-120)

1. The High Seas - General

2. The High Seas (Layout)

3. The Flag State's Obligations for Merchant Vessels

4. Vessels (Layout)

5. International Jurisdiction

6. Hot Pursuit

7. Special Jurisdiction on the High Seas (Layout)

8. Submarine Cables and Pipelines

9. Fisheries on the High Seas

10. Freedom of Fishing (Layout)

Part VIII (Article 121); Part IX (Articles 122-123)

1. The Regime of Islands

2. Enclosed or Semi-enclosed Seas

3. Regime of Islands (Layout)

4. Enclosed or Semi-enclosed Seas (Layout)

Part X (Articles 124-132)

1. Freedom of Transit

2. Freedom of Transit (Layout)

Part XI (Articles 133-191)

1. Principles Governing the Area

2. Principles Governing the Area (Layout)

3. Development of the Resources of the Area

4. Development of Resources (Layout)

5. The Sea-Bed Authprity

6. The Sea-Bed Authority (Layout)

7. The Organs of the Authority

8. The Organizations of the Sea-Bed Authority (Layout)

9. The Sea-Bed Disputes Chamber

10. The Sea-Bed Disputes Chamber (Layout)

Part XII (Articles 192-237)

1. Pollution Prevention Regulations in General

2. The Legal Framework for Prevention of Pollution (Layout)

3. Pollution Legislation Applicable to Vessels

4. General Jurisdiction for Vessels in Pollution Matters (Layout)

5. Enforcement of Pollution Laws Applicable to Vessels

6. General Enforcement Concept (Layout)

7. Port State Enforcement (Article 218) (Layout)

8. Coastal State Enforcement (Article 220) (Layout)

Part XIII (Articles 238-265)

1. Marine Scientific Research

2. Marine Scientific Research (Layout)

Part XIV (Articles 266-278)

1. Development and Transfer of Technology

2. Transfer of Marine Technology (Layout)

Part XV (Articles 279-299)

1. System for Settlement of Disputes

2. The Fora for the Settlement of Disputes (Layout)

Part XVI (Articles 300-304)

1. General Provisions

2. References to Peaceful Use of the Sea (Layout)

Part XVII (Articles 305-320)

1. Final Provisions

2. Entry into Force and Applicability of the Convention and Amendments (Layout)

Annexes I and II

1. Highly Migratory Species

2. Continental Shelf Commission

3. Continental Shelf Commission (Layout)

Annex III

1. Basic Conditions of Prospecting, Exploration and Exploitation

2. Authority - Contractor (Layout)

Annex IV

1.The Enterprise

2.Statute of the Enterprise (Layout)

Annex V

1. Voluntary Conciliation

2. Compulsory Conciliation

3. Conciliation Procedure (Layout)

Annex VI

1.The Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

2.2. The Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Layout)

Annex VII, Annex VIII

1. Arbitration

2. Special Arbitration

3. Arbitration - Special Arbitration (Layout)

Annex IX

1. International Organizations as "States Parties"

2. Participation of International Organizations (Layout)

Final Act, Annex I, Resolution I

1. Final Act

2. Preparatory Commission

3. Preparatory Commission (Layout)

Final Act, Annex I, Resolution II

1.The Regime for "Pioneer activities"

2.The "Pioneer Investors" (Layout)

III.COMMENTARY ON MAJOR SUBJECTS OF THE CONVENTION

A.States and Organizations

1. States and States Parties

2. Coastal States

3. Port states

4. Flag States

5. Register States

6. Flag of Convenience States

7. Archipelagic States

8. Geographically Disadvantaged States

9. Land-locked States

10. Transit States

11. Developing States

12.United Nations Organizations

13.Other International Government Organizations

14.Co-operaton - "Competent International Organization"

15.Govermental Organizations as Parties to the Convention

B. Zones and Areas

1. International Waters, "Historic Bays", and Ports

2. Territorial Sea

3. Contiguous Zone

4. Straits

5. Archipelagic Waters and Zones

6. Islands

7. Enclosed or Semi-enclosed Seas

8. Continental Shelf

9. Exclusive Economic Zone

10.The High Seas

11.The Area - The Deep Sea-Bed

C. Activities on the Oceans

1. Ships - Vessels

2. Navigation

3. Fisheries

4. Overflight

5. Marine Scientific Research

6. Deep-Sea Mining

7. Artificial Islands and structures

8. Cables and Pipelines

9. Dumping

10.Archeological and Historical Objects

11.Military use

D. Prevention Measures

1. Safety of Shipping

2. Preservation of the Marine Environment

3. Indemnity

E. Measures for peace and Justice

1. Establishing Peace

2. Measures to Close the Economic Gap

3. The Unification of the Law of the Sea

4. Settlement of Disputes