Protocol Extending the Convention to Atmospheric Emissions of Pollutants

THE CONTRACTING PARTIES to the Convention for the prevention of marine pollution from land-based sources, done at Paris on 4 June 1974 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention’);

RECALLING Article 1 of the Convention, in which the Contracting Parties pledge themselves to take all possible steps to prevent pollution of the sea;

RECOGNIZING that the Convention does not contain provisions referring to the prevention of pollution of the maritime area through the atmosphere;

DESIRING to extend the scope of the Convention to such pollution; HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article I

The following is inserted in Article 3 of the Convention after iii. of subparagraph c:

‘iv. by emissions into the atmosphere from land or from man-made structures as defined in subparagraph iii. above’.

Article II

The first sentence of Article 4, paragraph 3, is amended by inserting ‘and emissions into the atmosphere’, after ‘discharges into watercourses’.

Article III

The following is inserted at the beginning of Article 16 d of the Convention:

‘to examine the feasibility of and, as appropriate.’

Article IV

1. This Protocol shall be open for signature at Paris from 26 March 1986 until 30 June 1986 by the States which are parties to the Convention on the date of the opening for signature of this Protocol, and by the European Economic Community.

2. This Protocol shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval.

Article V

After 30 June 1986 this Protocol shall be open for accession by any State referred to in Article 24 of the Convention and by the European Economic Community.

Article VI

1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the last of the contracting parties referred to in Article IV of this Protocol has deposited its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

2. For any other State becoming party to this Protocol after its entry into force, this Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which that State has deposited its instrument of accession.

3. Any State which becomes a contracting party to this Protocol without being a contracting party to the Convention shall be considered as a contracting party to the Convention as amended by this Protocol as of the date of entry into force of this Protocol for that State.

4. Any State which becomes a contracting party to the Convention after the entry into force of this Protocol shall be considered as a contracting party to the Convention as amended by this Protocol.

5. The instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the Government of the French Republic.

Article VII

The Depository Government shall inform the Contracting Parties and those States referred to in Article 22 of the Convention of signature of this Protocol, of the deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, made pursuant to Articles IV, V and VI, and of the date of entry into force of this Protocol.

Article VIII

The original of this Protocol, of which the English and French texts shall be equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Government of the French Republic.

Done in Paris, this 26 March 1986.