22 DE FEVEREIRO DE 1997

358-(29)

marinhos vivos e do ambiente marinho, investigação científica, navegação e poluição marinha;

12) Portugal declara que, sem prejuízo das disposições constantes da secção 1 da parte xv da presente Convenção, não aceita os procedimentos obrigatórios estabelecidos na secção 2 da mesma parte xv, com respeito a uma ou várias das categorias especificadas nas alíneas a), b) e c) do artigo 298.° da Convenção;

13) Portugal assinala que, enquanto Estado membro da Comunidade Europeia, transferiu competências para a Comunidade em algumas das matérias reguladas na presente Convenção. Oportunamente será apresentada uma declaração detalhada quanto à natureza e extensão das áreas da competência transferida para a Comunidade, de acordo com o disposto no anexo ix da Convenção.

Visto e aprovado em Conselho de Ministros de 2 de Janeiro de 1997. — O Primeiro-Ministro, António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres. — O Ministro da Presidência, António Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Vitorino. — O Ministro da Defesa Nacional, António Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Vitorino. — O Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros, Jaime José Matos da Gama. — O Ministro das Finanças, António Luciano Pacheco de Sousa Franco.—O Ministro do Equipamento, do Planeamento e da Administração do Território, João Cardona Gomes Cravinho. — O Ministro da Justiça, José Eduardo Vera Cruz Jardim. — Pelo Ministro da Agricultura, do Desenvolvimento Rural e das Pescas, Luís Manuel Capoulas Santos, Secretário de Estado da Agricultura e do Desenvolvimento Rural. — A Ministra do Ambiente, Elisa Maria da Costa Guimarães Ferreira. — O Ministro da Cultura, Manuel Maria Ferreira Carrilho. — O Ministro da Ciência e da Tecnologia, José Mariano Rebelo Pires Gago.

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA

The States Parties to this Convention:

Prompted by the desire to settle, in a spirit of mutual understanding and co-operation, all issues relating .to the law of the sea and aware of the historic significance of this Convention as an important contribution to the maintenance of peace, justice and progress for all peoples of the world;

Notihg that developments since the United Nations Conferences on the Law of the Sea held at Geneva in' 1958 and 1960 have accentuated the need for a new and generally acceptable Convention on the law of the sea;

Conscious that the problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and need to be considered as a whole;

Recognizing the desirability of establishing through this Convention, with due regard for the sovereignty of all States, a legal order for the seas and oceans which will facilitate international communication, and will promote the peaceful uses of the seas and oceans, the equitable and efficient utilizations of their resources, the conservation of their living resources, and the study, protection and preservation of the marine environment;

Bearing in mind that the achievement of these goals will contribute to the realization of a just and equitable international economic order which takes into account the interests and needs of mankind as a whole and, in particular, the special interests and needs of developing countries, whether coastal or land-locked;

Desiring by this Convention to develop the principles embodied in Resolution 2749 (XXV) of 17 December 1970 in which the General Assembly of the United Nations solemnly declared inter alia that the area of the sea-bed and ocean floor and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, as well as its resources, are the common heritage of mankind, the exploration and exploitation of which shall be carried out for the benefit of mankind as a whole, irrespective of the geographical location of States;

Believing that the codification and progressive development of the law of the sea achieved in this Convention will contribute to the strengthening of peace, security, co-operation and friendly relations among all nations in conformity with the principles of justice and equal rights and will promote the economic and social advancement for all peoples of the world, in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations as set forth in the Charter;

Affirming that matters not regulated by this Convention continue to be governed by the rules and principles of general international law;

have agreed as follows:

PARTI Introduction

Article 1 Use of terms and scope

1 — For the purposes of this Convention:

1) «Area» means the sea-bed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction;

2) «Authority» means the International Sea-Bed Authority;

3) «Activities in the Area» means all activities of exploration for, and exploitation of, the resources of the Area;

4) «Pollution of the marine environment means the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment, including estuaries, which results or is likely to result in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources and marine life, hazards to human health, hindrance to marine activities, including fishing and other legitimate uses of the sea, impairment of quality for use of sea water and reduction of amenities;

5):

a) «Dumping» means:

i) Any deliberate disposal of wastes or other matter from vessels, aircraft, platforms or other man-made structures at sea;