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ANNEX III. BASIC CONDITIONS OF PROSPECTING,
EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION
Title to minerals shall pass upon recovery in accordance with this
Convention.
1.- The Authority shall encourage prospecting in the Area.
- Prospecting shall be conducted only after the Authority has received
a satisfactory written undertaking that the proposed prospector will
comply with this Convention and the relevant rules, regulations and
procedures of the Authority concerning co-operation in the training
programmes referred to in articles 143 and 144 and the protection of
the marine environment, and will accept verification by the Authority
of compliance therewith. The proposed prospector shall, at the same
time, notify the Authority of the approximate area or areas in which
prospecting is to be conducted.
- Prospecting may be conducted simultaneously by more than one
prospector in the same area or areas.
2. Prospecting shall not confer on the prospector any rights with respect
to resources. A prospector may, however, recover a reasonable quantity of
minerals to be used for testing.
Article 3
Exploration and exploitation
1. The Enterprise, States Parties, and the other entities referred to in
article 153, paragraph 2(b), may apply to the Authority for approval of
plans of work for activities in the Area.
2. The Enterprise may apply with respect to any part of the Area, but
applications by others with respect to reserved areas are subject to the
additional requirements of article 9 of this Annex.
3. Exploration and exploitation shall be carried out only in areas
specified in plans of work referred to in article 153, paragraph 3, and
approved by the Authority in accordance with this Convention and the
relevant rules, regulations and procedures of the Authority.
4. Every approved plan of work shall:
- be in conformity with this Convention and the rules, regulations and
procedures of the Authority;
- provide for control by the Authority of activities in the Area in
accordance with article 153, paragraph 4;
- confer on the operator, in accordance with the rules, regulations and
procedures of the Authority, the exclusive right to explore for and
exploit the specified categories of resources in the area covered by
the plan of work. If, however, the applicant presents for approval a
plan of work covering only the stage of exploration or the stage of
exploitation, the approved plan of work shall confer such exclusive
right with respect to that stage only.
5. Upon its approval by the Authority, every plan of work, except those
presented by the Enterprise, shall be in the form of a contract concluded
between the Authority and the applicant or applicants.
Article 4
Qualifications of applicants
1. Applicants, other than the Enterprise, shall be qualified if they have
the nationality or control and sponsorship required by article 153,
paragraph 2(b), and if they follow the procedures and meet the
qualification standards set forth in the rules, regulations and procedures
of the Authority.
2. Except as provided in paragraph 6, such qualification standards shall
relate to the financial and technical capabilities of the applicant and his
performance under any previous contracts with the Authority.
3. Each applicant shall be sponsored by the State Party of which it is a
national unless the applicant has more than one nationality, as in the case
of a partnership or consortium of entities from several States, in which
event all States Parties involved shall sponsor the application, or unless
the applicant is effectively controlled by another State Party or its
nationals, in which event both States Parties shall sponsor the
application. The criteria and procedures for implementation of the
sponsorship requirements shall be set forth in the rules, regulations and
procedures of the Authority.
4. The sponsoring State or States shall, pursuant to article 139, have the
responsibility to ensure, within their legal systems, that a contractor so
sponsored shall carry out activities in the Area in conformity with the
terms of its contract and its obligations under this Convention. A
sponsoring State shall not, however, be liable for damage caused by any
failure of a contractor sponsored by it to comply with its obligations if
that State Party has adopted laws and regulations and taken administrative
measures which are, within the framework of its legal system, reasonably
appropriate for securing compliance by persons under its jurisdiction.
5. The procedures for assessing the qualifications of States Parties which
are applicants shall take into account their character as States.
6. The qualification standards shall require that every applicant, without
exception, shall as part of his application undertake:
- to accept as enforceable and comply with the applicable obligations
created by the provisions of Part XI, the rules, regulations and
procedures of the Authority, the decisions of the organs of the
Authority and terms of his contracts with the Authority;
- to accept control by the Authority of activities in the Area, as
authorized by this Convention;
- to provide the Authority with a written assurance that his
obligations under the contract will be fulfilled in good faith;
- to comply with the provisions on the transfer of technology set forth
in article 5 of this Annex.
Previous
Convention on the Law of the Sea: Index
Parts:
I -
II -
III -
IV -
V -
VI -
VII -
VIII-IX -
X -
XI -
XII -
XIII -
XIV -
XV -
XVI -
XVII
Annexes:
I -
II -
III -
IV -
V -
VI -
VII -
VIII -
IX
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