Agreement Concerning the Protection of the Mediterranean Coastal Waters, Monaco, 1976
Done at Monaco 10 May 1976
Entered into force 1 January 1981
Depositary: France
Primary source citation: United Nations Treaty Series
[Translation — Traduction]
The Government of the French Republic, the Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of His Most Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco,
Being anxious to safeguard the quality of the Mediterranean coastal waters, to prevent their pollution as far as possible and to improve their present condition,
Desiring to strengthen the local co-operation established in this field between the administrations of the three Governments.
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1. The three Governments shall establish an International Commission, hereinafter referred to as “the Commission”, to carry out the objectives of this Agreement.
Article 2. The function of the Commission shall be to establish closer collaboration between the competent services of the three Governments with a view to combating the pollution of the waters of the territorial sea and of the internal waters off the continental coast between longitude 6° 7’ E, to the West, and longitude 9° 8’ E, to the East.
The Commission may, if need be, extend the above-mentioned geographical limits, in accordance with the procedure provided for in article 8, unless objection is made by one of the three Governments within three months following the adoption of the new limits.
Article 3. With a view to performing its functions in application of this Agreement, the Commission shall be responsible for:
(a) Examining any problem of common interest relating to the pollution of the waters;
(b) Promoting coordination between the competent administrative services in order to:
— Make a survey of the polluted areas;
— Share reciprocal information on construction projects liable to create a serious risk of pollution;
— Make an economic study of the infrastructures and equipment needed to combat the pollution of the waters;
(c) Encouraging and sponsoring, as necessary, study and research, exchange of information and meetings of experts within the context of scientific cooperation on subjects to be determined by the Commission, taking into account already existing local, national or international projects and material resources;
(d) Proposing to the three Governments any measure likely to protect the waters, in particular by concluding individual agreements.
Article 4. The Commission shall be composed of delegations of the three Governments. Each Government shall appoint a maximum of seven delegates, one of whom shall be head of the delegation. Each delegation may in addition include experts to review specific questions.
Article 5. The Commission shall be assisted by a Technical Committee composed of experts in water protection. Each Government shall appoint the technical experts.
The Commission may also request the establishment of other working groups to study particular problems.
Article 6. The Chairmanship of the Commission shall be held successively for a term of two years by the head of each delegation, in the order in which the Governments are listed in the preamble.
However, for the first term, the Chairmanship shall be held by the head of the delegation of Monaco.
Article 7. The Commission shall meet in regular session at least once a year upon convocation by its Chairman. Special sessions shall be convened by the Chairman at the request of a delegation. The Chairman shall propose the agenda. Each delegation may include in the agenda any items it wishes to be considered. The draft agenda shall be submitted to the delegations two months before the date of the meeting.
Article 8. Each delegation shall have one vote.
Decisions shall be adopted unanimously.
Article 9. The Commission shall establish relations as it deems necessary with the international bodies concerned with water pollution.
Article 10. The Commission shall submit each year to the three Governments a report of its work, containing in particular the results of the studies and research it has sponsored and also its recommendations.
Article 11. Each Government shall defray the expenses of its delegation to the Commission, the Technical Committee and any working groups, as well as the cost of research carried out in its own territory.
Expenses of common interest shall be shared by the three Governments in accordance with arrangements proposed by the Commission and agreed to by the said Governments. The same procedure should be followed also in cases where the Commission decides unanimously to approve exceptional investigations.
Article 12. The Commission shall establish its own rules of procedure.
Article 13. The Secretariat of the Commission shall be staffed by the Scientific Centre of Monaco.
Article 14. The working languages of the Commission shall be French and Italian.
Article 15. Each of the signatory Governments shall notify the Government of the Principality of Monaco that it has completed the constitutional procedures required for the entry into force of this Agreement; the Government of the Principality of Monaco shall immediately confirm the date of receipt of the notifications and shall inform the other signatory Governments.
The Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the receipt of the last notification.
After the expiry of a period of three years from its entry into force, this Agreement may be denounced at any time. Such denunciation shall take effect three months after its notification to the depositary Government, which shall immediately inform the other signatory Governments.
The original of this Agreement, the texts of which in the French and Italian languages are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of His Most Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, who shall transmit a certified true copy to each of the signatory Governments.
Done at Monaco on 10 May 1976.
For the Government of the French Republic: