⁽¹⁾ Status of ratifications (see attachment)

⁽¹⁾ Additionally, Article 3 states: “The rights of the coastal State over the continental shelf do not affect the legal status of the superjacent waters as high seas, or that of the airspace above those waters.”

⁽²⁾ International Court of Justice, Reports of Judgments, Advisory Opinions and Orders. North Sea Continental Shelf Cases, Judgment of February 20,1969.

⁽¹⁾ This has been done in the following member States:

Germany: Law of July 24, 1964, temporarily regulating the exploitation of the continental shelf, as amended by the law of June 25, 1969.

Belgium: Law on the continental shelf of Belgium of June 13, 1969 (Moniteur officiel, October 8, 1969).

France: Law No. 68-1181 of December 30, 1968, relating to the exploration of the continental shelf and the exploitation of its natural resources.

Italy: Law No. 613 of July 21, 1967, on prospecting for and exploitation of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in the territorial sea and continental shelf, amending the law of January 11, 1957, on prospecting for and exploitation of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons.

Netherlands: Law of September 23, 1965 on prospecting for and exploitation of minerals on the continental shelf, and Regulations of January 27, 1967.

⁽²⁾ Journal officiel No. 117 of July 23, 1964; Journal officiel No. L 68 of March 19, 1969.

⁽³⁾ Journal officiel L 148 of June 28, 1968

⁽⁴⁾ it should be noted, however, that under Article 3 of this Regulation it does not apply to petroleum products, the concept of the origin of which is to be defined later.

⁽⁵⁾ Journal officiel 1 238/1 of September 28, 1968.

⁽¹⁾ The contents of this decision were circulated to the other member States in a letter dated October 23, 1969 (69/027681 to 5).