PART I
INTRODUCTION
Article 1
Use of terms and scope
1. For the purposes of this Convention:
(1)
(2) "Authority" means the International Seabed Authority;
SECTION 4. THE AUTHORITY
SUBSECTION A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article156
Establishment of the Authority
1. There is hereby established the International Seabed Authority, which shall function in accordance with this Part.
2. All States Parties are ipso facto members of the Authority.
3. Observers at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea who have signed the Final Act and who are not referred to in article 305, paragraph 1(c), (d), (e) or (f), shall have the right to participate in the Authority as observers, in accordance with its rules, regulations and procedures.
4. The seat of the Authority shall be in Jamaica.
5. The Authority may establish such regional centres or offices as it deems necessary for the exercise of its functions.
Article157
Nature and fundamental principles of the Authority
1. The Authority is the organization through which States Parties shall, in accordance with this Part, organize and control activities in the Area, particularly with a view to administering the resources of the Area.
2. The powers and functions of the Authority shall be those expressly conferred upon it by this Convention. The Authority shall have such incidental powers, consistent with this Convention, as are implicit in and necessary for the exercise of those powers and functions with respect to activities in the Area.
3. The Authority is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its members.
4. All members of the Authority shall fulfil in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with this Part in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership.
Article158
Organs of the Authority
1. There are hereby established, as the principal organs of the Authority, an Assembly, a Council and a Secretariat.
2. There is hereby established the Enterprise, the organ through which the Authority shall carry out the functions referred to in article 170, paragraph 1.
3. Such subsidiary organs as may be found necessary may be established in accordance with this Part.
4. Each principal organ of the Authority and the Enterprise shall be responsible for exercising those powers and functions which are conferred upon it. In exercising such powers and functions each organ shall avoid taking any action which may derogate from or impede the exercise of specific powers and functions conferred upon another organ.
SUBSECTION B. THE ASSEMBLY
Article159
Composition, procedure and voting
1. The Assembly shall consist of all the members of the Authority. Each member shall have one representative in the Assembly, who may be accompanied by alternates and advisers.
2. The Assembly shall meet in regular annual sessions and in such special sessions as may be decided by the Assembly, or convened by the Secretary-General at the request of the Council or of a majority of the members of the Authority.
3. Sessions shall take place at the seat of the Authority unless otherwise decided by the Assembly.
4. The Assembly shall adopt its rules of procedure. At the beginning of each regular session, it shall elect its President and such other officers as may be required. They shall hold office until a new President and other officers are elected at the next regular session.
5. A majority of the members of the Assembly shall constitute a quorum.
6. Each member of the Assembly shall have one vote.
7. C O N T I N U A . . .
SUBSECTION C. THE COUNCIL
Article161
Composition, procedure and voting
1. The Council shall consist of 36 members of the Authority elected by the Assembly in the following order:
(a) C O N T I N U E . . .
Article162
Powers and functions
1. The Council is the executive organ of the Authority. The Council shall have the power to establish, in conformity with this Convention and the general policies established by the Assembly, the specific policies to be pursued by the Authority on any question or matter within the competence of the Authority.
2. C O N T I N U E . . .
SUBSECTION D. THE SECRETARIAT
Article166
The Secretariat
1. The Secretariat of the Authority shall comprise a Secretary-General and such staff as the Authority may require.
2. The Secretary-General shall be elected for four years by the Assembly from among the candidates proposed by the Council and may be re-elected.
3. The Secretary-General shall be the chief administrative officer of the Authority, and shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Assembly, of the Council and of any subsidiary organ, and shall perform such other administrative functions as are entrusted to the Secretary-General by these organs.
4. The Secretary-General shall make an annual report to the Assembly on the work of the Authority.
Article167
The staff of the Authority
1. The staff of the Authority shall consist of such qualified scientific and technical and other personnel as may be required to fulfil the administrative functions of the Authority.
2. C O N T I N U E . . .
SUBSECTION E. THE ENTERPRISE
Article170
The Enterprise
1. The Enterprise shall be the organ of the Authority which shall carry out activities in the Area directly, pursuant to article 153, paragraph 2(a), as well as the transporting, processing and marketing of minerals recovered from the Area.
2. The Enterprise shall, within the framework of the international legal personality of the Authority, have such legal capacity as is provided for in the Statute set forth in Annex IV. The Enterprise shall act in accordance with this Convention and the rules, regulations and procedures of the Authority, as well as the general policies established by the Assembly, and shall be subject to the directives and control of the Council.
3. The Enterprise shall have its principal place of business at the seat of the Authority.
4. C O N T I N U E . . .