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FEDERAL LAW OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

of November 30, 1995 No. 187-FZ

About the continental shelf of the Russian Federation

(as amended on 19-10-2023)

Accepted by the State Duma on October 25, 1995

This Federal Law determines the status of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation, the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Russian Federation on its continental shelf and their implementation according to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the conventional principles and rules of international law and international treaties of the Russian Federation. The questions relating to the continental shelf of the Russian Federation and activities on it, which are not provided by this Federal Law are regulated by other Federal Laws applicable to the continental shelf of the Russian Federation.

Chapter I. General provisions

Article 1. Determination and borders of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation

The continental shelf of the Russian Federation (further - the continental shelf) includes the seabed and subsoil of underwater areas which are outside the territorial sea of the Russian Federation (further - the territorial sea) throughout natural continuation of its overland territory to external border of the underwater suburb of the continent.

The underwater suburb of the continent is continuation of the continental array of the Russian Federation including surface and subsoil of the continental shelf, slope and rise.

Determination of the continental shelf is applied also to all islands of the Russian Federation.

Internal border of the continental shelf is the external border of the territorial sea.

Taking into account provisions of article 2 of this Federal Law the external border of the continental shelf is at distance of 200 nautical miles from initial lines from which width of the territorial sea is measured provided that the external border of the underwater suburb of the continent does not stretch for distance of more than 200 nautical miles.

If the underwater suburb of the continent stretches for distance more than 200 nautical miles from the specified initial lines, the external border of the continental shelf matches with external border of the underwater suburb of the continent determined according to rules of international law.

Article 2. Delimitation of the continental shelf

Delimitation of the continental shelf between the Russian Federation and the states which coasts противолежат to the coast of the Russian Federation or are adjacent to the coast of the Russian Federation is performed on the basis of international treaties of the Russian Federation or rules of international law.

Article 3. Maps and lists of geographical coordinates

Lines of external borders of the continental shelf or replacing them approved by the Government of the Russian Federation lists of geographical coordinates of points with indication of basic geodetic data and the delimitation lines defined by international treaties of the Russian Federation or on the basis of rules of international law are specified on cards of the established scale or are published in "Notices to seafarers".

Forming of databank about external border of the continental shelf is performed by the federal body authorized on that by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Article 4. Basic concepts

For the purpose of this Federal Law the following basic concepts are applied:

natural resources of the continental shelf - mineral and other lifeless resources of seabed and its subsoil (further - mineral resources), and also the live organisms relating to "sedentary types" that is organisms which when their production (catch) is possible, are in motionless condition on seabed or under it or are not capable to move differently as being in permanent physical contact with seabed or its subsoil (further - water bioresources);

sea scientific research on the continental shelf (further - sea scientific research) - the basic or applied researches and experimental works which are carried out for these researches directed to knowledge acquisition on all aspects of the natural processes happening on seabed and in its subsoil;

sea resource researches on the continental shelf (further - sea resource researches) - the applied research works directed to investigation of the continental shelf and development of its mineral resources, water bioresources and performed according to the Federal Law of December 17, 1998 N 191-FZ "About exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation" (further the Federal Law "About Exclusive Economic Zone of the Russian Federation");

hazardous substance - substance which in case of hit in the sea is capable to create health hazard of people, to cause environmental damage, including to the marine environment and natural resources of the continental shelf, to worsen conditions of rest or to prevent other types of lawful use of the sea, and also substance which is subject to control based on international treaties of the Russian Federation;

burial - any deliberate waste disposal or other materials from courts and other watercrafts, aircraft, artificial islands, installations and constructions, and also any deliberate destruction of courts and other watercrafts, aircraft, artificial islands, installations and constructions; burial waste disposal or other materials inherent or the courts which are result of normal operation, aircraft, artificial islands, installations and constructions, except for the waste or other materials transported by courts, aircraft, installations or constructions which are operated for the purpose of removal of such materials or brought to such courts, aircraft, artificial islands, installations or constructions, and also except for those that processings of such waste or other materials in such courts, aircraft, artificial islands, installations and constructions are result is not considered; the room of materials for other purposes, than their simple removal provided that it does not contradict the purposes of this Federal Law and international treaties of the Russian Federation.

artificial islands - the objects (artificially built designs) having alluvial, bulk, pile and (or) other not floating basic bases acting over water surface in case of the maximum inflow which are stationary fixed according to the project documentation on their creation in the location on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation;

installations, constructions - flexibly or the stationary and floating (mobile) drilling rigs (platforms), sea floating (portable) platforms, sea stationary platforms and other objects, and also underwater constructions which are stationary fixed according to the project documentation on their creation in the location on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation (including wells).

Article 5. Rights of the Russian Federation to the continental shelf

The Russian Federation on the continental shelf performs:

1) the sovereign rights for the purpose of investigation of the continental shelf and development of its mineral resources and water bioresources. These rights are exclusive in the sense that if the Russian Federation does not explore the continental shelf or does not develop its mineral resources or water bioresources, nobody can do it without the consent of the Russian Federation;

2) exclusive right to permit and regulate drilling operations on the continental shelf for any purposes;

3) exclusive right to construct, and also to permit and regulate creation, operation and use of artificial islands, installations and constructions. The Russian Federation performs jurisdiction over such artificial islands, installations and constructions, including jurisdiction concerning the customs, fiscal, sanitary and immigration laws and rules, and also the laws and rules concerning safety;

4) jurisdiction in the relation:

sea scientific research;

protection and preserving the marine environment in connection with investigation of the continental shelf, development of its mineral resources and water bioresources, waste disposal and other materials;

laying and operation of underwater cables and pipelines of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation performs the sovereign rights and jurisdiction on the continental shelf, being guided by economic, trade, scientific and other interests, according to the procedure, determined by this Federal Law and rules of international law.

The right of the Russian Federation to the continental shelf is not affected legal status of the waters covering it and airspace over these waters.

The Russian Federation, performing the sovereign rights and jurisdiction on the continental shelf, does not interfere with implementation of navigation, other rights and freedoms of other states recognized according to the conventional principles and rules of international law.

Activities on the continental shelf are performed taking into account navigation, fishery, sea scientific research, other lawful types of activity, and also taking into account ensuring protection and preserving the marine environment, mineral resources and water bioresources.

Article 6. Competence of federal bodies of the government on the continental shelf

On the continental shelf enter competence of federal bodies of the government:

1) development and enhancement of the legislation of the Russian Federation on the continental shelf and activities on it;

2) coordination of activities of federal bodies of the government concerning the continental shelf and activities on it, protection of legitimate rights and interests of the Russian Federation on the continental shelf and protection of its natural resources;

3) ceased to be valid according to the Federal Law of the Russian Federation of 02.05.2015 No. 127-FZ

4) establishment of procedure for use of mineral resources, including procedure for licensing;

5) ceased to be valid

6) control of rational use of mineral resources and water bioresources and their protection;

7) federal state control (supervision) in the field of industrial safety;

8) creation of federal stock balance of mineral resources, federal accounting of the sites of the continental shelf used for regional geological studying, geological studying, exploration and production of mineral resources of the continental shelf and also registration of the corresponding works;

9) conclusion of production sharing agreements;

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