This set of guidelines is addressed to Governments with a view to assisting them in the process of developing appropriate bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and national legislation for the protection of the marine environment against pollution from land-based sources. They have been prepared on the basis of cotTunAn elements and principles drawn from relevant existing agreements, drawing upon experience already gained through their preparation and implementation. Principal among these agreements are the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Part XII), the Paris Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources, the Helsinki Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, and the Athens Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources.