The Contracting Parties aim at preventing and eliminating pollution, with particular regard to the marine environment. For this purpose, they undertake to take all necessary steps to protect the maritime area against the adverse effects of human activities so as to safeguard human health and to conserve maritime ecosystems as well as, if necessary, restore marine areas. The Parties shall individually or jointly, as the case may be, adopt programmes, measures and shall also harmonise their strategies and policies in compliance with, on the one hand, the precautionary principle and, on the other hand, the polluter pays principle (art. 2). The Parties shall guarantee access to information to any natural or legal person, upon request, in accordance with article 9. A Commission is established under article 10 to supervise the implementation of this Convention. Article 21 concerns transboundary pollution. Article 32 regards settlement of disputes which may arise with respect to the interpretation or application of the Convention. The following four Annexes are attached: (I) Prevention and elimination of pollution from land-based sources; (II) Prevention and elimination of pollution by dumping or incineration; (III) Prevention and elimination of pollution from offshore sources; (IV) Assessment of the quality of the marine environment.