{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-of-wrecks-ms-estonia-order-1999/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-of-wrecks-ms-estonia-order-1999/note.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1999/856",
  "legislation_title": "The Protection of Wrecks (M/S Estonia) Order 1999",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-of-wrecks-ms-estonia-order-1999",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "(This note is not part of the Order)\nThis Order makes provision for the purpose of giving effect to the Agreement between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the M/S Estonia (Cm 4252). The date of the United Kingdom’s accession to the Agreement will be published in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.\nThe Agreement designates the wreck of the M/S Estonia and surrounding area as the final place of rest for the victims of the disaster. United Kingdom accession to the Agreement is subject to a reservation to article 4(2) which requires that disturbance of the final place of rest be punishable by imprisonment under national law. Accordingly the offences created by this Order (which are subject to section 24(3) of the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997) are punishable by fine.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/856/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:54:45.374177+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}