Fisheries law

On 18 June 2018 the Council adopted a new multiannual management plan (MAP) for the North Sea concerning demersal fish stocks - species that live and feed near the bottom of seas.

Delineating maritime borders is a very difficult task and, naturally, so is securing them. Understandably, there is a debate regarding issues such as territorial waters, sovereign rights, the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). These concepts do nothing to curb the flows of refugees, migrants or other undocumented individuals who are crossing the border into Greece.

Turkey should respect international law where it concerns the exclusive economy zone (EEZ) of countries in the Mediterranean, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said in an interview with Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram.

With Greece monitoring Turkey's next moves with regard to the two Greek soldiers that it detained last week, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Thursday, in a clear nod to Ankara, that he wants peace and cooperation on the domestic level and in "the fragile neighborhood in Southeastern Europe."

The United States recognizes the right of Cyprus to develop the resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone, and discourages any actions or statements that provoke a rise in tensions in the region, a State Department official has said.

French President Emanuel Macron has told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he is worried about recent events off the coast of Cyprus, and called for "the need to respect Cyprus's sovereignty," a statement by his office said Monday.

It is well known that Turkey regards the concept of the EEZ as its most important enemy in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Moscow has expressed concern over escalating tension in the Eastern Mediterranean where the Turkish military has been obstructing a ship contracted by Italian company ENI from approaching an area inside Cyprus's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to explore for natural gas.

As Turkey continues its blockade off the southern coast of Cyprus, Nicosia has issued a Navtex reserving an area, including parts of Blocks 3 and 13 of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), for an exercise on Thursday afternoon with live ammunition, according to the island's  Phileleftheros news site.

Italy will send a frigate to the area off Cyprus island where Turkish military has been obstructing a vessel exploring for natural gas, according to a report in Italy's Republica online edition.

According to the report, the vessel, the Maestrale-class frigate Euro (F575) of the Italian Navy, is taking part in NATO's Sea Guardian maritime operation in the Eastern Mediterranean.