Exclusive economic zone of the United Kingdom

File:Rockall_EEZ_topographic_map-en.svg has territorial waters, it does not establish an EEZ by itself, instead falling within the EEZ of the rest of the UK.]]

The United Kingdom's EEZ in Europe is {{convert|773676|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}. When including all crown dependencies and overseas territories it is {{convert|6805586|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.

†Part of the overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, which together has an EEZ of 1,641,294 square km.

{{Infobox UK legislation|short_title=Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013|type=Statutory Instrument|parliament=|year=1999|citation=SI 1999/1126|introduced_by=|territorial_extent=United Kingdom|si_made_date=11 December 2013|si_laid_date=18 December 2013|commencement=1 July 1999|repeal_date=|amends=|replaces=|primary_legislation=Scotland Act 1998|eu_directives=|amendments=|repealing_legislation=|related_legislation=|status=current|legislation_history=|theyworkforyou=|millbankhansard=|original_text=|revised_text=|use_new_UK-LEG=yes|UK-LEG_title=}}The Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013 (SI 2013/3161) is an order in Council of the Government of the United Kingdom, which defines the boundaries of the exclusive economic zone of the United Kingdom.

The Order asserts a territorial sea of up to 200 nautical miles away from the coast of Great Britain and from the coast of Northern Ireland.{{Cite book |last=Lando |first=Massimo |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/maritime-delimitation-as-a-judicial-process/453A15E4F6C23E44C6AEBFB33B44F36D |title=Maritime Delimitation as a Judicial Process |date=2019 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-49739-8 |series=Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law |location=Cambridge |doi=10.1017/9781108608893}}

Before the Order, the UK managed a de facto EEZ: the combination of the renewable energy zone, the marine pollution prevention zone and marine research. The UK negotiated individual borders of the EEZ with specific countries, bilaterally. This was standardised and rationalised by the Order through explicit boundaries, uniform across all purposes.

The Order implements the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS).{{Cite journal |last=Adam |first=E. F. |last2=Brown |first2=S. |last3=Nicholls |first3=R. J. |last4=Tsimplis |first4=M. |date=2016-08-01 |title=A systematic assessment of maritime disruptions affecting UK ports, coastal areas and surrounding seas from 1950 to 2014 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-016-2347-4 |journal=Natural Hazards |language=en |volume=83 |issue=1 |pages=691–713 |doi=10.1007/s11069-016-2347-4 |issn=1573-0840}}

The Order is made under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

The boundaries defined in the Order has been used to analyse maritime and coastal energy projections, varying from renewable energy, blue hydrogen and petroleum.{{Cite web |year=2024 |title=THE UNITED KINGDOM’S BLUE CARBON INVENTORY: ASSESSMENT OF MARINE CARBON STORAGE AND SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL IN UK SEAS (INCLUDING WITHIN MARINE PROTECTED AREAS) |url=https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/UK%20assessment%20-%20scientific%20report.pdf |website=Wildlife Trusts}}{{Cite web |year=2022 |title=UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment Government response to OESEA4 public consultation |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6319b419e90e077dc0c6d693/OESEA4_Public_Consultation_Government_Response.pdf |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=GOV.UK}} The boundaries defined in the Order have been used to analyse disruption at UK ports.{{Cite journal |last=Adam |first=E. F. |last2=Brown |first2=S. |last3=Nicholls |first3=R. J. |last4=Tsimplis |first4=M. |date=2016-08-01 |title=A systematic assessment of maritime disruptions affecting UK ports, coastal areas and surrounding seas from 1950 to 2014 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-016-2347-4 |journal=Natural Hazards |language=en |volume=83 |issue=1 |pages=691–713 |doi=10.1007/s11069-016-2347-4 |issn=1573-0840}}

In 2014, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office published a map showing the differences between the boundaries described by the Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013 and the boundaries described by the Continental Shelf (Designation of Areas) Order 2013.{{Cite web |year=2014 |title=The Continental Shelf (Designation of Areas) Order 2013 |url=https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/MAPS/GBR_MZN100_2014_00ill1.jpg |website=United Nations}}

• The exclusive economic zones associated with the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are disputed by Argentina.
• The EEZ of the Chagos Archipelago, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, is disputed by Mauritius, which considers the archipelago as a part of its territory. Sovereignty ceded to Mauritius.
• Gibraltar is disputed by Spain.
• Since the approval of Brexit in 2020 there have been disputes with the European Union about fishing rights in UK's territorial waters.
• The area around the uninhabited island Rockall is also disputed.

• Geography of the United Kingdom
• Exclusive economic zone of France

{{reflist}}

• [https://legacy.iho.int/mtg_docs/com_wg/ABLOS/ABLOS_Conf6/S9P3-P.pdf Does Ascension Island have an outer continental shelf?]

{{World topic|title=Exclusive economic zones|Exclusive economic zone of|noredlinks=yes}}

United Kingdom

Category:Borders of the United Kingdom

Category:Economy of the United Kingdom