Croatia, Italy agree on declaring exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic

Today’s bilateral meeting between foreign ministers Gordan Grlić Radman and Luigi Di Maio focused on the Adriatic. The two ministers discussed declaring exclusive economic zones

Today’s bilateral meeting between foreign ministers Gordan Grlić Radman and Luigi Di Maio focused on the Adriatic. The two ministers, in a European spirit and aware of the need for its protection and sustainable management, discussed declaring exclusive economic zones on both sides of the Adriatic, confirming readiness to begin talks on zone delimitation.

In 2003, Croatia declared an Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone (ZERP) on its side of the Adriatic Sea, which contains all elements of an exclusive economic zone in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Subsequent decisions of 2004, 2006 and 2008 determined that ZERP would not apply to EU member states until a joint agreement in a European spirit was reached.

After Croatia joined the EU, ZERP along with all exclusive economic, fishing and ecological zones of other member states became a part of the “EU waters”, where the Common Fisheries Policy applies and member states cooperate in protecting the maritime environment.

Long-standing cooperation with Italy in the implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy and maritime protection has resulted in the agreement on declaring exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic, which Croatia believes will lay a foundation for an even stronger cooperation and overall protection of the Adriatic in line with UNCLOS and the EU legislature.

Croatia and Italy are Adriatic neighbours, which is a semi-enclosed sea with a delicate ecosystem. It is therefore necessary to cooperate in responding to the challenges of protecting the Adriatic and its natural resources as well as to ensure a sustainable management of this blue economy.

 

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