International Issues Raised by the Exclusive Economic Zone

The proposed Convention on the Law of the Sea provides for 200-mile exclusive economic zones adjacent to a nation´s coast. The United States is in favor of of the EEZ articles in the Convention but has refused to sign the proposed Convention, for other reasons. Instead, it has unilaterally proclaimed its own EEZ and based the right to establish such a zone on principles of customary international law. It is in the United States legal and political interest to secure an international legal consensus as to the existence of such EEZ´s and as to the nature and scope of the rights of all states in such EEZ´s. To do this, it should defer any unilateral attempts to implement the EEZ Proclamation, should work with other countries on practical solutions to any problems, and should use the LOS Treaty provisions, and the LOS Conference deliberations on the EEZ, as the base on which to establish a consensus.