Alliance between Italia, Tunisia and Greece on maritime borders. Against Libya and Turkey
A battle of official documents at the UN. Rome has submitted a technical update on its areas of jurisdiction. It is contesting Tripoli’s expansionist claims, which are already under scrutiny by Athens and Tunis. In the background lie gas, undersea cables and competition in the eastern Mediterranean, where Ankara fears Greece’s moves
by Agostino Dossena
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Key points
Whilst political attention is focused on the Middle East, migration flows and the destabilising presence of Russia in the Maghreb, a delicate game is being played out at the UN: that of maritime boundaries and the potential exploitation of resources on the Mediterranean seabed. Italia, Greece and Tunisia find themselves allied in redefining the EEZs, exclusive economic zones, and jurisdiction over the continental shelves. On the other hand, there is Libya’s desire for expansion, clearly supported by Recep Erdogan’s Turkey as part of an anti-Athens strategy.
A line drawn on a map cannot be seen in real life. This is all the more true when, instead of the mainland – where boundaries can, to some extent, be identified and recognised – we are talking about seas and nautical charts. But those lines serve to demarcate a state’s territorial waters, which extend from the coast for 12 miles out to sea. Beyond those 12 miles, the distances used to identify other maritime areas – such as exclusive economic zones and continental shelves – are calculated, and any change or update to these coordinates alters the geopolitical landscape.
On 24 September, Italia submitted the new coordinates of its baselines to the United Nations, replacing the previous submission which dated back to 1996. The document was registered by the UN under the reference M.Z.N. 177.2026.LOS and follows the update to Italian legislation approved by Law No. 70 of 7 May 2026. The coordinates have been updated to bring the Italian system into line with the current state of the coastline and to further amend the previous framework, which dated back to 1977. In other words, only the technical reference point used for calculations has changed; the principle that the Mediterranean is divided amongst states on the basis of international law and any agreements or delimitations remains unchanged.
Where are a country’s maritime boundaries measured from?
Every coastal state needs a point of reference to determine the extent of its territorial waters. This reference point is the baseline, which is generally linked to the coastline. Starting from that line, the territorial sea is measured first, which can extend up to 12 nautical miles. Further from the coast, there are other zones in which the State may exercise specific rights and jurisdiction. The most important of these, for many economic activities, is the exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, which can extend up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline. This does not mean that those waters are incorporated into the State’s territory. Above all, the state has sovereign rights over natural resources, including fish, oil and gas, and may exercise jurisdiction over certain activities and infrastructure. However, in accordance with international rules, freedoms such as navigation and overflight remain.
Another issue is the continental shelf, which concerns the seabed and the subsoil and takes on particular importance when energy resources come into play.
