Exclusive economic zone
The sea area beyond its territorial waters, up to 200 nautical miles from shore, in which a coastal state exercises sovereign rights over natural resources.
How it works
Part V of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea defines the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, subject to its own legal regime. Under Article 57, the zone may not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the territorial sea is measured.
In this area the coastal state has sovereign rights to explore, exploit and manage natural resources. Artificial islands, scientific research and environmental protection also fall under its jurisdiction. The EEZ is not territorial sea, and the coastal state does not exercise full sovereignty there.
Under Article 58, other states retain freedom of navigation and overflight in the zone and may lay submarine cables and pipelines. Here lies the trap. An attack in a country's EEZ does not mean the incident took place on that country's territory. It does, however, draw the coastal state in through search and rescue, environmental and resource security obligations.
Why it matters here
In maritime conflicts, the geography of risk is read through EEZ boundaries. When attacks move from a belligerent's coast into a third state's EEZ, the risk zone listed by insurers widens and the coastal state becomes a party to the incident. Disputes over cable and pipeline routes in the Eastern Mediterranean also stem largely from overlapping EEZ claims.