Jungtinės Karalystės jūrų teisės šaltiniai, reglamentuojantys jūros erdvių režimą

Abstract

In this work the author analyses the sources of the law of the sea of the United Kingdom. At first, the concept of “the source of the law of the sea“ of the United Kingdom is given. The formation of this concept was influenced by many factors: the features of the system of law; historical factors; admission to the European Union, etc. The author in this work distinguishes these sources of the law of the sea of the United Kingdom: national (precedents, statutes, local acts, byelaws, etc.), international (conventions, international customs, etc.) and European Union (the major sources – the secondary legislation). Than the author analyses the regulation of certain maritime zones of the United Kingdom. It is surveyed the vicissitude of the position of the United Kingdom regarding the limits of the maritime zones and their regime. This was influenced by various circumstances: the expanding opportunities of exploitation, the position of other states, the efforts to find out compromises, etc. It is noticed that United Kingdom claims not for all maritime zones which are recognized by the international law of the sea. This country does not claim for the contiguous zone and for the exclusive economic zone (instead of the later maritime zone the United Kingdom has its exclusive fishery zone). Finally, the survey of the delimitation of the maritime zones between the United Kingdom and other states is presented. Currently the United Kingdom has been drawn the delimitation agreements with these countries: Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland (and other states - regarding the delimitation of maritime zones of the overseas territories). In pursuance to reveal the importance of the independent international institutions (courts, arbitrages) in the process of the delimitation of the maritime zones, the author analyses in details the delimitation process of the continental shelf of the United Kingdom and France.