In April 2025, Greece introduced its first marine spatial planning (MSP), accompanied by an official map which divides the Ionian and the Aegean Seas into 4 totally different spatial models (See right here for the official announcement in Greek – The map is additional offered and defined under). Whereas MSP in Greece had been below dialogue for years, prompted by Greece’s obligations below EU Directive 2014/89/EU, this announcement marks the primary time Greece has formally mapped everything of its maritime claims. Whereas MSP is primarily a home instrument for environmental coordination and useful resource administration, its adoption in a legally contested maritime area essentially raises problems with worldwide legislation and the legislation of the ocean.
This submit explores the authorized relevance of Greece’s MSP from the angle of worldwide legislation. First, it introduces the idea of MSP and the context of its publication. Second, it analyses the evidentiary perform of maps in boundary disputes, specializing in how such devices can contribute to the stabilisation of authorized claims. Lastly, it considers the position of MSP throughout the framework of UNCLOS obligations in undelimited maritime zones. This submit means that, no matter broader geopolitical narratives, such regulatory acts might assist (quite than hinder) the eventual technique of maritime delimitation by clarifying States’ positions and fostering dialogue.
