Exclusive economic zone

As an exclusive economic zone ( EEZ) is in accordance with Article 55 of the Convention ( UNCLOS ), the United Nations, the area beyond the territorial sea referred to an extension of 200 nautical miles ( 370.4 km ) from the baseline (hence 200 -mile zone ) in which the adjacent coastal State may exercise sovereign rights and jurisdiction to a limited extent, especially the sole right to economic exploitation, including fishing ( for details, see Article 55 and 75 of UNCLOS ). Although the Latin American countries had already called for in the 1940s, the extension of the territorial sea to 200 nautical miles, a general recognition in international law of the EEZ could only be achieved with the Convention in 1982.

The sovereign rights include the exploration and exploitation, conservation and management of living and non -living natural resources of the waters superjacent to the seabed, mainly by fishing, the seabed and subsoil by mining in the context of sand, gravel and carbon extraction and other activities to economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as electricity generation, particularly by hydropower plants and wind turbines.

Within its jurisdiction, the coastal State may artificial islands, installations and structures such as oil platforms, build and conduct marine scientific research. It is hereby committed to the protection and preservation of the marine environment and therefore the nature conservation.

Other states enjoy under Article 58 and 87 of the UN Convention within the EEZ of each coastal state, the freedom of the high seas.

German exclusive economic zone

The Federal Republic of Germany declared after the entry into force of the Convention with effect from 1 January 1995, the establishment of a German exclusive economic zone in the North and Baltic Sea. The relevant German legislation, which are applicable within the exclusive economic zone, include the Federal Maritime Responsibilities Act ( 1965 ), the Offshore Installations (since 1997), the Federal Mining Act and the Planning Act. Driven by the approval process for planned offshore wind farms occurred in the area of the North Sea on 26 September 2009 by the Federal Ministry adopted for Transport, Building and Urban development plan in force for the much smaller Baltic region on 19 December 2009. For the German exclusive economic zone Germany has reported ten Natura 2000 sites to the European Commission.