The Europeanisation of Maritime Issues and the Extension of the Platform Shelves – National or European Resources? The Case of Portugal

The claims for the extension of the platform shelves in under way at the Commission of Limits at the United Nations. To simplify, the maritime countries could extend certain sovereign rights regarding the seabed until 350 nautical miles. There is controversy on this and also lots of maritime boundaries disputes. Portugal could become – if its claims are accepted – one of the countries in the world with more maritime area under its responsibility. The reason for this is its particular geographic position – with the Madeira and Azores archipelagos – in the North Atlantic area. The resources and opportunities are enormous and so the challenges and responsibilities. In the meantime, the EU International ocean governance agenda for the future of our oceans, the EU Maritime Security Strategy and the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, among others, are all attempts to create a common European Union Policy on Maritime Issues, thus transferring sovereignty from the member states to the European level. There is a debate going on regarding these issues and the purpose of this paper is to highlight this situation and try to find out responses, namely on what are the intentions of the European Union and how can they be harmonized with national interests.