8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

1/21

 Judgment of 03 June 1985

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

2/21

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

3/21

Dispute: The Socialist People’s Li!an "#a Jamahi#i!a $Li!a%

and the &epulic of 'alta sumitted a dispute to the(nte#national )ou#t of Justice conce#ning the

delimitation of the continental shelf unde#l!ing the'edite##anean Sea et*een the t*o states+ The!sought to dete#mine:

,hat p#inciples and #ules of inte#national la* a#eapplicale to the delimitation of the a#ea ofcontinental shelf 

-o* in p#actice such p#inciples and #ules can eapplied

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

4/21

,hat p#inciples a#eapplicale./oth pa#ties ag#ee that the dispute is to e

goe#ned ! customa#! inte#national la*+

'alta is a pa#t! to the enea )onention utLi!a is not

/oth pa#ties a#e pa#ties to the 2)L4S ut ithas not !et ente#ed into fo#ce du#ing the timeof dispute+

-o*ee# oth pa#ties ag#ee that some of the2)L4S p#oision *hile not !et into fo#ceconstitute customa#! la*6 ut its upon thecou#t to dete#mine *hich these p#oisions a#e+

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

5/21

Pe#tinent 2)L4SP#oisions: Article 76Defnition o the continental shel 

 The continental shelf of a coastal State comp#isesthe seaed and susoil of the suma#ine a#easthat e7tend e!ond its te##ito#ial sea th#oughoutthe natu#al p#olongation of its land te##ito#! to the

oute# edge of the continental ma#gin o# to adistance of 00 nautical miles f#om the aselinesf#om *hich the #eadth of the te##ito#ial sea ismeasu#ed *he#e the oute# edge of the continentalma#gin does not e7tend up to that distance+

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

6/21

Pe#tinent 2)L4SP#oisions: Article 83Delimitation o the Continental Shel Between

States with Opposite or Adjacent Coast 

 The delimitation of the continental shelfet*een States *ith opposite o# adacent coastsshall e e;ected ! ag#eement on the asis ofinte#national la* as #efe##ed to in "#ticle 38 ofthe Statute of the (nte#national )ou#t of Justicein o#de# to achiee an e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

7/21

)ou#t noted that= The 2)L4S p#oision sets the goal to e pu#sued

$i+e+ to achiee an e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

8/21

Li!a’s )ontentionBasis o Principle: at!ral Prolon"ation

#it $one Ar"!ment  ? " deep can!on on the seaedl!ing close# to 'alta c#eated the natu#al ounda#!

et*een t*o sepa#ate continental sheles andthus se#ed as an app#op#iate diiding line+

#ele%ant Circ!mstance: &andmass

&andmass Ar"!ment  ? That the landmass p#oidesthe legal usti@cation of entitlement to continentalshelf #ights $i+e+ #eate# land mass A mo#e intensenatu#al p#olongation%

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

9/21

'alta’s )ontentionBasis o Principle: '(!idistance

Primac) o '(!idistance B The ne* impo#tance of theidea of distance f#om the coast has confe##ed a

p#imac! on the method of e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

10/21

'alta’s )ontention#ele%ant Circ!mstances: 'conomic Position* Sec!rit)*

So%erei"n '(!alit) o States

Sec!rit)  ? Secu#it! and defence inte#ests con@#ms the

e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

11/21

)ou#t’s &uling on)ontentionsOn Principles o at!ral Prolon"ation +&i,)a-: Since

the la* enales a State to claim continental shelf upto as fa# as 00 miles f#om its coast the#e is no

#eason to asc#ie an! #ole to geological o# geoph!sicalfacto#s $i+e+ &ift Cone% *ithin that distance+ $Li!a and'alta a#e less than 00 miles apa#t%

On &andmass as rele%ant circ!mstance +&i,)a-: 

Landmass has nee# een #ega#ded as a asis ofentitlement to continental shelf #ights and such ap#oposition @nds no suppo#t in the p#actice of Statesin the u#isp#udence in doct#ine o# een 2)L4S

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

12/21

)ou#t’s &uling on)ontentionsOn Primac) o '(!idistance +.alta-: That a coastal State

ma! e entitled to continental shelf #ights ! #eason ofdistance f#om the coast does not entai1 that e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

13/21

)ou#t’s &uling on)ontentionsOn Sec!rit) as rele%ant circ!mstance +.alta-: Delimitation

*hich *ill #esult f#om the application of the p#esent Judgment is not so nea# to the )oast of eithe# Pa#t! as to

ma>e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

14/21

)42&T -FLD: The delimitation is to e e;ected in

acco#dance *ith eing account of all #eleant ci#cumstancesso as to a##ie at an e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

15/21

Delimitation P#ocess:STFP 1STEP 1:

D#a* a pro%isional line et*een Li!a and

'alta ee#! point of *hich is e of 'alta and Li!a

1h) Pro%isional &ine2 B The line is suect to

adustment in light of the #eleantci#cumstances mentioned

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

16/21

Delimitation P#ocess:STFP 1

Libya

equidistant34" 12' N

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

17/21

Delimitation P#ocess:STFP STEP 2:

"dust the p#oisional line in light of the #eleantci#cumstances conside#ed in the case+

#ele%ant Circ!mstance or .edian Adj!stment  BDispa#it! in the lengths of #eleant coasts of thepa#ties: 'alta has a ?mile long coast *hile Li!ahas 19 miles+ This is a #eleant ci#cumstance*hich *a##ants adustment of the median line toatt#iute g#ate# a#ea of shelf to Li!a

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

18/21

Delimitation P#ocess:STFP STEP 2:

"dust the p#oisional line in light of the #eleantci#cumstances conside#ed in the case+ &eleant

ci#cumstances calls fo# adustment to*a#ds 'alta

ow ar towards .alta sho!ld adj!stment ,e2 B)ou#t did not sa!6 the test of p#opo#tionalit!ased on #atio of coast length and the shelf isimp#actical acco#ding to cou#t+ )ou#t deems thatit can ma>e e

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

19/21

Delimitation P#ocess:STFP STEP 2:

"dust the p#oisional line in light of the #eleantci#cumstances conside#ed in the case+ &eleant

ci#cumstances calls fo# adustment to*a#ds 'alta

ow ar towards .alta sho!ld adj!stment ,e2 B (tcan e fa#the# o#th than the 'edian Line

et*een (tal! and Li!a+ 'alta as an independentState cannot hae a smalle# continental shelfthan it *ould hae if it *e#e a pa#t of (tal!+

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

20/21

Delimitation P#ocess:STFP

Median line between

Italy and Malta (34’’ 36’’ N)

Provisional Line (34" 12 N)!eliitation 34" 3# N

8/9/2019 Libya vs Malta CS Case

21/21

$%an& you'