The 27 European Union member states have unanimously condemned the ratification of the Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, stressing that it violates the sovereign rights of third countries.

The statement was issued by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

The development is considered highly significant because all 27 member states agreed to the statement.

The High Representative’s statement:

“The European Union expresses its deep regret at the ratification, on 20 October 2026, by the Libyan House of Representatives, of the 2019 ‘Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and Libya on the Delimitation of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas in the Mediterranean Sea’.

The EU’s position on the Memorandum of Understanding is consistent and clear. As stated in the European Council conclusions of December 2019 and reiterated in June 2025, the Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and Libya violates the sovereign rights of third countries and does not comply with the law of the sea. It is invalid and cannot produce legal consequences for third countries.

The EU has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and calls on all countries to respect the sovereign rights of all EU member states, in accordance with EU law and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”