The European Union has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and called for the full implementation of the 2016 Arbitral Award concerning the South China Sea, in a statement issued on 11 July 2026 by High Representative Josep Borrell on behalf of the EU. The statement marks the tenth anniversary of the award, which was issued by an arbitral tribunal constituted under Annex VII to UNCLOS in the case between the Philippines and China. The EU describes the award as a landmark decision in the peaceful settlement of disputes, final and legally binding upon the parties, and insists it must be respected and fully implemented.
The statement expresses deep concern over the steady increase of tensions and dangerous incidents in the South China Sea. It firmly opposes any unilateral actions that threaten to undermine regional stability and the international order based on international law. The EU reiterates its support for ongoing efforts by ASEAN and China to conclude an effective, substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, in line with UNCLOS. It also underlines the critical importance of upholding freedoms set out in UNCLOS, particularly freedom of navigation and overflight, including the right of transit passage, as essential to regional stability, global security, and safe, free and open sea routes.
The statement, published as a press release by the European External Action Service, carries no new policy measures but serves as a diplomatic reaffirmation of the EU's longstanding position on maritime disputes in the Indo-Pacific. The EU calls for all tensions and disputes to be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means, in accordance with international law, with the UN Charter and UNCLOS at its core.