High Representative/Vice-President Kallas, in a written answer on 2 July 2026, declined to comment on media reports that Turkey is preparing a bill claiming maritime jurisdiction in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, stating that the legislation has not been officially made public. She reiterated the EU's position that Turkey must commit to good neighbourly relations, international law including UNCLOS, and peaceful dispute settlement, and stressed the importance of safeguarding the sovereign rights of all EU member states.
The answer was given to a parliamentary question by S&D MEPs Yannis Maniatis, Nikos Papandreou, and Nikolas Farantouris, who had expressed concern that the bill would violate the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus and create new tensions. The MEPs had asked whether Kallas would propose sanctions against Turkish government members behind the bill.
Kallas's response contained no concrete proposals, numerical targets, or specific steps to prevent the bill's submission or adoption. She did not address the question of sanctions, instead limiting herself to declaratory support for international law and regional stability. The answer signals that the EU is not currently planning new measures against Turkey over the reported bill, but maintains its existing policy framework.
No institutional follow-up was announced. The EU's position remains unchanged: it expects Turkey to refrain from unilateral actions that violate international law and the sovereign rights of EU member states, as a prerequisite for a cooperative EU-Turkey relationship.