The European Union is sending a clear political message to Ankara and the Libyan side , rejecting the ratification of the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum and reaffirming that the agreement violates the sovereign rights of third countries. In a statement by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , Kaya Kalas , which, according to the relevant publication, has the agreement of all 27 member states , the Union reiterates that the memorandum does not comply with the Law of the Sea , is invalid and cannot produce legal consequences for third countries.
The European reaction follows the decision of the Libyan House of Representatives , on 20 October 2026 , to ratify the 2019 memorandum on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean. In the text of the statement, the EU expresses deep regret at the ratification , making it clear that this development does not change its position on the content of the agreement.
The importance of the intervention lies both in its wording and in the unanimity of the member states . The questioning of the memorandum remains a common European position, with reference to respect for the rights of states and the rules of international law. For Greece, this collective position constitutes an important diplomatic support in a case that directly concerns its maritime zones and sovereign rights.
The communication explicitly links today’s reaction to the conclusions of the European Council of December 2019 , as well as to the reiteration of the European position in June 2025. This reference underlines the continuity of the Union’s position. The ratification by the Libyan parliament is not seen as a reason to reconsider the European objections, which concern the very substance of the memorandum.
At the core of the statement is the position that an agreement between Turkey and Libya cannot impose legal consequences on third states . The EU therefore rejects the prospect of using this bilateral arrangement as a basis for challenging the rights of other countries. The wording is of particular importance for Athens, as the issue at stake is the protection of Greek sovereign rights against Turkish-Libyan claims.
The Union also places the issue in the broader context of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean . It states that it has a strategic interest in a secure regional environment and calls on all countries to respect the sovereign rights of member states. It identifies European and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as a reference framework.
The Libyan decision, however, has its own political significance. According to the official Libyan news agency, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the memorandum and revoked previous decisions from 2020 regarding the rejection of ratification and the severance of political relations with Turkey. This is a reversal of the stance of this institution , which politically strengthens the Turkish-Libyan approach, without removing European objections.
Ankara , for its part, welcomed the ratification. The Turkish Foreign Ministry argued that the memorandum protects the mutual rights and interests of the two countries on the basis of international law and the principle of fairness. This Turkish position is in direct contradiction with the European assessment, demonstrating that the disagreement over the agreement remains substantial .
The joint statement by the President of the European Council , Antonio Costa , and the President of the European Commission , Ursula von der Leyen , also moves in the same direction as the European rejection. The two leaders reiterated that the EU’s position remains unchanged and confirmed solidarity with Greece and Cyprus . Their intervention adds institutional weight to the message that ratification does not imply European acceptance of the memorandum.
The issue also came up in Kaya Kallas’s talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Brussels. The European Commission confirmed that the Turkish-Libyan memorandum was on the agenda and said it was assessing the implications of the development in coordination with member states. It also identified dialogue, de-escalation and maintaining regional stability as priorities.
On a political level, the unanimous position offers Greek diplomacy a clear common European basis. Its practical value will also depend on the follow-up, that is, on the way in which this position will be reflected in the Union’s contacts with Turkey and Libya. This specific statement does not announce sanctions or any other new binding measure , nor does it constitute a court decision delimiting maritime zones. However, it constitutes a clear collective rejection of the legitimization of claims against third states through the memorandum.
The message from Brussels is that the Libyan ratification does not change the European position on the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum . For Greece, the development has substantial diplomatic significance, as it brings the protection of sovereign rights back to the forefront with a common European voice. The next issue is the consistency between this position and the policy that the Union will follow in the Eastern Mediterranean.
