The Decision on the Maritime Boundary between Chile and Peru: International Law Revisited

Abstract

In 2014, the International Court of Justice rendered its judgment on matters submitted to it by Peru against Chile in 2008. Peru contended that there was a bilateral legal controversy over the delimitation of the maritime spaces between both countries. Chile argued for the validity of long-standing treaties between the parties, which had been enforced and implemented in law and in practice. Was it a classical delimitation controversy from one part, or a reinterpretation of existing agreements from another perspective? The judgment acknowledged the existing maritime delimitation, while jointly declaring that the extent of the parallel line reaches 80 nautical miles.