What is an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)?

An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area of the sea under the territorial ownership of a single country. This area is guaranteed by UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). While an EU member, access to the UK’s 200-mile EEZ was shared with other member states as a common resource. The maintenance of access to the UK’s EEZ was an EU demand in trade negotiations, while the UK government would prefer a system of annual negotiations on access to each other’s EEZs.