CONTINENTAL SHELF (LIBYA/MALTA) Judgment of 3 June 1985

In Libya-Malta case, decided by the International Court of Justice in 1986, was significant in that it established a methodology for the ICJ to approach maritime boundary cases. In the 1983 Special Agreement submitted by the parties, the court was asked to decide on the “principles and rules of international law” applicable to the delimitation of the area – i.e. not to decide on the position of the boundary itself.