In the EEZ, the supposed freedom of states to conduct military activities encounters the rights and duties of coastal states regarding conservation of marine resources and environmental preservation. This article focuses on the relationship between these two specific but not always compatible interests and asks: how should they be combined? Could international environmental law rules be interpreted as a limitation to the conduct of military activities in the EEZ? What are the concrete obligations of states to fulfil their environmental duties, and how far are they compatible with the conduct of other activities? The ‘due diligence’ obligation to protect the marine environment is interpreted as going further than the ‘due regard’ standard enshrined in Articles 56 and 58 of the LOSC. Accordingly, this article assumes that it is a positive obligation, implying specific consequences, such as the conduct of environmental impact assessments when the activity risks causing damage.

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The present chapter aims at analysing the relationship between the European Union and the future International legally binding instrument (ILBI) related to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction-the high seas and the Area (deep seabed). The chapter will begin with a brief introduction detailing the manner in which the European Union has interacted with the international law of the sea. A particular focus will be placed on the difficulty that has arisen in distinguishing between the exclusive and shared competences of the EU in regard to the conservation of biological resources and the protection of the environment, at both a substantial and institutional level. Thereafter, the chapter will be two-pronged, elaborating upon the formal participation of the EU as regards the future instrument and the specificities of its substantive participation. Il also addresses the potential consequences for the Union of the adoption of such an agreement, in terms of its impact on EU maritime policy, on the exercise of its competences and on its participation in international institutions.

Les déchets de matières plastiques s'accumulent et envahissent les océans, si bien que d'après certaines prévisions, ces derniers pourraient abriter, d'ici une trentaine d'années, plus de déchets plastiques que de poissons. Dans ce contexte, les instruments internationaux traditionnellement mobilisés pour lutter contre la pollution marine engendrée par ce phénomène s'avèrent insuffisants, tant dans leur mise en oeuvre que dans leur contenu. Pour appréhender la complexité et la globalité de la pollution marine par les déchets de matières plastiques, une approche prenant en compte l'ensemble des étapes du cycle de vie du plastique, ainsi que les mouvements transfrontières à la fois fortuits et intentionnels qu'ils subissent, est aujourd'hui nécessaire. Bien que la communauté internationale intègre progressivement cette nécessité au travers des divers régimes et instruments internationaux existants, tout en envisageant la possibilité et l'opportunité d'adopter un nouveau traité en la matière, la lutte contre la pollution plastique des océans demeure un véritable défi pour le droit international.

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