EU renews call to uphold arbitral ruling on SCS

The European Union (EU) has reiterated its call for upholding international law and the 2016 Arbitral Award in the South China Sea.

- PIA LEE-BRAGO

The bloc issued the call during the second Sub-Committee on Maritime Cooperation (SCM) dialogue in Manila on Oct. 29.

In a joint statement, the EU and the Philippines "underscored the importance of respecting the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal States, and their maritime entitlements in accordance with international law, particularly the "UNCLOS" or the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They also called for support for "dispute settlement mechanisms" as well as for "full and faithful compliance with the final and binding 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award rendered by the arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with UNCLOS."

The statement did not mention China, which is aggressively asserting its unlawful claims in the West Philippine Sea.