Committees

UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?

Inquiry

The Committee’s inquiry will explore the extent to which the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which came into force in 1994, remains fit for purpose in 2021. It will examine the enforcement of UNCLOS, its dispute resolution mechanisms, and the extent to which is has proved able to adapt to new and emerging challenges, including climate change, autonomous maritime systems, and issues of human rights and human security at sea. It will explore the UK’s current policy towards UNCLOS and approach in practice, and consider which international partners and alliances will be important for the UK to address these challenges and uphold its interests. 

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was Friday 12 November 2021.

Reports, special reports and government responses

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2nd Report - UNCLOS: the law of the sea in the 21st century
Inquiry UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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HL Paper 159
Report
Response to this report
Letter from Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park to Baroness Anelay of St Johns extending the government response to the report UNCLOS: the law of the sea in the 21st century dated 17 October 2022
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Government Response
Response to this report
Letter from Baroness Anelay of St Johns to Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on the government response to the report UNCLOS: the law of the sea in the 21st century dated 19 July 2022
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Correspondence
Response to this report
Goverment response to the UNCLOS: The law of the sea in the 21st century? report
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Government Response

Oral evidence transcripts

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8 December 2021
Inquiry UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Witnesses Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Minister for the Pacific and the International Environment at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), and Andrew Murdoch (Legal Director at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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Oral Evidence
24 November 2021
Inquiry UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Witnesses Professor Richard Barnes (Professor of International Law at The University of Lincoln)
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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Oral Evidence
24 November 2021
Inquiry UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Witnesses Professor Douglas Guilfoyle (Associate Professor of Law at University of New South Wales Canberra), and Professor Anna Petrig LLM (Chair of International Law and Public Law at University of Basel)
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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UNC0047 - UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Witnesses Professor Natalie Klein (Professor and Australian Research Council Future Fellow at Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW Sydney)
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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Written Evidence
UNC0001 - UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Witnesses Dr Douglas Guilfoyle (Associate Professor of International and Security Law at University of New South Wales Canberra), and Professor Natalie Klein (Professor of International Law at University of New South Wales Sydney)
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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Written Evidence
UNC0002 - UNCLOS: fit for purpose in the 21st century?
Witnesses Dr Ioannis Chapsos (Assistant Professor (Research) at Coventry University), Dr James Malcolm (Assistant Professor (Research) at Coventry University), and Dr Robert McCabe (Assistant Professor (Research) at Coventry University)
Committees International Relations and Defence Committee
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Written Evidence

Other publications

Government Responses
The Government has undertaken to respond to most committee reports within two months, although there are exceptions to this rule.
1 published
Correspondence
Committees exchange letters with government departments and others, often to request information or follow up on recommendations.
2 published

Contact us

  • Email: hlintlrelations@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 7412 (committee staff) | 020 7219 8659 (Press Officer)
  • Address: International Relations and Defence Committee, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW