Libya’s House of Representatives ratified the 2019 memorandum with Türkiye on maritime jurisdictions on 20 October. The European Union said the following day that its position remains unchanged: in the EU’s view, the agreement infringes the sovereign rights of third states and does not comply with the law of the sea. The direct economic impact on Hungary is limited, but as an EU member it is part of the common foreign-policy position on stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The High Representative’s statement records the ratification as a fact and the legal assessment as the EU’s position. A separate Greek foreign ministry statement also rejects the memorandum; Athens is a directly affected party.
Ratification has not ended the legal dispute, and the available official statements do not show a newly agreed settlement. The next material development may be a practical step by Libya, Türkiye, Greece or the EU institutions. Related coverage examines the EU Arctic strategy and financing for Ukrainian border infrastructure.
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Budapest Global Review: EU disputes legal effect of Libya–Türkiye maritime memorandum. Budapest Global Review, 20 October 2026. https://globalreview.hu/en/cikk/libia-torokorszag-tengeri-megallapodas-eu-reakcio-2026