Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf

E15455

The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf is a UN body of experts that reviews coastal states’ scientific data to recommend the outer limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United Nations body
expert body
intergovernmental organization organ
subsidiary body
abbreviation CLCS
cameIntoBeing 1997
composition experts in the field of geodesy
experts in the field of geology
experts in the field of geophysics
experts in the field of hydrography
experts in the field of oceanography
createdInYear 1997
doesNotAffect disputes concerning maritime boundaries
doesNotDetermine maritime boundary delimitation between States
establishedBy United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
hasSubstructure subcommissions to examine individual State submissions
headquartersCountry United States of America
headquartersLocation New York City
legalBasis Annex II to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
locatedIn New York City
United States of America
mandate issue recommendations on the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles
review coastal States’ scientific and technical data on continental shelf limits beyond 200 nautical miles
meetsAt United Nations Headquarters
meetsFrequency usually twice a year in sessions
memberSelectionMethod elected by States Parties to UNCLOS
membersServeInCapacity personal capacity
memberTermLength 5 years
numberOfMembers 21
parentBody States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
parentOrganization United Nations
primaryFunction to consider data and other material submitted by coastal States concerning the outer limits of the continental shelf
to make recommendations to coastal States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental shelf
recommendationsEffect final and binding on the coastal State when adopted
relatedTo continental shelf delimitation
law of the sea
maritime zones
reportsTo States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
scopeOfWork continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines
secretariatProvidedBy United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea
supportedBy Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea
typeOfBody scientific advisory body
technical body
website https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/clcs_home.htm
workingLanguage English


Please wait…