Is the Channel Tunnel in international waters?

Is the Channel Tunnel in international waters? - Man in White Crew Neck T-shirt Standing in Front of Aquarium

Is the Channel Tunnel (the railway tunnel linking Great Britain and France) dug under the seabed considered international waters, or is it always under UK or French territorial waters?

EDIT: as some people noticed this question is probably not very travel-related. If modersators want to close it, please do it. The reason for the question is US Tax law related, and probably I'm better off asking in MoneyExchange.SE, I guess.



Best Answer

The inside of the tunnel isn't in anybody's waters, and the two nations have established an agreement on such matters, the Protocol concerning frontier controls and policing, cooperation in criminal justice, public safety and mutual assistance relating to the Channel fixed link. It provides for each state to exercise jurisdiction in "control zones" on each other's territory (e.g. border control areas). The frontier itself is set at the mid-point of the tunnel by the Treaty of Canterbury (the 1986 one, the 1416 was about an alliance against France).

Within the tunnel itself, Article 38 of the Protocol says that each state has jurisdiction on its territory, including the parts of the tunnels on their side of the border, but provides for either state to have jurisdiction in a number of cases, such as where nobody is sure where an offense happened, and gives priority to whichever state catches someone first.

The frontier is marked inside the service tunnel.

As for the waters above the tunnel, this map indicates the narrow area of the Strait of Dover lies entirely within either UK or French territorial waters.




Pictures about "Is the Channel Tunnel in international waters?"

Is the Channel Tunnel in international waters? - Passengers on platform next to train
Is the Channel Tunnel in international waters? - Passengers next to train on platform in daytime
Is the Channel Tunnel in international waters? - Monochrome Photo of a Tunnel



Is the Channel tunnel in the water?

The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world: its section under the sea is 38km long. It is actually composed of three tunnels, each 50km long, bored at an average 40m below the sea bed. They link Folkestone (Kent) to Coquelles (Pas-de-Calais).

Is the Channel tunnel undersea?

The Channel Tunnel (often called the 'Chunnel' for short) is an undersea tunnel linking southern England and northern France. It is operated by the company Getlink, who also run a railway shuttle (Le Shuttle) between Folkestone and Calais, carrying passengers in cars, vans and other vehicles.

What body of water does the Channel tunnel go under?

Channel Tunnel, also called Eurotunnel, rail tunnel between England and France that runs beneath the English Channel.

How far does the Channel tunnel go under sea?

At its lowest point, it is 75 metres (250 ft) deep below the sea bed and 115 metres (380 ft) below sea level. At 37.9 kilometres (23.5 mi), it has the longest underwater section of any tunnel in the world, and is the third longest railway tunnel in the world.



How the world's longest underwater tunnel was built - Alex Gendler




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Rachel Claire, Dayvison de Oliveira Silva, Dayvison de Oliveira Silva, Joseph Fuller