The jurisdictional system on continental waters after the STC 31/2010, of June 28, on the new Catalan Statute

Abstract

The Spanish Constitutional Court Judgment nº 31/2010 on the Catalonian Statute might have many other important consequences and ulterior effects concerning the distribution of powers among the different levels of Government than those usually stated. Its impact may lie in the utter strengthening of the current distribution framework, including obviously the question of continental waters, which happened to be crucial part of the statutory revision debate. Starting from the legal principles laid down in this judgment, this paper reviews the different fields involved, with particular attention to their consistency with regard to EU Law and the compulsory reception of the principle rational sustainable management of continental waters.