On the Friendly Island, you can pass from Saint Martin to Sint Maarten almost without noticing. There is no barrier or routine checkpoint, just a few signs and monuments beside the road. Yet since the 1648 Treaty of Concordia, no complete shared boundary had ever been fixed with precise coordinates.
That centuries-old uncertainty is close to ending. On July 16, 2026, the French National Assembly approved the border agreement signed with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2023. The French law was enacted on July 22.
It all came down to Oyster Pond
The main dispute concerned Oyster Pond. Sint Maarten historically claimed the entire bay, while France wanted the border to run between the two shores. The agreement finally uses a line based on equidistance, with a few negotiated adjustments.
This is about much more than a line on a map. Captain Oliver’s marina was devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, and uncertainty over its location complicated permits, inspections and rebuilding. The French Senate report describes Oyster Pond as an important tourism hub whose recovery needs a clear legal framework.
What the agreement will change
- Freedom of movement is preserved between both sides of the island. The agreement creates no new border checkpoint.
- Boating remains open in Oyster Pond and Simpson Bay, with access, anchoring and artisanal fishing protected for French and Dutch vessels.
- Oyster Pond gains a clearer framework for the marina, the environment and future construction.
Residents will therefore see no major change in daily life. The shift is mainly legal: authorities will finally know exactly which rules apply in areas that were previously disputed.
One final green light is still needed
The boundary is not officially in force yet. As of July 26, 2026, the Dutch bill is still before the Tweede Kamer. The agreement will take effect after both countries complete their procedures and exchange notifications.
After 378 years, this almost invisible border is therefore close to becoming one of the island’s most precisely defined lines.