The European Council – an institution of the 27-member European Union which defines the general political direction and priorities of the EU – has adopted a decision to conclude the United Nations agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), also known as the ‘High Seas Treaty’. With this decision, the EU is now ready to formally deposit the ratification instrument, which the EU and its Member States are committed to doing before the next UN Ocean conference in June 2025.

The EU strongly encourages all countries to promptly ratify the treaty. It will enter into force once it receives 60 ratifications. Currently, seven countries have ratified the treaty and 89 have signed it.

The treaty will provide for shared governance over approximately half of the Earth’s surface and 95% of the ocean’s volume. It will allow for the establishment of marine protected areas on the high seas, safeguarding the ocean from human pressures in a major contribution to addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and achieving the objective to protect at least 30% of the planet by 2030.

Background

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen signed the “High Seas Treaty” on behalf of the EU in September 2023. In October 2023, the Commission presented to the Council a proposal to conclude this Treaty. In April 2024, the European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Treaty of the High Seas with an overwhelming majority. With the decision of the Council, the EU is now ready to ratify the Treaty of the High Seas.

You can read the full EU press release here. 

Read more about the High Seas Treaty here.