EU ready for ratification of High Seas Treaty – The European Commission has welcomed the Council’s adoption of the decision to conclude the United Nations agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), known as the ‘High Seas Treaty’. With this decision, the EU is ready to deposit the instrument of ratification before the UN Conference on Oceans scheduled for June 2025.
Importance of the Treaty
The EU played a crucial role in reaching this agreement and urges all countries to ratify the treaty promptly. The treaty will enter into force once 60 ratifications have been obtained. Currently, seven countries have ratified it and 89 have signed it. This agreement will establish shared governance over approximately half of the earth’s surface and 95 per cent of the volume of the oceans, allowing for the creation of marine protected areas in the high seas. This will help protect the ocean from human pressures, address climate change, protect biodiversity and achieve the goal of safeguarding at least 30 per cent of the planet by 2030.
The areas covered by the treaty are crucial for ecological resilience and the provision of essential resources for humanity. Currently, only 1% of the high seas are protected. The EU is committed to supporting the implementation of the treaty, especially in developing countries, by mobilising funds through the EU Global Ocean Programme.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the treaty on behalf of the EU in September 2023.
After the consent of the European Parliament in April 2024, the Council took the decision to ratify the treaty. This instrument will enable the creation of global marine protected areas, contributing to climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection and the goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030.
The treaty establishes a framework for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from marine genetic resources and for the transfer of marine technologies to developing countries. It will also promote coherence and synergy between different ocean-related activities, contributing to a more holistic management of marine resources.
The EU will continue to support the implementation of the Treaty and invites other donors to do the same, thus ensuring that conservation measures are effective and that the Treaty can address future challenges to marine biodiversity.
EU ready for ratification of High Seas Treaty
