Brussels, 17 June 2024
High Seas Treaty: EU Council gives green light for its conclusion
Today the Council formally adopted a decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ agreement), also known as the High Seas Treaty.
The agreement aims at the protection of the world’s ocean and its stewardship on behalf of present and future generations in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Those areas account for around two-thirds of the ocean’s surface and 95% of its volume.
In particular, the agreement focuses on preserving, restoring and maintaining biological diversity and ecosystems. To achieve that, it puts in place measures for the effective implementation of the agreement and for further international coordination:
- marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits
- the establishment of marine protected areas
- obligations, rules and procedures on environmental impact assessments
- capacity-building and transfer of marine technology
The EU and its member states have been particularly committed to an ambitious and effective procedure to establish marine protected areas. Without marine protected areas on the high seas and the seabed, the objective to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 will never be reached.
This so-called 30×30 goal was agreed under the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity. With the BBNJ agreement in place, this aspiration can become a reality and will be a true game-changer for the health of our ocean.
Next steps
The BBNJ agreement will enter into force 120 days after 60 countries or organisations have deposited their instrument of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession, with already 7 countries having done so.
Background
On 19 March 2018, the Council authorised the Commission to participate, on behalf of the Union, in the negotiations on the BBNJ agreement. Following the successful completion of the negotiations in March 2023 and its adoption by the UN General Assembly in June 2023, the agreement was signed by the EU in September 2023, subject to its conclusion at a later date.
On 12 October 2023, the Commission submitted to the Council a proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the agreement. Following a political agreement reached in the Council on 24 April 2024, the European Parliament gave its consent on the draft decision.
- Council decision on the conclusion of the BBNJ Agreement
- BBNJ agreement
- Biodiversity: how the EU protects nature (background information)
Reaction by the EU Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
The EU Commission welcomes the adoption today by the EU Council of a decision to conclude the United Nations agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), also known as the ‘High Seas Treaty’. With today’s 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 played a key role in reaching the BBNJ agreement and 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. The treaty addresses a glaring gap in ocean protection, as only about 1% of the high seas is currently protected. The areas covered by e treaty are essential for both ecological resilience and resource provision for people.
The EU has pledged to support the treaty’s implementation in particular by developing countries by mobilising funds from the EU Global Ocean Programme and has invited other major donors to do the same.
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.
Areas beyond national jurisdiction comprise the high seas and the seabed beyond national jurisdiction. They contain marine resources and biodiversity and provide invaluable ecological, economic, social, cultural, scientific and food security benefits to humanity. However, they are under mounting pressure from pollution, overexploitation, climate change and biodiversity loss.
The High Seas Treaty will allow for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas in the High Seas at global level, safeguarding the ocean from human pressures in a major contribution to reducing climate change, to protecting biodiversity and achieving the objective to protect at least 30% of the Planet by 2030. The Treaty thus addresses a blaring gap in ocean protection, as only about 1% of the high seas is currently protected.
The Treaty also sets a framework for a fair and equitable sharing of monetary and non-monetary benefits from marine genetic resources, and for capacity building and transfer of marine technologies to developing countries, as well as a voluntary fund to support developing countries to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 on “Life Below Water”.
This High Seas Treaty should also be instrumental for increasing coherence, coordination and synergies among the ocean-related activities carried out by many organisations and stakeholders, thus contributing to a more holistic management of activities in the high seas.
The EU has pledged to support the Treaty’s implementation in particular by developing countries from the EU Global Ocean Programme and has invited other major donors to do the same.
More information
Protecting the ocean, time for action – European Commission (europa.eu)
A win for the ocean: High Seas Treaty signed at United Nations – European Commission (europa.eu)
Source – EU Commission