High Seas Treaty enters into force: A milestone for ocean conservation

The High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), enters into force on 17 January 2026.

The European Union and its Member States are celebrating this significant milestone in ocean conservation and sustainable use of Ocean. This landmark agreement provides a framework for the common governance of about half of our planet’s surface and 95% of the ocean’s volume, representing the largest habitat on our planet.

The agreement will make it possible to

• establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas
• regulate the exploitation of marine genetic resources
• assess the environmental impact of current and future human activities
• support developing countries through capacity-building and marine technology transfer programmes

The Agreement has so far been ratified by 81 Parties, including the EU and 16 of its Member States, and signed by 145 countries.

A key role for the EU

The EU and its Member States have led the political process and the negotiations of this agreement, whose conclusion and adoption in 2023 was a major success of multilateralism and a historic achievement in international law and ocean governance.  On 19 September 2025, two years after its adoption, the agreement reached the necessary 60 ratification threshold for entry into force 120 days after, on 17 January 2026.

As co-chair of the High Ambition Coalition on BBNJ, bringing together 46 countries, the EU remains strongly committed at the highest political level.

The EU and its Member States are currently engaged in preparatory discussions for the first Conference of the Parties (COP) which will take place within a year after the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement.

The EU has also pledged support for the Treaty’s implementation—particularly in developing countries—through the EU Global Ocean Programme. The Global Ocean Programme is an EU-funded programme of €40 million which has been launched at the third UN Ocean Conference in June. Its first phase consists of a €10-million, on-demand technical assistance that is already fully operational.

In addition, the EU is also a key contributor to the initial work of the BBNJ Secretariat hosted by DOALOS, the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea.

Background

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 new Treaty addresses these challenges, in particular in view of future increasing demands for marine resources (for food, medication, energy, for example).

This High Seas Treaty will 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.

More information: European Commission