Spain and France are First Two EU Countries to Ratify High Seas Treaty

Spain and France have become the first EU nations to ratify the UN High Seas Treaty, an abbreviated way to say 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).

Adopted in June, 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, the treaty gives countries until September 2025 to ratify it and will enter into force 120 days after the 60th instrument of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession. With only seven months to go, fewer than 20 countries have ratified according to the highseasalliance tracker.

The treaty helps create a mechanism for conservation and sustainable use of international waters, including protecting biodiversity. One of the key issues in international waters is the potential for deep sea mining, which many scientists agree could endanger the biodiversity and overall health of the ocean. Another EU country, Portugal, has just voted not to consider deep sea mining at least until 2050 when more is known about the environmental consequences.

The High Seas Treaty addresses four key issues:

• Marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits;
• Measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas;
• Environmental impact assessments; and
• Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology.

It also establishes a funding mechanism, sets up institutional arrangements, including a Conference of the Parties, a Clearing-House Mechanism and a secretariat.