EU leads global efforts to protect high seas biodiversity with landmark BBNJ Treaty ratification

The European Union’s ratification of this binding agreement, facilitated by the  the United Nations, demonstrates its strong commitment to responsible and sustainable ocean governance and to multilateral cooperation. This significant step comes ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), which will be held in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025. The EU’s ratification was joined by six of its Member States, including Cyprus, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, and Slovenia. France and Spain had already ratified the Treaty in early 2025. Image Copyright UN/Win Khine From left to right: Ambassadors of Hungary (H. E. Ms. Zsuzsanna Horváth); Portugal (H. E. Mr. Rui Vinhas); Cyprus (H. E. Ms. Maria Michail); Finland (H. E. Ms. Elina Kalkku); EU (H. E. Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis); Latvia (H. E. Ms. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes); DPR of Slovenia (H. E. Mrs. Ondina Blokar Drobic) with David Nanopoulos, Chief of the UN Treaty Section.  With this collective ratification, the total number of parties to have ratified the agreement now stands at 29 marking the largest joint ratification by a group of countries to date. It demonstrates the EU’s and its Member States’ strong commitment to the agreement’s rapid entry into force, highlighting Europe’s continued leadership on ocean governance. The EU is now calling on all parties who have not yet ratified the agreement, to do so without delay, with the aim of reaching the 60 ratifications needed for its entry into force in time for the UN...