Oceana welcomes EU ratification of High Seas Treaty as a key step to reach the 30×30 goal
Press Release Date: May 29, 2025
Location: Brussels
Contact:
Natividad Sánchez | email: nsanchez@oceana.org | tel.: +34 687 598 529
The announcement takes place a few days ahead of the release of the EU Ocean Pact and the beginning of the UN Ocean Conference
Oceana applauds the ratification of the High Seas Treaty by the EU and six Member States as a confirmation of the bloc’s commitment to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030. Protecting vulnerable wildlife and high seas ecosystems is essential to secure a healthy ocean and the human activities that depend on it. Ahead of the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), which will take place in June, the international marine conservation organisation calls on countries to speed up the ratification of the Treaty so that it enters into force.
Vera Coelho, Deputy Vice President at Oceana in Europe, said: “We welcome the EU’s ratification of the High Seas Treaty and urge EU Member States to support this much needed step by ratifying the agreement individually. We also call on EU countries to accelerate the designation of marine protected areas in their national waters to meet the 30% protection target by 2030. Europe and the world need well-enforced protected areas that effectively safeguard marine life from destructive activities.”
Cyprus, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal and Slovenia deposited their instruments of ratification as well, adding to those of France and Spain in February this year. The announcement takes place just a few days ahead of the adoption of the EU Ocean Pact, expected on 4 June, and the kick-off of UNOC, which is set to start on 9 June in Nice, France. The decision follows the proposal for a directive to transpose the High Seas Treaty into EU law, presented by the European Commission in April.
The EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 commits the bloc to protect and effectively manage at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. This commitment is in line with the “30 x 30” target set in the UN’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a goal that can only be achieved by also protecting areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Notes to the editor: The High Seas Treaty
Areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) lie more than 200 nautical miles from shore. Commonly referred to as the high seas, these international waters account for 95% of the volume of all habitat occupied by living organisms on the planet.
Ocean regions are managed by several organisations, but there is insufficient coordination to address global issues such as overfishing, plastic pollution, and maritime noise. There is no international organisation solely focused on protecting this biodiversity, nor is there a legal mechanism to establish marine protected areas on the high seas. Currently, less than 1% of the high seas is protected.
UN Member States began negotiating an agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) in 2004. The agreement—also known as the “High Seas Treaty”—was signed by 113 countries and adopted in June 2023.
Oceana is a member of the High Seas Alliance, which maintains a ratification tracker. The treaty will enter into force when 60 countries ratify it. After yesterday’s move, 28 have done it.
Learn more: The High Seas Treaty
