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

Party

Australia modified

• Ratification: 23-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 23-10-2026
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes

• added reservation
  23-09-2026
  DECLARING that, pursuant to Articles 10 and 70 of the Agreement, Australia makes an exception that the application of the provisions of the Agreement does not extend to the utilization of marine genetic resources and digital sequence information on marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction collected or generated before the entry into force of the Agreement for Australia; DECLARING that, pursuant to Article 71 of the Agreement, Australia attaches great importance to the general obligation to interpret and apply the Agreement in a manner that promotes coherence and coordination with, and does not undermine, relevant instruments, frameworks and global, regional, subregional and sectoral bodies. In this context, Australia notes that the Antarctic Treaty System provides a comprehensive framework for the international management of the Antarctic that addresses the legal, political and environmental considerations unique to that region, including in relation to the Agreement’s objective to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity;

Canada modified

• Ratification: 23-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 23-10-2026
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes

• added reservation
  23-09-2026
  In accordance with Article 70 and Article 10(1) 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, Canada makes an exception to exclude retroactive application, as provided for in the second sentence of Article 10(1), such that the provisions of this Agreement, for Canada, apply only to activities with respect to marine genetic resources and digital sequence information on marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction collected or generated after the entry into force of this Agreement for Canada.

Brunei modified

• Ratification: 23-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 23-10-2026

Germany modified

• Ratification: 22-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-10-2026

Lebanon modified

• Ratification: 24-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 24-10-2026

Papua New Guinea modified

• Ratification: 22-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-10-2026

Zimbabwe modified

• Ratification: 22-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-10-2026

Party

Samoa modified

• Ratification: 14-09-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 14-10-2026

Party

Serbia modified

• Ratification: 29-07-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 28-08-2026

Party

United Kingdom modified

• Ratification: 10-07-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 09-08-2026

• added reservation
  10-07-2026
  (1) as declared at the time when the United Kingdom signed the Agreement, the United Kingdom recalls Article 71 thereof and welcomes the general obligation to interpret and apply the Agreement in a manner that promotes coherence and coordination with and that does not undermine other relevant instruments, frameworks and global, regional, subregional and sectoral bodies. In this context, the United Kingdom notes that the Antarctic Treaty system comprehensively addresses the legal, political and environmental considerations unique to that region and provides a comprehensive framework for the international management of the Antarctic; (2) as declared at the time when the United Kingdom signed the Agreement, the United Kingdom recalls Article 71 thereof and notes references in paragraph 8 of the Preamble to “the existing rights of Indigenous Peoples, including as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or of, as appropriate, local communities.” and in Article 7(k) to “the rights of Indigenous Peoples or of, as appropriate, local communities”. The United Kingdom's long-standing and well-established position, set out in its annual explanation of position at the UN General Assembly on the rights of indigenous people, is that human rights are held exclusively by individuals. With the exception of the right of self-determination (Common Article 1 of the two International Human Rights Covenants), the United Kingdom does not recognise collective human rights in international law. The United Kingdom considers this important in ensuring that individuals within groups are not left vulnerable or unprotected by allowing the rights of the groups to supersede the human rights of the individual. The United Kingdom therefore understands any internationally agreed reference to the rights of indigenous peoples or local communities, including those in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in the Agreement, to refer to those rights bestowed by governments at the national level. The United Kingdom further understands the term “local communities” to be used consistently with the way it is used in the Convention on Biological Diversity; and (3) pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 1, and Article 70 of the Agreement, the United Kingdom makes an exception to the application of the provisions of the Agreement to the utilisation of marine genetic resources and digital sequence information on marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction collected or generated before the entry into force of the Agreement for the United Kingdom.

Party

Tonga modified

• Ratification: 07-07-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 06-08-2026

Party

Comoros modified

• Ratification: 11-06-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 11-07-2026

Party

Moldova modified

• Ratification: 28-04-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 28-05-2026

Party

Austria modified

• Ratification: 30-03-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 29-04-2026
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes

• added reservation
  30-03-2026
  In accordance with Article 70 and Article 10, paragraph 1, 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, the Republic of Austria declares the exception to exclude retroactive application as set out in the second sentence of Article 10, paragraph 1, of the Agreement. Therefore, the provisions of the Agreement shall apply for the Republic of Austria only to activities with respect to marine genetic resources and digital sequence information on marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction collected and generated after the entry into force of the Agreement for the Republic of Austria.

Dominican Republic modified

• Ratification: 24-03-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 23-04-2026

Party

Armenia modified

• Ratification: 25-02-2026 (R)
• Entry into force: 27-03-2026

Party

Trinidad and Tobago modified

• Ratification: 27-01-2026 (A)
• Entry into force: 26-02-2026
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• added reservation
  27-01-2026
  … the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (“the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago”) upon accession to 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 (“Agreement”), shall apply and interpret the provisions of the Agreement in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which it is a State Party. Therefore, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago understands that the Agreement does not prejudice the sovereign rights, jurisdiction, and powers of coastal States under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Settlement of Disputes - Article 60, Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Agreement With regard to Article 60, paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Agreement, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago reaffirms the declarations it made pursuant to Article 287 on October 17, 2007, and pursuant to Article 298 on February 13, 2009, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning Part XV of the said Convention, regarding the settlement of disputes shall be applicable to the Agreement. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago reiterates that: I. Declaration under Article 287 In accordance with Article 287 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago declares that, in the absence of or failing any other peaceful means, it chooses the following means, in order of priority, for the settlement of disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea: a. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea established in accordance with Annex VI (ITLOS); b. The International Court of Justice. (ICJ). II. Declaration under Article 298 In accordance with article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago declares under paragraph 1 (a) of that article, that it does not accept any of the procedures outlined in Part XV, section 2 of the Convention with respect to the categories of disputes concerning the interpretation or application of articles 15, 74, and 83 relating to sea boundary delimitations, as well as those involving historic bays or titles.