Skip to content
REPORT (COM(2025)0173 – C10-0074/2025 – 2025/0090(COD))

On the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction

A-10-2025-0205

Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Michal Wiezik

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull textProcedure & committee votes
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's amended version of the proposed directive on conserving marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction sets rules for marine genetic resources, environmental assessments, area-based management tools, and emergency measures. It requires Member States to assess planned activities that may cause substantial pollution or significant harmful changes, with public participation and access to justice. It establishes procedures for submitting proposals for area-based management tools and emergency measures to the BBNJ Secretariat, with the Commission providing legal assessments. It promotes coherence with international bodies and encourages third countries to support BBNJ measures.

Committee position. The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety proposes to amend the Commission proposal to align it closely with the BBNJ Agreement, clarifying scope and procedures.

Key points

  1. The directive applies to marine genetic resources, digital sequence information, environmental assessments, area-based management tools, and emergency measures in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
  2. Member States must ensure planned activities under their jurisdiction or control that may cause substantial pollution or significant harmful changes undergo assessment before authorization.
  3. Environmental impact assessment reports must be prepared by competent and independent experts who disclose conflicts of interest.
  4. Member States must provide public access to review procedures for decisions under Articles 8 to 13 and 16 to 19, with NGOs deemed to have sufficient interest.
  5. Member States must send draft proposals for area-based management tools or emergency measures to the Commission before submission to the BBNJ Secretariat.
  6. The Commission must provide a legal assessment within 30 days of the deadline for comments, and may submit on behalf of the Union if concluded appropriate.
  7. If the Commission concludes not to submit, Member States may submit on their own behalf; emergency measures may be submitted directly to the Secretariat.
  8. Member States may adopt more stringent measures for their nationals and vessels, and must promote measures under relevant bodies to support BBNJ decisions.
  9. The Commission must submit biannual reports to Parliament on implementation and global developments.

Who is affected

  • Member States: must implement assessment, public participation, and submission procedures; may adopt stricter measures.
  • Public concerned, including NGOs: gain access to review procedures and information.
  • Commission: provides legal assessments, technical assistance, and reports to Parliament.
  • Third countries: encouraged to adopt measures supporting BBNJ area-based management tools.

Figures and deadlines

  • 30 days for Member States to submit comments on draft proposals or emergency measures.
  • 30 days for the Commission to present its legal assessment after the deadline for comments.

Legal basis: Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union