Why Switzerland is suddenly interested in the high seas

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• The Federal Council has opened the consultation process on the ratification of the international High Seas Agreement.
• The UN agreement establishes, for the first time, a legal framework for the protection of biodiversity on the high seas.
• The federal government sees ecological, scientific, and economic benefits for Switzerland.

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The Federal Council has opened the consultation process on the ratification of the international High Seas Protection Agreement. This agreement aims to protect and sustainably use marine biodiversity outside national territorial waters.

The federal government cited ecological, economic, and scientific benefits as the rationale for this step on Friday. Functioning marine ecosystems are central to CO2 storage. Additionally, the treaty regulates access to marine genetic resources, which is significant for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. It will also make it easier for Swiss marine researchers to participate in international projects.

The consultation period runs until October 5, 2026, the Federal Council further announced. The proposal includes a federal resolution for ratification as well as a new federal law to implement the agreement.

Switzerland signed the agreement on February 5 of last year. Following the consultation period, the Federal Council will submit a message to Parliament for approval. Parliament will make the final decision on ratification. The resolution is subject to an optional referendum.

First Agreement on the Protection of the High Seas

The UN Agreement on the Protection of the High Seas, which entered into force in January of this year, is the first of its kind. The high seas cover about 40 percent of the Earth’s surface, making them vast in scope. The agreement establishes, for the first time, a framework under international law for the protection of the high seas. Until now, there has only been a legal framework for coastal waters.

The agreement, officially titled the “Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction” (BBNJ Agreement), supplements the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It applies to ocean regions located beyond national territorial waters (up to 12 nautical miles) and beyond the national exclusive economic zone (up to 200 nautical miles)—covering two-thirds of the world’s oceans.

“The treaty’s impact will certainly be felt in the designation of protected areas,” explained Alice Vadrot of the University of Vienna to the German news agency DPA upon the treaty’s entry into force. There, fishing will certainly be reduced or cease entirely, and “likely, depending on the case,” shipping routes will also be altered. Environmental impact assessments are also required prior to the approval of interventions and activities.