DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 24 April 2025
Commission takes further step to protect biodiversity in the High Seas
Today, the Commission is presenting a proposal to integrate the landmark international Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction' (BBNJ) Agreement, which aims to protect the ocean, tackle environmental degradation, fight climate change, and curb biodiversity loss, into EU law. This will also help the Member States with the implementation in their national systems.
Signed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on behalf of the European Union in September 2023, this Agreement – also known as the Treaty of the High Seas – will help reach the goals and targets set under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This includes protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 and increasing benefit sharing from genetic resources and digital sequence information.
While EU law is already largely aligned with significant parts of the BBNJ, the proposed directive will help Member States implement all parts of the Agreement. The directive focuses on the following provisions of the BBNJ Agreement, while keeping the regulatory burden to a minimum:
Today's proposed directive will promote good governance and ocean sustainability, in line with the upcoming European Ocean Pact.
It will also simplify and harmonise administrative processes and ensure the level playing field in the EU.
Next steps
The proposal to integrate the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction' Agreement into EU law will now be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council.
The BBNJ Agreement will enter into force 120 days after 60 countries have ratified and submitted their ratification documents. The EU is committed to ratifying the BBNJ Agreement before the UN Ocean Conference, in Nice, in June 2025.
The directive proposed today will need to be in place before the BBNJ agreement takes effect.
Background
Areas beyond national jurisdiction make up nearly two-thirds of the world's ocean, including the high seas and the seabed. These areas are rich in marine resources and biodiversity, providing essential ecological, economic, social, health, cultural, scientific and food-security benefits. However, they are under mounting pressure from pollution, overexploitation, climate change and decreasing biodiversity, and therefore in need of urgent protection.
In response to these challenges 89 countries signed the ‘Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction' treaty in 2023.
The BBNJ Agreement will further implement existing principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to achieve a more holistic and sustainable management of activities carried out in the high seas. Key principles include cooperation, protection of the marine environment and conducting prior impact assessments. The new agreement updates UNCLOS to address current challenges and supports the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, in particular Sustainable Development Goal 14 (‘Life Below Water').
For More Information
Link to Directive
Commission website on the high ambition coalition and the BBNJ negotiations ‘Protecting the ocean, time for action'
Quote(s)
I welcome this proposal, as it confirms that ocean protection is a priority for the EU and it reaffirms our commitment to the efficient implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. This historic agreement is ambitious, fair and equitable and a key milestone for the protection of our ocean.
Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans
With this proposal, we are ensuring all EU countries work together to implement the High Seas Treaty, demonstrating our real commitment to protecting biodiversity. Following the successful biodiversity talks at COP16, we are taking concrete steps to follow through on our international commitments. Our ocean needs to be protected, and we are showing today that this can be done in a simplified, consistent and straightforward way.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy
Updated rules for safer roads, less air pollution and digital vehicle documents
For better road safety and air quality across the EU, the Commission is proposing a comprehensive overhaul of the EU's road safety and vehicle registration rules.
The new rules will take into account the growing presence of electric vehicles and adapt to emerging technologies. They will introduce enhanced inspections, including periodic technical inspections for electric vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems, annual inspections for older cars and vans, and advanced emission testing methods to detect high-emitting vehicles to reduce fine particles pollution. Additionally, the Commission proposes to introduce digital vehicle registration and periodic testing certificates, simplify cross-border data sharing, and protect citizens against fraudulent activities such as odometer tampering. Also, periodic technical inspections will be made easier for those temporarily residing in another EU country.
The proposed changes reflect the EU's commitment to safe and sustainable mobility while ensuring the free movement of people and goods. Between 2026 and 2050, it is estimated that these proposals will save around 7,000 lives and prevent around 65,000 serious injuries.
For this purpose, the Commission is proposing to revise three directives: on periodic technical inspection (PTI) of vehicles, vehicle registration documents, and the roadside inspection (RSI) of commercial vehicles.
Challenges of unsafe and ageing vehicles
Today's proposal targets unsafe vehicles, which contribute to crashes, fatalities and injuries. The current rules, last updated in 2014, must keep up with technological advances such as driver-assistance systems and the growing presence of electric vehicles on the roads. Additionally, highly polluting and noisy vehicles, although relatively few in number, are responsible for a disproportionate share of harmful emissions. The current rules do not sufficiently tackle air pollution and noise.
The ageing vehicle fleet also increases the risk of odometer fraud (i.e. rolling back of odometers to make vehicles appear to have lower mileage than they do). Combatting this fraud requires updated rules. Outdated procedures and not using modern technology hinder enforcement and cross-border cooperation.
Key elements of the new rules
Today's proposes measures include the following:
The proposals will now be considered by the European Parliament and the Council under the ordinary legislative procedure.
Once agreed, the Commission will prepare the required delegated and implementing acts for certain aspects of the implementation of the rules.
In its EU road safety policy framework 2021-2030, the Commission recommitted to its ambitious goal of having close to zero deaths and zero serious injuries on EU roads by 2050 (‘Vision Zero') and to reducing deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. Today's proposals will help to achieve these goals, and were announced in the Commission's 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.
The Commission published the most recent road safety figures in March 2025, showing fatalities are reducing gradually across the EU, but progress remains too slow.
The Commission is implementing a Safe System Approach to driving in the EU. This Safe System requires safe driving, safer vehicles, safer infrastructure, lower speeds and better post-crash care.
Proposal for a revision of the Directive on periodic technical inspections and roadside inspections of commercial vehicles
Proposal for a revision of the directive on vehicle registration documents.
Questions and answers on the revision of the roadworthiness package
The EU is firmly committed to cutting road fatalities and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. Today’s initiative marks a major step forward in making our roads safer, our air cleaner and making citizen’s life easier. By modernising our roadworthiness rules we are harnessing the latest technology, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring they keep pace with the evolving realities of mobility.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism