BBNJ PrepCom 3 Analysis: Progress on High Seas Treaty With Critical Implementation Gaps

The High Seas Alliance released an in-depth analysis on April 16, 2026 of the third and final BBNJ Preparatory Commission (PrepCom 3) session, which concluded April 2, 2026 at UN headquarters. PrepCom 3 made progress on establishing subsidiary body structures, designing the future treaty Secretariat, and developing a Clearing-House Mechanism prototype and financial frameworks. However, negotiators failed to agree on an early nomination process for Subsidiary Body members — a gap that risks delaying full treaty implementation by up to one year. All recommendations were forwarded to the first Conference of Parties (CoP1), now scheduled for January 11–22, 2027. The BBNJ Agreement entered into force on January 17, 2026, with 81 parties having ratified.