26/03/2026 (Agence Europe) – In New York, Belgium is preparing its bid to host the secretariat of the Agreement relating to 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 (BBNJ Agreement), which entered into force on 17 January 2026 (see EUROPE 13788/19). On 1 April, the Belgian Minister for Justice and the North Sea, Annelies Verlinden, will officially present Belgium’s bid. Brussels is offering premises in the Residence Palace, in the European quarter, where many EU institutions and embassies are located. In addition, the draft directive to implement the United Nations Ocean Treaty is still under discussion in the EU Council. (LC)