On 24 April 2024, the General Assembly adopted resolution 78/272, in which it decided to establish a Preparatory Commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement under 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), and to prepare for the convening of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement, at the conclusion of which the Commission will cease to exist.

The General Assembly, in resolution 78/272, also decided that the Commission shall be open to all States Members of the United Nations, members of the specialized agencies and parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Other eligible organizations and entities are entitled to participate in the work and meetings of the Commission in the capacity of observer in accordance with resolution 78/272. More information on the participation in the Commission is available here.

The General Assembly further decided, in resolution 78/272, that the rules and the established practice applicable to the procedure of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, as reflected in paragraphs 17, 18 and 19 of resolution 72/249, shall apply mutatis mutandis to the procedure of the Commission unless otherwise agreed by the Commission. After 20 September 2025 or the date of entry into force of the Agreement, whichever comes earlier, the taking of decisions by the Commission shall only be by States and regional economic integration organizations that have signed the Agreement or have ratified, approved, accepted or acceded to the Agreement.

In accordance with resolution 78/272, the Commission will take decisions on any recommendations to the Conference of Parties to the Agreement at the final meeting of the Commission, and will prepare a final report on all matters within its mandate for presentation to the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement at its first meeting.

Following the organizational meeting of the Commission, the General Assembly, in its decision 78/560 of 13 August 2024 (provisionally available as A/78/L.102), requested the Secretary-General to convene the first and second sessions of the Commission from 14 to 25 April and from 18 to 29 August 2025, respectively, and to convene at least one session of 10 working days in 2026, on dates to be determined in consultation with the Co-Chairs.