The Working Party on International Environment Issues (Biodiversity) of the Council of the European Union will hold an informal videoconference on 7 July 2026 to coordinate EU positions ahead of three major biodiversity meetings later this year. The meeting, scheduled for 10:00, will discuss the Irish Presidency's roadmap, updated notifications under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and reports from various bureaux.
The agenda includes preparations for the 28th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA28), to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 27 July to 1 August 2026, and the 7th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI7), also in Nairobi, from 4 to 12 August 2026. The Presidency will provide information and lead discussions on organisational matters and orientation lines for these meetings.
A key focus will be the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the CBD, along with the 12th meeting of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the 6th meeting of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, all taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, from 19 to 30 October 2026. The working party is expected to discuss draft Council Conclusions for these meetings, setting the EU's negotiating stance.
The videoconference will also feature reports from the chairs of the COP, SBSTTA, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the Bern Convention, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Any other business may be raised at the end of the meeting.
This informal meeting serves to align EU member states' positions ahead of the formal negotiations, ensuring a coordinated approach on biodiversity issues ranging from scientific assessments to implementation and international commitments.