Norway has officially become the first Member State of the Mercator International Centre for the Ocean, following the unanimous ratification of the Convention by the Norwegian Parliament. This development represents a significant milestone in the ongoing establishment of the intergovernmental organization dedicated to the development of Digital Ocean systems and services.
This ratification builds on the initial step taken at the UN Ocean Conference, held in Nice in June 2025, where the Convention was formally signed. On that occasion, the Convention was endorsed by Marianne Sivertsen Næss, Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy, together with Agnès Pannier-Runacher, former French Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, the Sea and Fisheries.
The Convention establishing the Mercator International Centre for the Ocean is open for signature and ratification by all European Union Member States, as well as Iceland, Monaco, Norway and the United Kingdom. In accordance with the Convention’s provisions, it will enter into force once at least one quarter of the eligible States have ratified it, provided they collectively represent at least half of the economic weighting defined therein.
Commenting on the milestone, Romane Zufic, Intergovernmental Transition Process Manager, said: “We are delighted to see Norway officially become a Member State. This milestone reflects the collective dedication behind this initiative and brings us closer to establishing this intergovernmental organization dedicated to developing Digital Ocean Systems in support of sustainable and informed Ocean decisions.”
More resources:
- Learn more about the latest developments in the IGO transition process