The European Union has approved the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships, commonly known as the Beijing Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships.
The decision was adopted on 18 June 2026, and the Convention will enter into force for the EU on 15 December 2026. Prepared by UNCITRAL, the Convention establishes a harmonised international regime for the recognition of judicial sales of ships while preserving national regulations.
The Convention aims to enhance legal certainty for purchasers of ships operating in international waters and to ensure a higher market value for sold vessels, thereby improving the distribution of proceeds among creditors and further promoting international trade.
More information about the Convention is available on the UNCITRAL website and the Official Journal of the EU.
