The Council
Composition of the Council
In accordance with paragraph 15, section 3 of the annex to the Agreement, the Council shall consist of 36 members elected by the Assembly in the following order:
- Four members from among those States Parties which, during the last five years for which statistics are available, have either consumed more than 2 per cent in value terms of total world consumption or have had net imports of more than 2 per cent in value terms of total world imports of the commodities produced from the categories of minerals to be derived from the Area, provided that the four members shall include one State from the Eastern European region having the largest economy in that region in terms of gross domestic product and the State, on the date of entry into force of the Convention, having the largest economy in terms of gross domestic product, if such States wish to be represented in this group.
- Four members from among the eight States Parties which have made the largest investments in preparation for and the conduct of activities in the Area, either directly or through their nationals.
- Four members from among States Parties which, on the basis of production in areas under their jurisdiction, are major net exporters of the categories of minerals to be derived from the Area, including at least two developing States whose exports of such minerals have a substantial bearing upon their economies.
- Six members from among developing States Parties representing special interests. The special interests to be represented shall include those of States with large populations, States which are land-locked or geographically disadvantaged, island States, States which are major importers of the categories of minerals to be derived from the Area, States which are potential producers of such minerals and least developed States.
- Eighteen members are elected according to the principle of ensuring an equitable geographical distribution of seats in the Council as a whole, provided each geographical region shall have at least one member elected under this subparagraph. For this purpose, the geographical regions shall be Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Others.
Composition of the Council 2023 – 20281&2
GROUP A (four members)
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | China | China | China | China | China |
| Italy3 | Italy | Italy3 | Italy | ||
| Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Russian Federation | Russian Federation | Russian Federation | Russian Federation |
GROUP B (four members)
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands4 | France | France4 | France | ||
| India | India | India | India | India | India |
| Germany | Germany | Netherlands5 | Germany | ||
| R.O. Korea | R.O. Korea | R.O. Korea | R.O. Korea |
GROUP C (four members)
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australia | Australia | Australia | ||
| Chile | Chile | Chile | Chile | ||
| Canada | Canada | Canada | Canada | Canada | Canada |
| South Africa | South Africa | South Africa | South Africa | South Africa | South Africa |
GROUP D (six members)
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh | Bangladesh6 | Bangladesh | Philippines | Bangladesh |
| Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil |
| Fiji | Fiji | Nauru7 | Nauru | ||
| Jamaica | Jamaica | Jamaica | Jamaica | ||
| Lesotho | Lesotho | Lesotho | Lesotho | ||
| Uganda | Uganda | Uganda | Uganda | Uganda | Uganda |
GROUP E (18 members)
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina |
| Nauru7 | Indonesia | Indonesia9 | Indonesia | ||
| Cameroon | Cameroon | Cameroon | Cameroon | ||
| Costa Rica | Costa Rica | Costa Rica | Costa Rica | Costa Rica | Costa Rica |
| Czechia | Czechia | ||||
| Ghana | Ghana | Ghana | Ghana | ||
| Mauritius | Mauritius | Mauritius | Mauritius | Mauritius | Mauritius |
| Mexico | Mexico | Mexico | Mexico | ||
| Morocco | Morocco | Morocco | Morocco | Morocco | Morocco |
| Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone | ||
| Belgium8 | Norway8 | Belgium8 | Norway | Netherlands | Norway |
| Nigeria | Nigeria | Nigeria | Nigeria | ||
| Poland | Poland | Poland | Poland | Poland | Poland |
| Algeria9 | Algeria | United Republic of Tanzania | United Republic of Tanzania | United Republic of Tanzania | United Republic of Tanzania |
| Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | ||
| Spain | Spain | Portugal10 | Spain | Spain | Spain |
| Tonga | Nauru | Tonga | Tonga | ||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Norway | United Kingdom | Ireland11 | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
- The agreed allocation of seats on the Council is ten seats to the Group of African States, nine seats to the Group of Asia-Pacific States, eight seats to the Group of Western European and Other States, seven seats to the Group of Latin American and the Caribbean States and three seats to the Group of Eastern European States. Since the total number of seats allocated according to that formula is 37, it is understood that, in accordance with the understanding reached in 1996 (ISBA/A/L.8), each regional group other than the Group of Eastern European States will relinquish a seat in rotation. The regional group which relinquishes a seat will have the right to designate a member of that group to participate in the deliberations of the Council without the right to vote during the period the regional group relinquishes the seat.
- See ISBA/27/A/14 and ISBA/29/A/14.
- Italy would relinquish its seat in group A in favor of the United States of America if the United States became a member of the Authority; this does not prejudice the position of any country with respect to any intervening election to the Council (see ISBA/27/A/14).
- France is re-elected for four years (2023-2026) on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat in Group B to the Netherlands for 2023 (see ISBA/27/A/14).
- Germany is re-elected for four years (2023-2026) on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat in Group B to the Netherlands for 2025 (see ISBA/27/A/14).
- Bangladesh is re-elected for a period of four years (2025-2028), on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat in Group D to the Philippines for the year 2027.
- Fiji is re-elected for four years (2023-2026) on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat in Group D to Nauru for 2025 and 2026 (see ISBA/27/A/14).
- The Kingdom of the Netherlands is elected for a four-year term (2025-2028) as a member of Group E, on the understanding that it will relinquish to Belgium for the year 2025 and to Norway for the years 2026 and 2028 (see ISBA/29/A/14).
- Indonesia is re-elected in Group E for four years (2023–2026), on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat in Group E to Nauru for the year 2023 (see ISBA/27/A/14).
- Spain is elected for a four-year term (2025-2028) as a member of Group E, on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat to Portugal for the year 2025 (see ISBA/29/A/14).
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is elected for a four-year term (2025-2028) as a member of Group E, on the understanding that it will relinquish its seat to Ireland for the year 2025 (see ISBA/29/A/14).