WG GES Drafting Group 27-28 June 2013 Berlin Setting the scene WG GES Drafting Group 27-28 June 2013 Berlin

Objectives of the DG mandate Further development of the common understanding on GES and environmental targets Identification of future priorities and focus of WG GES for the Work Programme beyond 2013 regarding GES and environmental targets Analysis on whether and how best to make use of the mandate provided by MSFD for the MSFD Committee (revision of COM Dec 2010/477/EU)

Deliverables of the DG mandate A proposal for the future work programme and priorities of WG GES for 2014 and beyond (preferably until 2018) An analysis on the best way and focus to exercise the mandates provided for by MSFD including the possible revision of the COM Dec An outline and some first steps in further developing the GES and environmental targets common understanding document including a timeline and process for its completion (with an indicative list of issues) Based on an overview of further actions to be envisaged to improve coordinated GES and target definitions, a proposal on which issues best to address at EU level, which at regional level and which at national level.

State of play: Action levels? EU RSCs MS Assessments (Art. 8 MSFD) Common Understanding (11.4: comparability and and coherence) Common methods Joint assessments Regional reports/roof reports Complementary national reports Common Understanding 9.3: Criteria and standards Common indicators Common thresholds Joint documentation Complementary national indicators and thresholds Defining GES (Art. 9 MSFD) Common Understanding (11.4: comparability and and coherence) Complementary large-scale and transboundary ssues National targets Targets (Art. 10 MSFD) Common Understanding 11.4: specification and standardised methods for monitoring and assess- ment Joint monitoring Programmes Joint documentation Complementary national monitoring programmes Monitoring (Art. 11 MSFD) Common Understanding 13.5, 15: EU and international measures Large-scale and transboundary issues 13.5, 15: EU and inter- national measures Joint documentation National measures Measures (Art. 13 MSFD)

State of play: Action levels? Status quo! Future? D1 Biodiversity Regional Regional D2 Non-indigenous species Regional Regional D3 Commercial (shell)fish stocks CFP/ICES CFP/ICES + WG GES D4 Foodwebs Regional Regional D5 Eutrophication EU (WFD), regional EU (WFD) D6 Integrity of the sea floor EU (WFD), regional Regional D7 Hydromorphology National WG GES D8 Contaminants (environment) EU (WFD), regional EU (WFD) D9 Contaminants (seafood) EU (food safety) EU (food safety) D10 Marine litter EU (TSG ML) EU (TSG ML) + regional D11 Underwater noise EU (TSG ML) EU (TSG ML) + regional

State of play: Common understanding Section 4: dual approach to Art. 9 and Art. 10 MSFD Section 8 and Annex VI: Towards an assessment philosophy Approaches to assessing whether GES has been reached (status-based descriptors vs pressure-based descriptors)? Options for aggregation between Descriptors to assess overall status (grouping vs. integration of assessment results)? Options for aggregating within Descriptors at the level of criteria and indicators? Need for more assessment classes than GES/non-GES, options to include trends? Intersessional-work: Geographic scales and aggregation Guidance to determine geographic assessment units? Aggregation rules with respect to geographic scales? Taking up assessment results from other EU Directives (e.g. WFD, Habitat Directive) Determining GES in light of local impacts? Spatial reference/aggregation when reporting on whether GES is achieved or not

Revising the Common understanding DG Mandate - Recommendations (priorities) for coherence of Art. 9 and 10 MSFD implementation and aligning Art. 9, 10 and COM Dec 2010/477/EU with Art. 8 and Annex III MSFD, including revision of terminology (best means: revision of CU, COM Dec, existing legislation?) determining GES at the level of (sub)regions clarifying level of detail/complexity of work on GES common understanding (taking account of risk-based approach) a more integrated assessment approach coherent, consistent and/or complementary assessment of GES in relation to assessments under other EU legislation

Challenge: Timing further work