Marine Strategy Coordination Group 14 November 2011, Brussels Marine Strategy Framework Directive – proposed reporting package for 2012 Marine Strategy Coordination Group 14 November 2011, Brussels David Connor DG Environment, Marine Environment Unit 1

Outline Separate Articles 8, 9, 10: but with links General approach Separate Articles 8, 9, 10: but with links Framework for reporting Article 8 characterisation/analysis Article 8, 9 and 10 status/targets ‘Reporting package’ Interim agreement Forward process

Characteristics reporting sheets Reports on: Component A Component B Component C Component D Component E Characteristics reporting sheets List of ecosystem components: Physical/chemical Species/functional groups Habitats Ecosystem functions Reports on: Pressure C Pressure D Pressure E Pressure A Pressure B Pressures & Impacts reporting sheets Reports on: Activity A Activity B Activity C Activity D Activity E Socio-economic reporting sheets Goods & services Impacts Initial Assessment List of pressures: Physical Hydrological Chemical Biological List of human activities: Sea-based Land-based Reporting for the Initial Assessment is structured around Tables 1 and 2 in Annex III of the MSFD, leading to reports on components of the ecosystem (e.g. a species, a habitat) or on a pressure and its impacts (e.g. physical damage, nutrient enrichment). Under discussion within WG DIKE is also the possibility to structure the economic and social analysis (Art 8.1c) according to the sectors of human activity. These three main types of report are interlinked: activities give rise to pressures, pressures to impacts on the ecosystem components and the ecosystem provides good and services upon which the activities depend, it is helpful to enable cross-reference of individual reports to related reports (e.g. which activities are causing a pressure, which components are impacted by a particular pressure). The reporting sheets facilitate this linkage through use of a common list of activities, pressures and components. Pressures 3

List of GES descriptors Criteria Reports on current status of ecosystem components from initial assessment Reports on current status of pressures & impacts from initial assessment List of GES descriptors D1, D2, …… D10, D11 GES Descriptor ... Descriptor 10 Descriptor 11 Descriptor1 Descriptor 2 Reports on GES for: Criterion 1.1 Criterion 1.2 Criterion 2.1 Criterion ...1 Criterion 10.1 Criterion 11.1 Criterion 10.2 Other Target A Target B Target C Target Y Target Z Target .. Reports on Targets and associated indicators Targets may be linked to Descriptors, Criteria or ‘Other’ Reporting on the characteristics of GES (Art 9) and the setting of targets and associated indicators (Art 10) can be seen as separate but related tasks, which in turn link to the initial assessment (Art 8). The IA should provide an assessment of the current status of a component or pressure, preferably according to the criteria used to define GES (the desired status) from the Commission Decision; targets should then be defined to bridge the gap between current and desired status and again are likely to be associated to the criteria for assessment of status. 4

Framework: pressures and impacts analysis Topic Pressure: characteristics Pressure: levels (at source and/or level in environment) Pressure: sources (activities) Impacts: ecosystem components affected, extent Topic Description Summary information Pressure: characteristics Summary text description Pressure: levels (at source and/or level in environment) Proportion of assessment area with pressure (% categories) Trend – recent, future (increasing, stable, decreasing, unknown) Pressure: sources (activities) Top 3 activities Rank contribution to pressure Impacts: ecosystem components affected, extent Ecosystem components affected: water column, seabed, functional group (select from a list) Proportion of assessment area impacted (% categories) Topic Description Pressure: characteristics Summary text description Pressure: levels (at source and/or level in environment) Pressure: sources (activities) Impacts: ecosystem components affected, extent Topic Description Summary information Supporting data & metadata Pressure: characteristics Summary text description Pressure: levels (at source and/or level in environment) Proportion of assessment area with pressure (% categories) Trend – recent, future (increasing, stable, decreasing, unknown) Pressure: Distribution & intensity – GIS data Trends – appropriate data set Impacts: Metadata: date assessed, method, source, limitations Pressure: sources (activities) Top 3 activities Rank contribution - proportion of total pressure Impacts: ecosystem components affected, extent Ecosystem components affected: water column, seabed, functional group (select from a list) Proportion of assessment area impacted (% categories)

Framework: characteristics analysis Topic Description Summary information Component characteristics Summary text description Predominant habitats: sub-types Functional groups: main species Distribution Alteration from natural conditions: yes, no, unknown; degree (% categories) Trend – recent, future (improving, stable, deteriorating, unknown) Extent (habitat) Population size (species) Condition Pressures affecting component Top 3 pressures GES criteria affected Proportion of component impacted (% categories) Topic Description Component characteristics Summary text description Distribution Extent (habitat) Population size (species) Condition Pressures affecting component Topic Component characteristics Distribution Extent (habitat) Population size (species) Condition Pressures affecting component Topic Description Summary information Supporting data & metadata Component characteristics Summary text description Predominant habitats: sub-types Functional groups: main species Distribution Alteration from natural conditions (yes, no, unknown; degree in % categories) Trend – recent, future (improving, stable, deteriorating, unknown) Distribution & extent GIS data Trends – data set Condition Appropriate data sets, with trends Metadata: date assessed, method, source, limitations Extent (habitat) Population size (species) Pressures affecting component Top 3 pressures GES criteria affected Proportion of component impacted (% categories)

Framework: status/targets Article Component assessed Area assessed What is GES? Links to Directive & Decision Baseline Current status Issues to be addressed Targets to achieve GES Physical/ chemical features, habitat, functional group, species Qualitative (normative) description Quantitative definition or trends At Descriptor, criterion and indicator levels Historic, past, present or modelled Criteria, specific indicator & thresholds used Impacts identified Pressures to be reduced Quantitative, or trends Art. 8 Art. 9 Art. 10

Cover note to Marine Directors Reporting ‘package’ Cover note to Marine Directors Elements of agreement for 2012 reporting (Art 8, 9, 10, 5/6) Example reporting sheets for Art. 8 provide a framework for further elaboration of remaining sheets Process for finalisation of remaining reporting sheets Process for identification of priority data and their access (Art. 19) Reporting ‘package’ Concept paper Agreed reporting sheets: Art. 5/6 (Regional coordination) Art. 8 (selected sheets for Initial Assessment) Art. 9 (GES) Art 10. (Environmental targets) Guidance document

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MSCG conclusions (draft) d) MSCG took note of the discussions at DIKE as reflected in Doc 17 (draft minutes) where it was agreed to present a package of documents to the Marine Directors with the view to ask MDs to take note, consider, discuss, give guidance and, where appropriate, endorse the proposed approach and the follow up process, and where appropriate, the documents. e) MSCG invites WG DIKE members to check carefully the draft minutes presented on 12/11 (doc 17) to ensure that it reflects the outcome of DIKE and use commenting deadline as described (by 19/11). f) Following presentation of revised documents by 25/11, MSCG invites DIKE members to inform Commission about any outstanding issues with a view to resolving them before MD meeting. g) Any further work should distinguish between what should be completed for 2012 reporting and what is for later.