Questionnaire on Elaboration of the MSFD Initial Assessment Christin Weiß Ulrich Claussen

Aim of this activity & execution Germany as co-lead for the WG GES, volunteered to provide an overview on the current state of implementation of Article 8 MSFD on the Initial Assessment to achieve a Coordinated pan-European approach Voluntary information exchange Basis are two short questionnaires distributed to MS with marine waters and NOR 1st questionnaire distributed in 10/2011 2nd questionnaire distributed in 03/2011 Status of the underlying analysis of replies is 23/03/2011 Presentations at EU MSFD & OSPAR meetings Aiming at a final report to the MD meeting in Budapest in May 2011

Table of Contents 1. Responsible Persons for the Initial Assessment 2. Implementation Status of the Initial Assessment 3. Main Elements of the Initial Assessment 4. Information Basis of the Initial Assessment 5. National Timetables for the Initial Assessment Elaboration 6. Main Difficulties and Gaps regarding Annex III MSFD 7. General Comments 8. Interest in the HELCOM CORESET Project 9. Interest in the Project HARMONY 10. Comparable Initiatives in the BARCELONA and BUCHAREST Conventions 11. Conclusions Summary Annex 1 List of Contact Persons Annex 2 MS replies Annex 3 Tabular Overview on the Analysis of Questionnaires Annex 4 Questionnaires

Status of the Initial Assessment Execution in OSPAR All states with marine waters and NOR replied 3 MSs have not yet started the Initial Assessment In 19 MSs and NOR the Initial Assessment is progressing (10 OSP, 7 HEL, 6 BAR, 2 BUC) 11 MSs provided a table of contents 4 MS provided a timetable for the IA elaboration

Implementation Status Implementation Status for NE Atlantic (OSPAR) Member-states Initial Assessment Implementation Status Socio-economic analysis + costs for degradation 1 Not started In Progress No Information BE X DE DK ES FR IE NL NOR X 2 PT SE UK [1] Information derived from „tour de table“ at ESA meeting from 31 March-1st April 2011 in Paris. [2] Norway will start soon.

Implementation Status Implementation Status for the Baltic Sea (HELCOM) Member-states Initial Assessment Implementation Status Socio-economic analysis + costs for degradation 1 Not started In Progress No Information DE X DK EE FIN LT LV POL SE [1] Information derived from „tour de table“ at ESA meeting from 31 March-1st April 2011 in Paris.

Implementation Status Implementation Status for Mediterranean & Black Seas Member-states Initial Assessment Implementation Status Socio-economic analysis + costs for degradation 1 Not started In Progress No Information MED Sea CY X ES FR GR IT MT SI Black Sea BG RO [1] Information derived from „tour de table“ at ESA meeting from 31 March-1st April 2011 in Paris.

Main IA Elements The IA consists of four main pillars: 1. Characteristics and ecological status (MSFD, Table 1 Annex III) 2. Main pressures and impacts (MSFD, Table 2 Annex III) 3. Socio-economic analysis (MSFD Art. 8 (c)) and some include in addition 4. Assessment of descriptors (MSFD, Annex I) In 11 MS a socio-economic analysis is in progress. Norway will start soon.

Basis of the Initial Assessments 1.) Use of existing information and established methods from inter alia WFD Habitats Directive Regional Conventions (OSPAR) Intergovernmental organisations e.g. ICES 2.) New assessment methods can be expected for A socio-economic assessment of the marine environment & the costs of degradation

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