1. WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment
Introduction
Uli Claussen (WG GES co-lead)

2. Five reasons for the workshop
Need to understand the extent to which GES has been achieved
Need to make conceptual assessment frameworks work in practice
To validate the technical assessment aspects of the draft revised COMDec
To agree on comparable assessment outputs for presentation by MS and RSCs
To understand how national and regional assessment aspects link
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

3. Mandate (MSCG 17) Technical guidance on Art. 8 assessments
Assessment steps (Art. 8.1a, 8.1b):
Phase 1
Integrated presentation of assess-ment results (Part I of the guidance)
By July 2016
Use in relation to 2018 reports
Phase 2
Technical guidance on the individual assessments (Part II of the guidance)
Following Phase 1
Use in future Art. 8 assessments
1. Distribution and intensity of human activities
2. Distribution and intensity of pressures resulting from human activities
3. Impacts of pressures on the ecosystem elements
4. Status of ecosystem elements
5. Integrated presentation of assessment results from 1. to 4. to judge the extent to which GES has been achieved
6. Change in status and progress towards GES and environmental targets
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

4. Assessment framework 1
Integrated scheme for organising and presenting the assessment relating to pressure/impact and to the state of ecosystem components (see ‚cross-cutting-issues‘ paper)
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

5. Aims of the workshop
Validate the descriptor-specific technical assessment aspects of the draft rev COMDec
Are the assessment process and the degree of integration for the descriptor agreeable?
Are the integration methods appropriate, taking into account consistency with EU-legislation and any regional assessment frameworks?
What integration rules, if any, apply in cases of missing information on indicators or criteria?
Are the assessment scales appropriate? Do any additional issues need addressing?
What is the recommended option for high level assessment outputs (presentation)?
What is the recommended approach for linking national indicators to regional assessments?
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

6. Scope of the workshop Workshop:
Higher level integration across indicators and across criteria
Indicator assessment based on EU legislation or RSC indicators
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

7. Assessment process Assign indicators to the criteria
Determine the criteria for assessment (primary and secondary)
Determine spatial scale for the element assessment
Determine elements for assessment (see rev COMDec):
Elements lists under EU legislation, RSCs and any complementary national element
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

8. Integration Rev COMDec: Each criterion is within threshold value
Each element is within threshold value
Decisions for assessment:
Degree of integration to communicate extent of GES achieved
Integration rules in relation to the individual integration nodes
Integration node 3?1
Integration node 2? 1
Integration node 1? 1
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

9. Geographic scales Nested approach Generic spatial scales
Specific assess-ment areas
Example HELCOM
Example OSPAR
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

10. Presentation Priority for the workshop:
one main output option on extent of GES achieved per descriptor at the relevant integration level
Green / red for ‚good‘ and ‚not good‘ status
Blue not relevant for GES
Distance to good status: e.g. x of y assessment elements are within / outside threshold values
Example: assessment output for D8
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

11. Presentation RSC assessment products:
Pyramid of outputs serving different regional and national purposes
Balancing communication and management needs
Example for possible HELCOM assessment outputs
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

12. National and regional assessment results
Member States may assess complementary national indicators because
Regional indicators are not ready for assessment but national assessment are available
There is no regional indicator on the element because there is no agreement
An element is only of national relevance.
Decisions for assessment:
What are the options for combining national indicators with regional assessments in terms of a judgement on the extent to which good environmental status is achieved?
Can a generalised approach be agreed or does this need a case-by-case decision for each indicator / criterion?
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

13. Organisation of the workshop
Presentations per descriptor with worked examples
Note contribution of ICES to guidance on D1 (species) and D3 (commercial fish stocks)
Discussion of the technical aspects in break-out groups for the descriptors 5, 8, 1 (habitats) & 1 (species)
Break-out group D10 replaced by break-out group on cross-cutting issue (TG Litter to review D10 section)
Presentation of break-out conclusions
Tease out any general principles for application across descriptors
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

14. Timetable Details of follow-up to Workshop see next presentation
End of May: revised draft guidance based on outcome of Workshop send to WG GES, MSCG and TG Litter
21 June 2016: WG GES meeting
End of June: finalised draft guidance based on comments from WG GES, MSCG and TG Litter
Endorsement by WG GES on 11/12 October 2016
Endorsement by MSCG on 10 November 2016
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment

15. Thank you and good discussions!
Brussels, 20/21 April WG GES Workshop Art. 8 MSFD Assessment