2. Introduction
We acknowledge the contribution of the experts, RSCs and WG GES members to the work coordinated by JRC.
General framework: JRC’s coordinated work is part of the MSFD CIS work programme; Task for the follow-up to revised COM DEC and work on thresholds and integration rules.
In particular: Progress on the work for the lists of criteria elements and on the work JRC is coordinating on EU wide methodologies for GES threshold setting.
Descriptors: Biodiversity descriptors, NIS, eutrophication, contaminants

3. Progress on Descriptor 1 Biodiversity
Andreas Palialexis

4. Preparation of lists of elements for D1 to be available in web forms
Article 8 guidance
Reference lists of species and habitats ( ce%20lists%20of%20MSFD%20species%20and%20habitats)
Compiled lists for the reporting based on MS/experts feedback per region and subregion (GES_ _Lists-SpeciesHabitats_JRC)
Significant progress in determining 2 & 3 and assigning criteria elements to criteria
A seemingly easy task, turned out to be very challenging

5. Mammals, birds, reptiles
Member State
experts
Mammals, birds, reptiles
Fish, cephalopods
Habitats
Belgium
Nominated 1
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
 RSCs
HELCOM
OSPAR
UNEPMAP
BSC
Reporting Status
Reminder to MS to nominate experts and provide feedback on the reference lists. Timely received input will be considered for the reporting phase (by end of May).

6. Preparatory work for setting threshold values to determine GES at Union level according to the COM DEC 2017/848/EU.
Article 8 guidance
Number of seals reported per region
BAL 3
NEA 2
MED 1
BLK

7. Preparatory work for setting threshold values to determine GES at Union level according to the COM DEC 2017/848/EU.
Methods for setting thresholds for GES
MSFD HD
HELCOM
OSPAR
Population trends and abundance of seals
Seal Abundance and Distribution
population abundance
population
Seal Abundance and Distribution
species distributional range and pattern
range
Distribution of Baltic seals
mortality rate from by-catch
Number of Drowned Mammals and Waterbirds in Fishing Gear
habitat for the species extent and condition
habitat for the species
population
Grey Seal Pup Production
Reproductive and nutritional status
demographic characteristics

8. Contribution to the analysis of the methods to set GES thresholds for D1
Key question emerged from the follow-up work
Q: Compare methods for setting GES thresholds and examine their capacity for EU wide application; Evaluate the level of coherence in the application of operational methods and thresholds, regionally and EU wide.
Q: Set rules for adequate number of species per group; methods for integration of species to assess species groups: e.g. OOAO for seals?
Q: Integration method across indicators per species
Q: Coordinate knowledge transfer across regions, where no similar methods are currently applied
Contribution of experts to verify the methods and thresholds included in the analysis
Dedicated technical workshop in JRC, Ispra May 2018

9. Progress on Descriptor 2 non-indigenous species
Ana Cristina Cardoso

10. Report on follow-up work on GES Decision at Union level: NIS
The purpose of the work is to:
Contribute to consolidated baseline inventories of marine NIS per MS by the reference year of 2012, on which the 2018 reporting will be based.
2. Facilitate discussions for the development of recommendations and best practices for common agreed methodological standards and rules on setting reference levels.

11. Approach The analysis includes: NIS baseline of 2012 extracted from:
MSFD MS report for 2012 (Table for NIS inventory);
Paper reports where not e-reporting was available.
The analysis includes:
Evaluation of the NIS baselines of 2012
Spotting missing NIS
Highlighting NIS found after 2012
Using EASIN Catalogue & Geodatabase

12. Baseline inventories of marine NIS: Status (1)
JRC annotated the baseline inventories per MS by the year of MSFD initial assessment and compiled a draft list of NIS introduced after this date (Document: GES_ ).
The lists per MS were sent to the appointed national experts and GES Members in December 2017, with request for feedback by early February.
14 countries and HELCOM have provided feedback: BG, HR, CY, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, IT, MT, PL, SI, SP, SE; 2 countries have indicated their intention to provide feedback: PT and UK

13. Baseline inventories of marine NIS: Status (2)
Integration of feedback received is on-going.
Some questions remain on the feedback received - will seek for bilateral clarification.
Analysis will focus on issues aiming to ensure comparability of approaches:
e.g. How are species introduced through secondary dispersal considered?
Report will be drafted by the end of April.

14. Report on follow-up work on GES Decision at Union level: NIS
The purpose of the work is to:
Contribute to consolidated baseline inventories of marine NIS per MS by the reference year of 2012, on which the 2018 reporting will be based; Document: GES_
2. Facilitate discussions for the development of recommendations and best practices for common agreed methodological standards and rules on setting reference levels

15. Follow-up work on NIS
Technical workshop with NIS expert group – Ispra 31 May 2018.
Report in preparation based on current work will set the scene for the workshop.

16. Progress on Descriptor 5 Eutrophication
Rita Araujo

17. Preparation of lists of elements for Eutrophication to be available in web forms for reporting
D5C3: Reference list of algae species causing algal blooms
Collect information from RSCs reports
OSPAR: third integrated report on the eutrophication status of the OSPAR maritime area (2017)
HELCOM: State of the Baltic Sea report: the integrated assessment of eutrophication (2017)
UNEP-MAP: United Nations Environmental Programme Mediterranean Action Plan (2018)
Black Sea Commission: Black Sea integrated monitoring and assessment programme )
Send information for validation and additions to MS experts
Provide the validated list to EEA for inclusion to be included as drop-down menus in the web forms for MSFD D5
reporting by 15 May 2018

18. Assessment of criteria, methodological standards and threshold values at regional and EU-level
Article 8 guidance

19. Assessment of criteria, methodological standards and threshold values at regional and EU-level
Article 8 guidance
Coastal waters and alignment with WFD

20. Assessment of criteria, methodological standards and threshold values at regional and EU-level
Article 8 guidance
Projects feeding on MSFD implementation
EMBLAS
MEDCIS
EUCIS

21. Assessment of criteria, methodological standards and threshold values at regional and EU-level
HELCOM
UNEP-MAP
OSPAR
BLACK SEA Commission

22. Integration of criteria and criteria elements
Integration methods to assess overall eutrophication status beyond coastal waters to be agreed, where possible, at the Union level
Currently, different integration approaches adopted at regional level, and no agreement about a common methodology at the Union level.

23. Integration of criteria and criteria elements
Common approach to integration criteria and criteria elements
Test outcomes of available integration methods with common datasets
OSPAR: Common procedure
HELCOM: HEAT
UNEP-MAP: TRIX
Black Sea: BEAST
WFD: One out all out
Others: Averaging approach, scoring or rating, multimetric approaches, etc
AVAILABLE INTEGRATION METHODS

24. Integration of criteria and criteria elements
ROADMAP
Request dataset to RSC
Perform analysis with consultation with RSC and nominated experts
Technical workshop with expert group on eutrophication
Comparative analysis of outcomes of different integration methods to harmonize the
assessment of eutrophication status

25. Progress on Descriptor 8 Contaminants
Victoria Tornero

26. Operational lists of contaminants
Preparation of operational lists of contaminants (single substances or groups of substances) for use in the 2018 MSFD reporting web forms
Publication of report “Potential marine contaminants”
Reference list for improved harmonization:
ca substances out of the «universe of chemicals»
unambiguous identification of criteria elements
Collection of substances for 2018 MSFD D8 reporting through the MSFD Expert Network on Contaminants
Reference list circulated to experts to identify the substances to be reported by MS

27. Operational lists of contaminants
1st round of consultation with experts (November 2017)
Contributions received from 14 MS
Preliminary draft list of contaminants: ~400 substances (178 individual substances and 15 groups with a variable number of chemicals) FI EE IE UK NL PL
High variability in the substances considered, also between MS within the same marine region DE RO FR HR BG IT ES EL

28. Operational lists of contaminants
2nd round of consultation with experts (January-March 2018)
Contributions received from 15 MS
List considerably reduced: 300 substances (150 individual substances and 15 groups with a variable number of chemicals) FI SE EE IE UK NL PL
Still high variability in the type and number of substances considered (e.g. MS reporting from 7 to 108 substances or groups of substances) DE FR HR BG IT ES EL CY

29. Operational lists of contaminants
2nd round of consultation with experts (January-March 2018)
Contributions received from 15 MS
Member States are invited to contribute to the validation of the list of contaminants, if not yet done so, by 9 April 2018! FI SE EE IE UK NL PL DE FR HR BG IT ES EL CY

30. Operational lists of contaminants
The final list will be prepared including CAS numbers as unequivocal identifiers of the chemical substances
Substance names will be provided according to:
WISE (Water Information System for Europe) vocabulary
ICES vocabulary (if not in WISE)
ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) (if not in WISE or ICES)
Other, with relevant reference (if not in any of the previous)
The final list will be delivered to EEA to be included as drop-down menus in the web forms for MSFD D8 reporting by 17 April 2018

31. Grouping/combining of substances
According to COM DEC 2017/848/EU, for consistency in reporting, the grouping of substances shall be agreed at Union level
The compiled list of contaminants will be used as reference for discussions on procedures for consistent grouping/combining of substances
There are differences between MS regarding the substances considered within the same substance group (e.g. PBDEs, PCBs and PAHs)
An online collaboration platform (wiki) has been created to facilitate the discussions within the MSFD Expert Network on Contaminants
Invitation to experts to join the wiki by end of March
Discussions to start in April 2018 (when the final list is validated)
Outcomes at the next WG GES meeting, foreseen by October 2018

32. Further work
― Develop recommendations for harmonized approaches to identify emerging and relevant contaminants in order to reach equal level of environmental protection in all European marine waters
― Compile information on matrices and threshold values/reference levels for GES assessments through the MSFD Expert Network on Contaminants (in progress)
Analyze this information to identify where efforts should be focused to improve cooperation and consistency in monitoring and methodological standards
Progress and results at the next WG GES meeting (October 2018)

33. Overview of activities and anticipated contribution

34. Contribution of experts and WG GES in the activities coordinated by JRC
Descriptor
Task
Contributors
Deadline
Contact 1
Further experts nominations
Further feedback to the lists
WG GES;
MS experts
End of March
End of April
Contribution to the JRC’s analysis of the methods to set GES thresholds for D1
Express interest for the technical workshop (Ispra, May 2018)
WG GES,
MS experts & RSCs 2
Further feedback
to the NIS baseline inventories
20th April
Technical workshop with NIS expert group – (Ispra, 31 May 2018)
Express interest for the technical workshop

35. Contribution of experts and WG GES in the activities coordinated by JRC
Descriptor
Task
Contributors
Deadline
Contact 5
JRC to request dataset from RSC
RSCs
By mid-April
MS are invited to nominate experts.
Contribution to the JRC’s coordinated work and activities related to the monitoring and assessment of eutrophication.
WG GES and RSCs
20th April;
15th May 8
Further experts nominations
Further contribution to the validation of the contaminants list
WG GES;
MS experts
End of March;
9th April
Invitation to experts to join the wiki;
Discussions on procedures for grouping of substances and contribution to further work
Start in April

36. Thank you