1. Monitoring and assessment “needs” of the European Marine Strategy
Introduction
The European Union is highly dependent on maritime transport. Around 90% of its external trade and 40% of its internal trade goes by sea. For most inter continental trade, shipping is of course the only feasible option. World trade is growing and as a result so is EU shipping. Trade has consistently grown at a faster rate than the world economy for the last six decades. In view of the scale of current and predicted activity, it is inevitable that concerns arise about its impact on the environment.
The development of short sea shipping is seen as a central element of the strategy for a European transport system set out in the Commission’s 2001 transport White Paper which seeks to encourage use of more environmentally benign modes of transport. The view is often stated that in order to reduce pollution and ease congestion on the roads, shipping should be encouraged. This may well be true, with a number of caveats. Firstly that using the sea should not lead to further growth in demand to distribute the goods by road, secondly that shipping actually should result in lower pollutant emissions. On the positive side it should be noted that where shipping substitutes for road transport, its low energy use per tonne-km helps to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.
As with all modes of transport the external effects from shipping vary. The Commission has a long standing policy of seeking to ensure that all modes of transport pay their external costs, and there is of course every reason why this should also be implemented in the maritime sector.
So we can see that shipping does offer potential for satisfying a proportion of transport demand in a way that offers some environmental benefits. However, in doing so, there are environmental concerns that need to be addressed. In addition if capacity is to be expanded it will give rise to additional environmental pressures.
Gert Verreet – DG Environment, Unit D.2 marine team
EEA-led EMMA workshop 3, 17 April 2007

2. Content
Approach of the EU Marine Strategy: knowledge-based, ecosystem-based
Marine Strategy Directive – general mechanisms
Marine Strategy Directive / Water Framework Directive
Marine Strategy Directive: initial assessment
Marine Strategy Directive: « good environmental status »
Recall EMMA Road-map

3. « Knowledge-based Approach »
I plan to talk about some of the aspects of Community policy relevant to shipping, for example a review of current known environmental pressures, ongoing policy developments (such as the marine strategy and air pollutant emissions) before ending up with some remarks with reference to this Session’s theme.

4. « Ecosystem Approach »
How do we, at the European Commission, look upon the marine environmental protection challenge as a whole?
The Commission adopted in October 2005 a Thematic Strategy for the Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment, which will form the environmental pillar of the broader, future EU Maritime Policy under preparation. For the first time, the European Union is putting in place a policy framework – including legislation – which specifically addresses the vital issue of protecting Europe’s seas and oceans.
The communication of the Commission sets out the rationale.
The package also includes a proposed Directive, the hard core of the strategy. As is now common for all main policy proposals, an extended impact assessment was also published as part of the package.
On the Commission’s environment website you will find the full documentation and more.

5. « Ecosystem Approach »
The marine environment is still deteriorating, and fast. To reverse the current degradation, the sum of all existing measures and efforts is clearly insufficient, whether at international, EU or national level. Despite a lot of shipping measures and more, many measures developed at EU level with some positive effects on the marine environment were not designed to protect the marine environment as such. Protecting the marine environment must no longer be a mere side-effect of other policies. An integrated strategy is required at EU level, taking into account all pressures and impacts on the marine environment.
This is precisely what the EU Marine Strategy will provide. The objective of the Strategy is to achieve “good environmental status” of the EU’s marine environment by No specific management measure will be taken at EU level. The Commission proposal identifies marine regions for which ‘marine strategies’ including detailed programmes of measures will need to be drawn up by Member States in close cooperation with one another and also with any third country sharing the same region.

6. A challenge of the ecosystem approach
System thinking !
cross-linking of signals (chemical, physical, biological)
Improved understanding
The proposal provides a framework within which a sustainable development of marine areas can take place. The marine strategy directive itself will not contain the management measures required to improve environmental quality of the seas: it provides the mechanisms by which such measures can be prepared on a sound regional basis and within European dimensions.
It is therefore quite appropriate to underline that existing regional seas conventions will be essential platforms and actors for ensuring regional cooperation and coordination. Equally essential will be interaction with stakeholders at the various governance levels.

7. Marine Strategy Directive: Implementation milestones
Marine Strategies to be progressively developed and implemented based on the following steps:
Description and assessment of current environmental status including the environmental impact of human activities – 4 years after entry into force
Determination of good environmental status – 4 years after entry into force
Establishment of environmental targets – 5 years after entry into force
Monitoring programme – 6 years after entry into force
Programme of measures towards good environmental status – by 2016
Entry into operation of programmes of measures – by 2018
Good environmental status – by 2021
Strategies to be devised building upon existing programmes and activities developed in the framework of international agreements, e.g. regional seas conventions + iterative, adaptive management, i.e. regular reviews (every 6 years)
Following such an ecosystem-based approach, the implementation schedule of the marine strategy directive as proposed by the Commission is then the following:
[elements from slide]
As already explained, « adaptive management » is included in the approach, most clearly by an article on the periodic review of each of these elements, to be undertaken as necessary.
The Commission proposed that this six-yearly review cycle would be synchronised to the similar cycle of the River Basin Management Plans under the Water Framework Directive.

8. Over the longer term, the elements of the previous slide then become part of a cyclical management process that continues to ensure sustainability.
Demonstration of achievement of good environmental status completes each cycle, with consequential updating of strategy elements where necessary.
Maybe there should be a European Water Conference in March 2013 to take stock on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Directive, eight years before 2021, similar to what we’re doing here now for the Water Framework Directive.
It might be a good time as, in my estimate, we should be somewhere between implementation of Article 8 and Article 9, making the transition from the starting-up phase in the middle of the circle to the regular management cycle.

9. WATER COLUMN under EU MS jurisdiction

10. WFD
‘Surface water’ means inland waters, except groundwater; transitional waters and coastal waters, except in respect of chemical status for which it shall also include territorial waters.” (Art. 2 (1)).
→ however, ‘territorial waters’ are not fully attributed to river basin districts in the rest of the WFD. Status of territorial waters outside coastal waters could be clearer in legislation.
‘Good chemical status’ ≈ < EQS
MSD could provide framework for that clarification, but…

11. → CONSIDERABLE OVERLAP
MSD – WFD relation
Council:
'Marine waters' means waters, the sea-bed and sub-soil on the seaward side of the baseline […] Marine waters on the seaward side of the baseline to which Directive 2000/60/EC applies are only included insofar as relevant elements for the protection of the marine environment which are outside the scope of Directive 2000/60/EC are concerned
Parliament:
‘European marine waters’ shall mean:
- all European waters on the seaward side of the baseline […], including the bed of those waters and its subsoil; and
- all tidal waters - either in or adjacent to the Member States - from which the distance of the territorial waters is measured, and any land or seabed covered continuously or intermittently by those waters;
→ NO OVERLAP
→ CONSIDERABLE OVERLAP

12. Applicability of environmental legislation

13. Over the longer term, the elements of the previous slide then become part of a cyclical management process that continues to ensure sustainability.
Demonstration of achievement of good environmental status completes each cycle, with consequential updating of strategy elements where necessary.
Maybe there should be a European Water Conference in March 2013 to take stock on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Directive, eight years before 2021, similar to what we’re doing here now for the Water Framework Directive.
It might be a good time as, in my estimate, we should be somewhere between implementation of Article 8 and Article 9, making the transition from the starting-up phase in the middle of the circle to the regular management cycle.

14. From MSD Annex II (Council)
Table 1 – Characteristics
Physical and chemical features
Topography and bathymetry of the seabed;
Annual and seasonal temperature regime and ice cover, current velocity, upwelling, wave exposure, mixing characteristics, turbidity, residence time;
Spatial and temporal distribution of salinity;
Spatial and temporal distribution of nutrients (DIN, TN, DIP, TP, TOC) and oxygen
pH, pCO2 profiles or corresponding to measure marine acidification.
Other features
A description of the situation with regard to chemicals, including chemicals giving rise to concern, sediment contamination, hot spots, health issues, contamination of biota (especially biota meant for human consumption );

15. From MSD Annex II (Council)
Table 2 – Pressures and Impacts
Contamination by hazardous substances
Introduction of synthetic compounds (e.g. Water Framework Directive priority substances relevant for the marine environment, biologically active substances, pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals e.g. by losses from diffuse sources, accidental pollution by ships, atmospheric deposition);
Introduction of non-synthetic compounds (e.g. heavy metals, hydrocarbons e.g. by accidental pollution by ships, atmospheric deposition, through riverine inputs);
Introduction of radio nuclides.

16. Over the longer term, the elements of the previous slide then become part of a cyclical management process that continues to ensure sustainability.
Demonstration of achievement of good environmental status completes each cycle, with consequential updating of strategy elements where necessary.
Maybe there should be a European Water Conference in March 2013 to take stock on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Directive, eight years before 2021, similar to what we’re doing here now for the Water Framework Directive.
It might be a good time as, in my estimate, we should be somewhere between implementation of Article 8 and Article 9, making the transition from the starting-up phase in the middle of the circle to the regular management cycle.

17. « Good environmental status » (GES) descriptors (1/3)
(f) concentrations of ecotoxic substances of anthropic origin (including synthetic substances and chemicals which disrupt hormonal functioning) are near zero and ensuring that they cannot directly or indirectly harm the environment or human health;
Concentrations of contaminants are at levels not giving rise to pollution effects.
(g) concentrations of naturally occurring ecotoxic substances are near to the ecosystem's natural levels;
Contaminants in fish and other seafood for human consumption do not exceed levels established by Community legislation or other relevant standards.

18. « Good environmental status » (GES) descriptors (2/3)
(h) the impact of organic pollutants and fertilisers from riverine or land-based sources, from aquaculture or from effluents from sewers and other outflows is below the levels which could affect the environment, human health or the legitimate use of the sea and the coasts;
Human-induced eutrophication is minimised, especially adverse effects thereof.
Concentrations of contaminants are at levels not giving rise to pollution effects.
(i) eutrophication, caused by, for example, nutrient emissions such as phosphorus and nitrogen, has been minimised to a level where it no longer causes adverse effects, such as losses in biodiversity, ecosystem degradation, harmful algae blooms and oxygen deficiency in the bottom waters;

19. « Good environmental status » (GES) descriptors (3/3)
(l) the regulated operational discharges from platforms and pipelines and the use of drilling muds present no significant risk to the marine environment and accidental releases of substances from offshore oil and gas installations have been minimised;
(m) all operational releases and releases from shipping are regulated by and comply with international law, the regional seas conventions or Community legislation, and the risk of accidents has been reduced to a minimum;
(n) the regulated release of oil from platforms and pipelines and the use of harmful drilling muds have been stopped and accidental releases of these substances have been minimised;
(o) harmful operational releases and releases from shipping have been eliminated and the risk of accidents which may result in harmful releases has been reduced to a minimum;

20. First elements of EMMA roadmap
Roadmap objective
Purpose
A.1 Inventory per region and country of existing monitoring of elements in marine strategy directive.
A.2 Pan-European level inventory of indicators, (…), based on inventories per region.
To improve at national level understanding of starting situation, to see the extent to which data and information are already available in existing context of marine environmental monitoring and assessment work and which gaps exist on country basis.
To see across countries and regions how the situation is in level of existing data and information and to determine more precisely where improvements can be expected through action at international (regional, Europe, …) level.
To learn the degree of commonality in indicators across regions and see how things are done elsewhere, determining scope for harmonisation or understanding reasons for regional differences.
A.3.1 Determining the contribution of operational oceanography to environmental indicators
Given strong commitments to operational environmental data and information services, to capitalise in on these developments at operational level so that newly developing data and information streams feed in rapidly, and are tuned, to end-users such as the environmental monitoring and assessment community.

21. «Indicator» here considered as a ‘unit of assessment’ that can be used in multiple higher-level assessment products, such as:
- Thematic assessment reports
- MSD « initial assessment »
- Convention assessment reports
- EEA assessment reports