1. Update on work of EMMA “European marine monitoring and assessment”
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
With thanks to Eva Royo Gelabert – EEA
29 November 2006

2. European Marine Monitoring and Assessment (EMMA)
One of the four working groups established to elaborate the Strategy, only one currently still active
Jointly operated by DG ENV and the EEA (co-chairs)
Most recent (6th) plenary meeting 3-4 April.

3. EMMA last meeting and roadmap
Main aim April 2006 meeting: Developing EMMA roadmap to facilitate, in particular, arriving at the “initial assessment” under the MSD
Common understanding  Beneficial to “converge” towards a common set of indicators to support pan-European marine assessments, including for MSD implementation
Lot of scope of making the most of what exists, and assisting others in doing the same in terms of marine monitoring and assessment

4. EEA main activities to fulfil “active” EMMA roadmap objectives
“Convergence” of assessments (i.e. moving in the same direction to support the MSD “initial assessment”)
Compiling information of existing indicators:
Written process with support from Conventions/countries
Preliminary analysis to be used in workshops
Report to EMMA Plenary 2007 to be advised on “next steps”  How to continue in order to develop a common set of pan-European indicators to be complemented regionally by +/- 2008?
Outcomes probably revised after MSD enters into force

5. Workshops
EEA-led EMMA workshops 2006/7 to foster networking towards streamlined monitoring and data collection
Operational oceanography: October 2006 (to increase dialogue between “users” and “producers” of operational oceanography products)
Ecological processes/biological elements: November 2006 (we have great “needs”, what can we use already?)
Chemical loads and burdens: April 2007 (we have been doing this for some time now, how to take it a step further?)

6. Main outcomes “Operational oceanography” workshop (1)
Substantial infrastructure for operational oceanography exists
Operational oceanography products are mainly linked to the assessment needs under 3 themes:
Physical characteristics of European seas (e.g. temperature, salinity), including climate change impacts (e.g. sea level)
Oil pollution
Eutrophication (e.g. nutrients, chlorophyll)
Products for assessments related to number 1 and 2 are fit for purpose and can already be delivered.

7. Main outcomes “Operational oceanography” workshop (2)
Transition from research to operational monitoring
Big current opportunity to shape the process
Need to:
Continue dialogue between “users” (e.g. regional sea Conventions) and “producers”, and extend it to agreements on services
Build end to end demonstrations in the 3 relevant assessment themes into the Marine Core Services and downstream service chains, and validate their performance.

8. Main outcomes “Ecology / biology” workshop (1)
Reviewed existence of ‘indicators’ for biological and ecological elements in MSD Annex II, concluded that geographical gaps (in convention areas) are in generally being closed, but not all quality elements are monitored/assessed on a pan-European level.
MSD Annex II mixes characteristics and pressures and impacts – this need to be sorted out in the process of the adoption of the Directive

9. Main outcomes “Ecology / biology” workshop (2)
Catchment activities and coastal issues should be taken care of via revelant process (ND, UWWTD, WFD) but the result should never be decoupled from marine risk assessments and state of the marine environment assessments activities (= ecosystem approach to management of human activities)
Foresee a close dialogue with the regional conventions – these institutions are already coordinating “input issues”, “coastal issues” and truly “marine issues”

10. Main outcomes “Ecology / biology” workshop (3)
Scope for better utilisation of efforts undertaken for ecological characterisation of coastal waters under WFD, and for nature conservation (for certain quality elements) under Habitats & Birds Directives
Scope for relation with data generated under fisheries policy
Scope exists also for improving indicators in areas where regulatory assessment methods have advanced (e.g. eutrophication, EU water policy and conventions).

11. Next meeting of EMMA End of May 2007
Agenda elements likely to include:
Working on results and recommendations of workshops
Data management (« WISE-Marine »)
Concrete synergies?