1. WG GES Drafting Group 27-28 June 2013 Berlin
Setting the scene
WG GES Drafting Group
27-28 June 2013
Berlin

2. Objectives of the DG mandate
Further development of the common understanding on GES and environmental targets
Identification of future priorities and focus of WG GES for the Work Programme beyond 2013 regarding GES and environmental targets
Analysis on whether and how best to make use of the mandate provided by MSFD for the MSFD Committee (revision of COM Dec 2010/477/EU)

3. Deliverables of the DG mandate
A proposal for the future work programme and priorities of WG GES for 2014 and beyond (preferably until 2018)
An analysis on the best way and focus to exercise the mandates provided for by MSFD including the possible revision of the COM Dec
An outline and some first steps in further developing the GES and environmental targets common understanding document including a timeline and process for its completion (with an indicative list of issues)
Based on an overview of further actions to be envisaged to improve coordinated GES and target definitions, a proposal on which issues best to address at EU level, which at regional level and which at national level.

4. State of play: Action levels?EU
RSCs MS
Assessments (Art. 8 MSFD)
Common Understanding
(11.4: comparability and
and coherence)
Common methods
Joint assessments
Regional reports/roof
reports
Complementary
national reports
Common Understanding
9.3: Criteria and standards
Common indicators
Common thresholds
Joint documentation
Complementary
national indicators
and thresholds
Defining GES (Art. 9 MSFD)
Common Understanding
(11.4: comparability and
and coherence)
Complementary
large-scale and
transboundary ssues
National targets
Targets (Art. 10 MSFD)
Common Understanding
11.4: specification and
standardised methods for
monitoring and assess-
ment
Joint monitoring
Programmes
Joint documentation
Complementary
national monitoring
programmes
Monitoring (Art. 11 MSFD)
Common Understanding
13.5, 15: EU and
international measures
Large-scale and
transboundary issues
13.5, 15: EU and inter-
national measures
Joint documentation
National measures
Measures (Art. 13 MSFD)

5. State of play: Action levels?
Status quo!
Future?
D1 Biodiversity
Regional
Regional
D2 Non-indigenous species
Regional
Regional
D3 Commercial (shell)fish stocks
CFP/ICES
CFP/ICES + WG GES
D4 Foodwebs
Regional
Regional
D5 Eutrophication
EU (WFD), regional
EU (WFD)
D6 Integrity of the sea floor
EU (WFD), regional
Regional
D7 Hydromorphology
National
WG GES
D8 Contaminants (environment)
EU (WFD), regional
EU (WFD)
D9 Contaminants (seafood)
EU (food safety)
EU (food safety)
D10 Marine litter
EU (TSG ML)
EU (TSG ML) + regional
D11 Underwater noise
EU (TSG ML)
EU (TSG ML) + regional

6. State of play: Common understanding
Section 4: dual approach to Art. 9 and Art. 10 MSFD
Section 8 and Annex VI: Towards an assessment philosophy
Approaches to assessing whether GES has been reached (status-based descriptors vs pressure-based descriptors)?
Options for aggregation between Descriptors to assess overall status (grouping vs. integration of assessment results)?
Options for aggregating within Descriptors at the level of criteria and indicators?
Need for more assessment classes than GES/non-GES, options to include trends?
Intersessional-work: Geographic scales and aggregation
Guidance to determine geographic assessment units?
Aggregation rules with respect to geographic scales?
Taking up assessment results from other EU Directives (e.g. WFD, Habitat Directive)
Determining GES in light of local impacts?
Spatial reference/aggregation when reporting on whether GES is achieved or not

7. Revising the Common understanding
DG Mandate - Recommendations (priorities) for
coherence of Art. 9 and 10 MSFD implementation and aligning Art. 9, 10 and COM Dec 2010/477/EU with Art. 8 and Annex III MSFD, including revision of terminology (best means: revision of CU, COM Dec, existing legislation?)
determining GES at the level of (sub)regions
clarifying level of detail/complexity of work on GES common understanding (taking account of risk-based approach)
a more integrated assessment approach
coherent, consistent and/or complementary assessment of GES in relation to assessments under other EU legislation

8. Challenge: Timing further work