1. D1 BIODIVERSITY REVIEW PROCESS
March 2014:
Draft Manual endorsed by WG GES
June 2014:
Manual prepared by Milieu.
Filled by DG ENV and EC JRC.
September 2014:
Amended with comments from MSFD CC Expert Group on Biodiversity
February 2015:
Amended with comments from GES considering also the directions from the cross-cutting workshop
Add version sent to GES in October 2014
April 2015:
Amended with comments received from Expert Group and DG ENV
April 2015
Final report to CIRCABC for the WG GES meeting.
3 January 2019

2. D1 BIODIVERSITY Key recommendations
Changes in criteria and indicators
Proposal to reduce the number of criteria by merging some species and some habitats criteria.
Criterion 1.7 “ecosystem structure” to be eliminated or re-defined with a clearer content
Identification of criteria and indicators overlaps across Descriptors
Common lists of elements for the biodiversity assessments
Agreement for the compilation of existing lists from other legislations, MSFD documents and RSCs. Link with monitoring parameters. Proposal for using EU-wide classifications for Habitats (EUNIS)

3. D1 BIODIVERSITY Key recommendations
Habitat/Bird Directives, Common Fisheries Policy and D1
Practical use of HBD assessments to MSFD
Links of their status classification approaches
Streamlining of assessments, “indicators” and directives’ objectives
Stock taken for available data and sources for the D1 assessments.
Proposal for changes in the COM Decision text
Clarification of biodiversity terms, specification of elements to be assessed under the three levels, proposal for GES determination and GES boundaries, proposal for common methodological standards under each criterion.
Consideration of RSCs achievements and progress on biodiversity
Consideration of on-going processes on setting GES boundaries, aggregating rules, scales, harmonizing measurements and assessments through common indicators (across RSCs) and assessment elements

4. D1 BIODIVERSITY Outstanding issues
Integration with state descriptors and state criteria of pressure descriptors
Practical use of HBD assessments to MSFD
Links of their status classifications
Streamlining of assessments, “indicators” and directives’ objectives
Selection and de-selection criteria for the biodiversity elements
agree on functional groups, predominant habitats and on representative species
Agree on the ‘ecosystem level’ (Criterion 1.7) content considering also outcomes of D4 & D6
Quantification of GES at a criterion level, where possible
Common agreed methodological standards and rules for setting GES boundaries (considering natural variation and climate change)
Biodiversity glossary

5. D1 BIODIVERSITY Way forward
Workshop with D1 expert group
(+ thematic experts: D4, D6, HBD, RCSs)
Tentative:
end of June 2015

6. D1 BIODIVERSITY Issue Way forward Timeline
Harmonization across Descriptors on assessment elements (cross-cutting issue; interaction with state descriptors expert group)
interaction with state descriptors expert group, RSCs
Last week of June 2015/End of 2018
Recommendation of monitoring methods for D1 (based on assessment of Art.11 reports)
Consideration of Art. 12 reports for MSs Art. 11 reporting and monitoring standards
End 2015
Further review and develop the COM Decision text for D1
Consideration of workshops outcomes on outstanding issues