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

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)

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

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

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

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