1. Marine Strategy Framework Directive: implementation process at EU level Gert Verreet – WFD WG Reporting - 31 March 2009

2. Marine Strategies - Implementation milestones
Preparatory phase: the EU Member States must progressively develop Marine Strategies in several steps.
By 15 July 2012:
Description and assessment of current environmental status, including the environmental impact of human activities
Determination of good environmental status
Establishment of environmental targets and associated indicators
By 15 July 2014:
Monitoring programme

3. Marine Strategies - Implementation milestones
Marine Strategies will culminate with:
Programme of measures towards good environmental status – by 2015
Achieve Good Environmental Status – by 2020
Some key concepts:
Regional approach, specific to each sea basin
Building upon existing activities developed in the framework of regional seas conventions
Adaptive management, with regular review (every 6 years)
Art. 19 specific provisions on data access

4. Work at different levels, with strong emphasis on co-operation in « Regions »
Strategy elements
Art. 8
Art. 9
Art. 10
Art. 11
Art. 13
Initial Assessment
Determining 'good environmental status'
Setting environmental targets and indicators
Monitoring Programme
Programme of Measures
National level
XXX
Regional level XX
X ?
EU-wide
X: ‘social and economic’ aspects
XX: common criteria and methods -
XX: common reporting (data, information and knowledge sharing across countries and regions)

5. Art. 8, 9, 10 MSFD

6. Work Division on descriptors of GES
JRC
1- biodiversity
2 - non-indigenous species
3 (co-lead) - fish populations
5 - eutrophication
8 – contaminants (vs. effects)
SANCO
9 - contaminants (vs. food standards)
ICES
3 (co-lead) fish pop.
4 - food web
6 - sea-floor
11 - energy (noise)
Not covered
7 - hydrographics
10 - litter
Coordination

7. Discussion in two WD meetings of 2008 followed-up
5 February ad hoc marine experts meeting:
confirmed overall EC proposals for work & structure, highlighting some further particular items of interest
discussed challenges of working in regional settings
6 February inaugural meeting of the MSFD Art. 25 Committee:
adopted its Rules of Procedure
discussed work planning of developments falling under the Committee
indicated scope for work on 2 remaining descriptors

8. COM MS
RSC, …
Input to WG
INITIAL STRUCTURE ( )

9. Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS)
The Water Information System for Europe, WISE (left), online since 2007, is a thematic area of SEIS. It is a platform for data and information sharing for all EU water legislation.
The Commission intends to extend WISE to cover the marine Directive needs (hence: WISE-Marine).

10. Simplified data-to-info pyramid for WISE-Marine
Directive core needs
EMODNET
EMODNET will be an important data ‘warehouse’ for WISE-Marine

11. Provisional meeting calendar
Time
Event
9-11 December 2008
Brest Conference '2012 Marine Targets'
- COM informed of planning
5-6 February 2009
Ad hoc expert group meets in Brussels, back-to-back with the Art. 25 Committee
[14+] 15 May ([Brussels and] Leuven)
Marine Strategic Coordination Group [back-to-back with Working group on good environmental status)
- stakeholders present
- Confirm overall work planning (additional needs?)
- Progress report from JRC/ICES/SANCO
19 May in Rome (IT)
Feedback moment with EU maritime policy focal points meeting
[28-] 29 May 2009
Marine Directors
- back-to-back with WD, under CZ Presidency
-approval ToR substructure, policy guidance
June 2009
Working group on data, information and knowledge exchange
- to discuss draft WISE-Marine implementation plan
September 2009
Working group on environmental status
- main interaction moment for work of JRC and ICES on GES
October 2009
Marine Strategic Coordination Group
November 2009
- back-to-back with WD, under SE Presidency
Early 2010
- Finalisation on basis of work of JRC and ICES on GES
First half of 2010
Committee for MSFD Art. 9(3)
- Discuss / approve criteria GES & liaise with EP (scrutiny procedure)
June 2010
- back-to-back with WD, under ES Presidency