1. Short and mid-term project needs for MSFD implementation
DG ENV C2
PCG meeting
Brussels, 4 November 2015

2. Background – Next major milestones (1st cycle)
Art.11 reporting
2014
Commission assessment Art.12
Art.13 Programmes of measures
Oct 15 -
Mar16
Commission assessment Art.16
Art.18 interim report on PoMs
2018
Commission first evaluation Art.20
by 2019

3. Background – Next major milestones (2nd cycle)
Art updates
2018
Commission assessment Art.12
2019
Art.11 Monitoring programmes
2020
Commission assessment Art.12
2021
Art.13 Programmes of measures
2022
Commission assessment Art.16
2023

4. Background – where do we stand with projects?
Ongoing projects to support:
Specific regions
Methodological developments for data sharing and assessments
Mitigation of the impact of human pressures (noise, litter, blue economy)
Monitoring

5. What is to be expected?
New call for proposal to be published early 2016  two years' budget merged to:
Streamline application process
Maximise the impact of projects
Identification of possible topics based on
Lessons learnt from past experiences
Existing gaps

6. Questions 1
Looking at the current round of support grants, which aspects do you consider most useful for the implementation of the MSFD?  Could they have been made even more useful, and how?
What aspects of these grants were less useful, or even counterproductive?
When comparing two possible forms of financial support – direct grants to Member States versus the funding of consultants – what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Which one is preferable?

7. Questions 2
Do you think that different regions would benefit most from support for different thematic areas (such as ongoing assessment work under Art.8, or the build-up of future monitoring programmes, or the preparation of future measures)? Which ones?
If so, which thematic areas are most in need of support in your regional sea?  In your Member State?
What other financial support has been used for the implementation of the MSFD?  How well was this coordinated with the current grants, and could this be improved?
Bearing in mind the legal obligations for public procurement, how can it be ensured that there will be adequate proposals in all regional sea basins?

8. Thank you for your attention!