Marine Strategy Framework Directive Streamliningharmonisation of reporting A

Marine Strategy Framework Directive Streamlining/harmonisation of reporting - A worked example: eutrophication Corinne Martin, Conor O’Kane 8 th meeting of WG DIKE, Brussels 07 -08 Oct 13

Context u MSFD offers the opportunity to harmonise/streamline reporting requirements with those of other EU instruments, and Regional Seas Conventions (RSCs) u 2012: high-level screening analysis of harmonisation/streamlining potential across: n 8 EU Directives: e. g. Shellfish, Nitrates, WFD, UWWT, Birds, Habitats, CFP DCF, Bathing waters, n 4 RSCs: Barcelona, HELCOM, OSPAR and Bucharest u 2013: in-depth analysis for key topics of MSFD, e. g. Eutrophication, Biodiversity (fish), etc

2013 analysis u Aims: n Reduce burden of reporting by Member States (MS) n Avoid duplication of reporting n Enhance data usefulness u… by understanding the degree of: n Overlap (linkages), and n Complementarities n … taking into account the nature of reported information u… so as to identify options for harmonisation/streamlining across the various instruments/RSCs

Eutrophication reporting u Main EU “instruments” selected: n Water Framework Directive (WFD) Nitrates Directive Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) n EEA’s Annual Management Plan (Reportnet) n n u EU-relevant n n RSCs: Barcelona Convention (Mediterranean Sea) Bucharest Convention (Black Sea) HELCOM (Baltic Sea) OSPAR Convention (Northeast Atlantic) u Restrict analysis to what is reported by MS u Descriptor 5 for Good Environmental Status (GES) under the MSFD

Methodology (1) u Analysis n framework: MSFD reporting sheets: Art. 8 (initial assessment): Nutrient and organic matter enrichment; Art. 9 (determination of GES); Art. 10 (environmental targets); Art. 11 (monitoring programmes); Art. 13 (programmes of measures) information on frequency (timing) and spatial extent of reporting requirements u Collect Frequency of reporting under MSFD

Methodology (2) Analysis framework for content of reporting:

Methodology (3) u Assign n overlap score for content of reporting: 2: good overlap (usable directly for MSFD reporting) 1: partial overlap (usable partially) 0: no overlap taking into account the nature of reported information: u… n n Data products Assessments Other (e. g. descriptive text, lists of…)

Methodology (4) Colour-coding to reflect the nature of reported information:

Results (1): frequency

Results (2): spatial coverage

Results (3): content

Results (4): content

Options for harmonisation/streamlining (1) u 16 recommendations n n 8 general ones 8 specific to eutrophication u General recommendations: 1. Develop a clearer vision of what outcomes streamlining/harmonisation is to achieve and how Ensure consistent visions across instruments and RSCs Only report data/information that are actually used in assessments 2. 3.

Options for harmonisation/streamlining (2) 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Maintain up to date data/information in decentralised Web-servers Prioritise streamlining/harmonisation work across EU instruments, and then reach out to RSCs Identify existing good practice streamlining/harmonisation examples Creation of controlled vocabularies of terms that can be used in reporting Frame integration of reporting around a conceptual model based on DPSIR rather than around specific policies

Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses (DPSIR) Source: Kristensen P. (2004) http: //enviro. lclark. edu: 8002/rid=1145949501662_742777852_522/DPSIR%20 Overview. pdf

Options for harmonisation/streamlining (3) u Recommendations specific to eutrophication: 9. Prioritise streamlining/harmonisation work on “data” and “other” reporting requirements Take advantage of “inside” knowledge /experience from NFPs “wearing several hats” Streamline MSFD reporting against OSPAR reporting requirements as part of a pilot exercise Identify spatial similarities between EU instruments/RSCs 10. 11. 12.

Options for harmonisation/streamlining (4) 13. 14. 15. 16. Create a portal to support reporting on eutrophication across instruments/RSCs Promote collaboration between national focal points Identify synergies with work programmes of RSCs’ and the Joint Research Centre Ensure definitions of eutrophic waters are unified across instruments/RSCs

Next steps u Apply this model to other MSFD topics, e. g. : Biodiversity (e. g. fish) n w – started: (e. g. CFP DCF, Habitat Directive, Convention on Biological Diversity, etc) n n u Hazardous substances Non-indigenous species … though the approach might need adapting