Publications

• New Publication! Frequently Asked Questions about links between the MSFD and the implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directive (resp. 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC).
  The document aims to identify and clarify interactions, synergies, differences and potential areas for greater coordination between these instruments concerning the conservation of marine biodiversity. It has benefitted from the joint input of Member States dealing with the implementation of the three Directives.

  Read more here!
• The study on the "Economic assessment of policy measures for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive" has been published.  It proposes an economic assessment of four categories of policy measures that could be used to implement the MSFD: Command-and-Control instruments; Market-Based Instruments; social instruments (information, awareness raising); and technical measures. Click here for more information.

• Would you drink your wastewater? Find out if you can and read our new brochure here .
  
• Tackling the threat of marine litter, flyer on marine litter in the Mediterranean published for the Conference of the Parties of the Barcelona Convention (February 2012)
• Mediterranean offshore activities: enhancing their environmental safety, flyer published for the Conference of the Parties of the Barcelona Convention (February 2012)
• Report of the Technical Subgroup on Underwater Noise and other forms of energy published (February 2012)
• Marine Litter: Technical Recommendations for the Implementation of the MSFD Requirements published (2011)
• “Seas for Life – Protected, Sustainable, Shared European Seas by 2020”, brochure on the Marine Directive published in 2011
• “Marine Litter: Time To Clean Up Our Act”, flyer on marine litter published in 2010
• “Marine ecosystems under the weather- The European Commission’s commitment to cleaner seas and oceans by 2020”, published in 2009
• “EU Marine Strategy- A story behind the strategy”, published in 2006

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Directive 2008/56/EC of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive)

Commission Decision of 1 September 2010 on criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters

Commission Staff Working Paper on the Relationship between the initial assessment of marine waters and the criteria for good environmental status

Reporting Package for 2012 reporting for the MSFD

JRC MSFD Task Group Reports, March-April 2010:

• Task Group 1 Report, Biological diversity
• Task Group 2 Report, Non-indigenous species
• Task Group 3 Report, Commercially exploited fish and shellfish
• Task Group 4 Report, Food webs
• Task Group 5 Report, Eutrophication
• Task Group 6 Report, Seafloor integrity
• Task Group 8 Report, Contaminants and pollution effects
• Task Group 9 Report, Contaminants in fish and other seafood
• Task Group 10 Report, Marine litter
• Task Group 11 Report, Underwater noise and other forms of energy

Integrated Maritime Policy

Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Towards the integration of maritime surveillance: A common information sharing environment for the EU maritime domain, October 2009 (COM(2009)540 final)
Commission staff working document, Accompanying document to the Report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Progress report on the EU's integrated maritime policy, October 2009 (SEC(2009) 1343 final).

Commission staff working document, EU led actions relevant for the integration of maritime surveillance activities, October 2009, SEC(2009) 1341 final
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the Draft Roadmap towards establishing a Common Information Sharing Environment for the surveillance of the EU maritime domain, COM(2010) 584 final
“Integrating Maritime Surveillance – Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE)”, user-friendly version, published in 2010
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Developing the international dimension of the Integrated Maritime Policy of the European Union, October 2009, (COM(2009)536 final)

Regional Sea Conventions
Helsinki Convention
Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992
Barcelona Convention  
Convention for the Protection Of The Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution  
Bucharest Convention
Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution  
OSPAR Convention
Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic