According to an assessment report published by the European Commission on Monday 16 January for the European Parliament and Council, the national marine monitoring programmes for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (COM(2017)3) contain shortcomings.
These monitoring programmes are crucial to monitor progress towards achieving good environmental status in EU waters by 2020 and ensuring that the respective bodies of water and oceans are clean, in good health and productive condition and that use of the marine environment is sustainable.
The Commission's report finds that, despite considerable efforts, additional action is needed to ensure monitoring is made operational as soon as possible and covers all aspects of good environmental status.
It particularly recommends member states step up their efforts to implement their respective programmes so that any shortcomings are avoided in the assessment of their marine waters planned for 2018, whilst taking into account the on-going review of the decision setting out methodological criteria and standards for attaining good environmental levels (2010/447/EU decision).
This report assesses the programmes of the 20 member states that notified their measures in time to the Commission before the end of 2014 in order to facilitate assessment (Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovenia and Sweden). The programmes for Malta, Greece and Poland have not been forthcoming. The report is accompanied by a Staff Working Document (SWD(2017)1) with detailed guidance per member state, as well as national technical reports.
Directive 2008/56/EC is the legislative pillar accompanying the thematic strategy presented by the Commission in October 2005 for protecting marine environments in Europe through a global and integrated approach for the different marine regions and diverse sources of pollution. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)