System of WISE-Marine Reporting Sheets for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

The overall aim of the project is to assist the Commission with the development of Reporting Sheets for the reporting system of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC). The Reporting Sheets to be developed under this project are the conceptual models for specific reporting needs; they will specify what information needs to be reported, why it must be reported, and how it should be reported, detailing information requirements, formats, reporting frequencies and deadlines. Specifically, these Reporting Sheets will be developed for the reporting requirements under the MSFD that are due in 2012. These are:

Article 8 – The initial assessment, including characteristics of the marine environment, pressures and impacts, and economic and social assessment;

Article 9 – Determination of good environmental status (GES);

Article 10 – Establishment of environmental targets and associated indicators.

Improving and streamlining the flow of data and information is important to help avoid duplication and reduce the burden of reporting on Member States. The MSFD information will be reported through WISE-Marine, the marine part of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE). The development of WISE-Marine is one step in the process of expanding WISE to incorporate various types of information.

The reporting concept and reporting sheets are being developed in an iterative and consultative manner, involving close coordination with DG Environment, the EEA and the Working Group on Data, Information and Knowledge Exchange (WG DIKE). Draft reporting sheets were developed for a selection of themes, and piloted with a number of Member States. Their comments and feedback were used to revise and improve the reporting sheets.