Summary:

The Commission is conducting an evaluation of Directive 2008/56/EC on marine environment policy (MSFD). The aim is to assess the achievements and shortcomings of this Directive, as well as the underlying causes/obstacles and success factors. In parallel, the Commission is undertaking preliminary work for the future impact assessment to explore the options for improvement and propose possible amendments.

The impact assessment would also assess ways of simplifying the legislative framework, maintaining the legislation ‘fit for purpose’, and reducing administrative burden.

Since the start of the Commission’s assessment, a number of policy frameworks have been put in place and a number of initiatives adopted or proposed. These would be directly relevant for the review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Furthermore, all Member States were legally required to report to the European Commission by March 2022 their Programme of Measures under the Directive, which should announce measures as to how, in the current geopolitical and policy context, they plan to accelerate compliance with their legal obligation to achieve good status of the seas.

In order to adequately account for these developments, the Commission is focusing its efforts on finalising the evaluation.