![]() The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): UNCLOS provides the legal framework for contemporary principles of protection of the marine environment, including the ecosystem-based approach, the precautionary approach and sustainable development.The Directive aims to contribute to the following instruments: Many of the concepts and approaches used by the Directive for the EU’s marine waters, such as the ecosystem and integrated approach, originated from international fora and agreements. One of the key objectives of the Marine Directive is to contribute to fulfilling international commitments made by the EU and its Member States on marine environmental protection. Action plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries.It is directly related to Descriptor 8 (contaminants) and indirectly to Descriptor 9 (contaminants in seafood) and 10 (marine litter) of the Marine Directive. REACH Regulation - aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances, like the environmental risk they pose.It lays down rules to ensure Europe’s fisheries are sustainable and do not damage the marine environment. The Common Fisheries Policy sets out a collaborative approach to managing the EU’s shared seas and fisheries.The Birds and Habitats Directives - Europe’s central laws on nature conservation, providing special protection for key sites including marine.The Water Framework Directive - sets the goal of achieving Good Status for all EU surface and groundwaters by 2015, tying in with the goal of Good Environmental Status under the Marine Directive.Some of the key legislation and policies directly relevant to the Directive are The Marine Directive builds on existing EU legislation and covers specific elements of the marine environment not addressed in other policies. See the public consultation and provisional timeline. The review will build on the implementation report adopted in June 2020 that highlighted a number of elements that need to be addressed. The Commission is reviewing the Directive and will propose amendments if necessary. Review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Descriptor 11: Introduction of energy (including underwater noise) does not adversely affect the ecosystem.Descriptor 10: Marine litter does not cause harm.Descriptor 9: Contaminants in seafood are below safe levels.Descriptor 8: Concentrations of contaminants give no effects.Descriptor 7: Permanent alteration of hydrographical conditions does not adversely affect the ecosystem. ![]() Descriptor 6: The sea floor integrity ensures functioning of the ecosystem.Descriptor 5: Eutrophication is minimised.Descriptor 4: Elements of food webs ensure long-term abundance and reproduction.Descriptor 3: The population of commercial fish species is healthy.Descriptor 2: Non-indigenous species do not adversely alter the ecosystem.Descriptor 1: Biodiversity is maintained.To help Member States interpret what this means in practice, in Annex I the Directive sets out eleven qualitative descriptors which describe what the environment will look like when GES has been achieved. It means that the different uses made of the marine resources are conducted at a sustainable level, ensuring their continuity for future generations. The Directive defines Good Environmental Status (GES) as “The environmental status of marine waters where these provide ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean, healthy and productive”. The main goal of the Marine Directive is to achieve Good Environmental Status of EU marine waters by 2020. All these actions must be done in close coordination with neighbouring countries at regional sea level. The marine strategies comprise regular assessments of the marine environment, setting objectives and targets, establishing monitoring programmes and putting in place measures to improve the state of marine waters. Such status should have been achieved by 2020. The Directive requires Member States to develop national marine strategies in order to achieve, or maintain where it exists, 'good environmental status'. In 2008, the EU adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) to maintain healthy, productive and resilient marine ecosystems while securing a more sustainable use of marine resources.
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