The overall objective of the framework contract was to support the Commission in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The work may need to be organised at the EU or MS level or by the marine region. It could concern one or several specific descriptors.
More specifically, this support included the following aspects:
- Providing technical and scientific advice on assessing the pressures and human activities and related measures in the marine environment for achieving the GES as defined in the MSFD;
- Improving data and information management and related IT systems for the marine environment and developing specific aspects for modelling the marine environment;
- Developing and applying ex-ante and ex-post evaluation tools in connection with the implementation of the MSFD;
- Identifying possible cost-effective measures concerning pressures and human activities in the marine environment and analysing their socio-economic impact and benefits;
- Carrying out ex-ante or ex-post evaluations of specific aspects on implementing the MSFD;
- Further developing methodological standards and technical guidance for monitoring and assessing GES in a harmonised way at the EU level;
- Assessing approaches and results of Member States in the different implementation stages of Directive 2008/56/EC, particularly focusing on coherence at regional or sub-regional levels. Based on this assessment, formulating recommendations on specific activities, tools, and/or mechanisms to be put in place to improve coordination within or among marine regions;
- Supporting MS in a given marine region to develop coordinated or joint MSFD deliverables at the regional or sub-regional level;
- Supporting Regional Sea Conventions in further developing and improving coherent and comparable approaches, and promoting best practices within and across marine regions;
- Intensifying information exchange between EU and Regional Sea Conventions such as regular information exchange and compiling joint or coordinated planning with and between the Regional Sea Conventions to facilitate the coherence of processes;
- Organising events such as workshops, conferences and other meetings to provide a mechanism for collaboration between the EU Institutions, the Member States, the other Contracting Parties, the ad hoc Conventions, the Convention secretariats and other stakeholders to foster coherent and comparable implementation of the MSFD.