legislation-profile
legislation-profile
Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) (Text with EEA relevance)
Scope
This directive establishes a framework within which Member States shall take the necessary measures to achieve good environmental status in the marine environment by the year 2020 at the latest. It applies to all marine waters and shall take account of the transboundary effects on the quality of the marine environment of third States in the same marine region or sub region. The directive does not contain any provisions on industry obligations and no list of substances.
Exemptions
Art. 14 (1) of the Directive provides a number of exceptions when Member States may identify instances within their marine waters where the environmental targets or good environmental status cannot be achieved in every aspect through measures they take, or they cannot be achieved within the time schedule concerned.
Regulatory activities
The Directive mandates MS to develop and implement marine strategies in order to: (a) protect and preserve the marine environment, prevent its deterioration or, where practicable, restore marine ecosystems in areas where they have been adversely affected; (b) prevent and reduce inputs in the marine environment, with a view to phasing out pollution as defined in Article 3(8), so as to ensure that there are no significant impacts on or risks to marine biodiversity, marine ecosystems, human health or legitimate uses of the sea. Marine strategies shall apply an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities, ensuring that the collective pressure of such activities is kept within levels compatible with the achievement of good environmental status and that the capacity of marine ecosystems to respond to human-induced changes is not compromised, while enabling the sustainable use of marine goods and services by present and future generations. The Directive shall contribute to coherence between, and aim to ensure the integration of environmental concerns into, the different policies, agreements and legislative measures which have an impact on the marine environment.
Relevant product types
No reference data
Reference documents
Yes Directive 2000/60/EC Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste-water treatment Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2006 concerning the management of bathing water quality Directive 2007/2/EC establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community Commission Decision 2010/477/EU of 1 September 2010 on criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: The first phase of implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) - The European Commission's assessment and guidance (COM(2014) 97 final, 20.2.2014) Commission Communication to the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Innovation in the Blue Economy: realising the potential of our seas and oceans for jobs and growth (COM(2014) 254 final/2, 8.5.2014) Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the progress in establishing marine protected areas (as required by Article 21 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC) (COM(2015) 481 final, 1.10.2015) Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - International ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans (JOIN(2016) 49 final, 10.11.2016)
Obligations based on CLP hazard class
No explicit presence. However, there are general provisions concerning substances, including at the following: Article 3(8), which defines pollution, in part, as: ''the direct or indirect introduction into the marine environment of ...substances ... which results or is likely to result in deleterious effects such as harm to living resources and marine ecosystems, including loss of biodiversity, hazards to human health...''
Obligations based on properties of concerns
No explicit presence. However, there are provisions concerning substances, including at the following: Article 3(8), which defines pollution, in part, as: ''the direct or indirect introduction into the marine environment of ...substances ... which results or is likely to result in deleterious effects such as harm to living resources and marine ecosystems, including loss of biodiversity, hazards to human health...'' Annex I refers to Qualitative descriptors for determining good environmental status (referred to in Articles 3(5), 9(1), 9(3) and 24), e.g. (8) Concentrations of contaminants are at levels not giving rise to pollution effects. (9) Contaminants in fish and other seafood for human consumption do not exceed levels established by Community legislation or other relevant standards. (10) Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment. Annex III, Table 1: Structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems with point (a) of Article 8(1), and Articles 9 and 11 e.g. Ecosystems: chemical characteristics: salinity, nutrients (N, P), organic carbon, dissolved gases (pCO2, O2) and pH Annex III, Table 2: Anthropogenic pressures, uses and human activities in or affecting the marine environment 2a. Anthropogenic pressures on the marine environment with particular relevance for points (a) and (b) of Article 8(1), and Articles 9, 10 and 11 e.g. Substances, litter and energy, e.g. Input of other substances (e.g. synthetic substances, non-synthetic substances, radionuclides) Input of litter (solid waste matter, including micro-sized litter) 2b. Uses and human activities in or affecting the marine environment with points (b) and (c) of Article 8(1) (only activities marked are relevant for point (c) of Article 8(1)), and Articles 10 and 13 e.g. Extraction of non-living resources, e.g. Extraction of minerals Extraction of minerals
EU-level occupational exposure limits
No provision
EU-level emission limit values
No provision
Substance-centric data source(s) at the EU level
Not applicable
Industry submission system in place
Not applicable
Format for industry submission
Not applicable
Owner
DG Environment
Update process
DG Environment
Amendments
Commission Directive (EU) 2017/845 of 17 May 2017
