EU Member States work to strengthen marine protections, addressing pollution, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem restoration efforts
The European Commission has reported progress under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), particularly in reducing marine litter, but significant gaps remain in addressing pollution, biodiversity protection, and habitat restoration.
The assessment, published on Tuesday, analysed 2,046 measures submitted by 17 Member States. It found that while efforts to reduce marine litter are yielding positive results, programmes to tackle chemical contamination, nutrient runoff, and underwater noise pollution are insufficient. Measures to protect non-commercial fish, turtles, and pelagic habitats also need improvement.
A spokesperson for the Commission emphasised, “Effective measures to protect marine ecosystems are vital to tackling the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.”
Marine litter measures were highlighted as a key area of success. A recent report from the Joint Research Centre confirmed that these efforts are improving marine ecosystem health. However, other pressures on the marine environment, such as chemical pollution, remain largely unaddressed.
The Commission made several key recommendations to Member States, including implementing additional measures to combat persistent environmental challenges, enhancing habitat restoration and protection efforts for vulnerable marine species, increasing investment to support these measures, and establishing governance mechanisms to promote coordinated and effective marine conservation strategies.
Progress in restoring marine biodiversity has been limited, except for the protection of seafloor integrity and efforts to reduce the spread of non-indigenous species. Many measures in the programmes stem from EU legislation, international agreements, and other frameworks, but nearly half are specifically designed to achieve good environmental status under the MSFD.
“This represents a significant improvement since the first assessment of measures in 2018,” noted the report.
The assessment found moderate regional coherence in the implementation of measures. Member States in the Baltic Sea demonstrated higher levels of collaboration compared to other regions. While the MSFD does not directly address climate change, it serves as a framework for monitoring climate impacts on marine ecosystems.
The Commission’s evaluation will inform the European Water Resilience Strategy and other initiatives aimed at protecting Europe’s marine resources. The full assessment of remaining coastal states and further evaluations of the MSFD will be published in the first half of 2025.
“Achieving good environmental status requires a stronger, unified effort from all Member States,” the report concluded, calling for accelerated action to safeguard Europe’s seas and oceans for future generations.
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