much focused on how similar the approaches were at the broad outline scale. Going into the specifics of each assessment there are differences in methods used. In particular HELCOM has gone further towards integrated state and cumulative pressure assessments than either OSPAR or the EEA. The outline order is different between the three assessments, but we have here grouped the information into main assessment building blocks. Each block has been structured around the elements of Art. 8.1.a, Art. 8.1.b, and human activities. In the fourth column of Table 1 we propose the outline structure for both the Art. 8 and Art 20.3b assessments, due in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Table 1. Comparison of assessment outlines between the EEA, OSPAR and HELCOM Overall OSPAR HELCOM EEA 2015 State of Europe’s Seas Proposal for 2018 Art. 8 and 2019 Art. 20.3b Objective Intermediate Assessment 2017 Dual purposes: The North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy and the MSFD for EU MSs Holistic assessment: To follow up the goals and objectives of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and the MSFD for EU MSs To assess whether Europe´s seas can be considered healthy, clean, undisturbed, and productive Demonstrating distance from and progress towards GES State (Art. 8.1.a) Biodiversity status: Based on biodiversity common indicators and biennial assessment of the status of the OSPAR network of MPAs. (Please note the biodiversity indicators are not only for D1, 4 and 6, but also address other Descriptors) Assessment of the status of ecosystem health (i.e. to assess achievement of GES) that both covers state and pressure-based descriptors: based descriptors (D1, part of D3, D4, D6) assessed together as well as separate assessments of main biological elements: birds, fish, mammals, seabed and pelagic habitats , and selection of trends in key parameters Pressure based descriptors (D2, part of D3, D5, parts of D6, D8+9, D10, D11) assessed separately, Healthy Seas or state of biodiversity and ecosystems  Seabed habitats  Water column habitats  Marine invertebrates  Marine fish  Turtles  Seabirds and waterbirds  Marine mammals Marine food webs Marine ecosystems of biodiversity and ecosystems Seabed habitats Water column habitats Fish Turtles Mammals Seabirds and waterbirds Marine food webs and ecosystems
selection of trends in key parameters Supporting parameters to interpret results of the assessment (e.g. change in climatic factors) Pressures and impacts, including activity (Art. 8.1.b) Pressures arising from human activities. Spatial distribution and trends of pressures and activities based on OSPAR monitoring and indicators, as far as these are available Eutrophication: Based on D5 common indicators, the Common Procedure, riverine nutrient assessment and atmospheric nutrient deposition assessment Hazardous substances: Based on D8 common indicators, full CEMP assessment and assessments of heavy metal (Hg, Cd and Pb) inputs via water and air Radioactive substances: Based on Fourth Periodic Evaluation A planned section focusing on human activities and pressures in terms input of anthropogenic matter and extraction of marine resources. Note that descriptors are planned to be addressed in the section on “assessment of status of ecosystem health” (row above) Spatial distribution of main and/or trends in main human activities and pressures, including core pressure indicator(s), Cumulative assessment of pressures using pressure indices, spatial representation Clean and undisturbed seas  Physical loss and damage to the seafloor  Extraction of fish and shellfish  Introduction of species  Eutrophication  Contamination  Marine litter  Underwater noise and other forms of energy  Climate change Pressures and impacts Physical loss and damage to the seafloor, including hydrological changes Extraction of fish and shellfish Introduction of non-indigenous species Eutrophication Contamination Marine litter Underwater and other forms of energy Climate change
Uses and human activities (art 8.1.c) (Human activities are part of Art.8.1b of the Directive) Human activities are included above together with pressures Productive Seas (human activities)  Land-based activities  Extraction of living resources  Production of living resources  Extraction of non-living resources and disposal of  Transport and shipbuilding  Tourism and recreation  Man-made structures  Energy production – offshore renewables  Energy production- oil and gas  Research and surveys  Military Uses and human activities Land-based activities Extraction of living resources Production of living resources Extraction of non-living resources and disposal of waste Transport and shipbuilding Tourism and recreation Man-made structures Energy production – offshore renewables Energy production- oil and gas Research and surveys Military Guidance on list needed from impacts (Art. 8.1.c) and BD2020 Strategy Socio-economic characteristics of the OSPAR area Social and economic aspects Conceptual outline of the link between state and socio-economic aspects, with qualitative examples and possibly a case study The sea´s natural capital and ecosystem services The sea´s natural capital and ecosystem services Guidance needed from WG-ESA