The Commission launched a public consultation and Call for Evidence today (Dec 16) on the upcoming revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. 

Following the publication of an evaluation earlier this year, the Commission is now seeking to gather views and expertise from a wide range of stakeholders and the broader public on the revision of the Directive.

The revision aims to further protect the marine environment, simplify its implementation and reduce administrative burden.

The evaluation found that the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) put in place an ambitious framework to monitor the state of our seas and protect marine life from pollution and unsustainable practices. It has, however, failed to fully achieve its good environmental status objective. Furthermore, there is scope to reduce administrative burden through regulatory simplification and enhanced data management.  

Speaking on the issue, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall said:

“Healthy, clean and productive seas and oceans are essential to preserve our environment and to enable our blue economy to thrive. I want to hear from stakeholders and citizens on how to improve the protection of the marine environment while making our EU rules more effective and simpler to implement.” 

The revision of the Directive, as announced in the Water Resilience Strategy, is necessary for maintaining ocean health, as well as delivering on the ‘source to sea approach’.

The Directive plays a pivotal role in the European Ocean Pact, due to its importance in relation to ocean preservation and its sustainable management, together with maritime and fisheries legislation, and therefore its contribution to a sustainable blue economy.

The revision of the MSFD will be done in close coordination with the preparation of the European Ocean Act for a more integrated approach to ocean governance in the EU. A call for evidence and public consultation on the Ocean Act is also planned in early 2026. 

All stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the online consultation using the Have Your Say portal. The feedback period is open until 9 March 2026.

Background

The MSFD has been in place since 2008, intending to achieve good environmental status in all EU marine waters by 2020, ensuring that  European seas and oceans are clean, healthy and productive, and that the use of marine resources is sustainable.  

The evaluation of the MSFD concluded that the Directive has been partially effective in reaching its objectives; however, more needs to be done to attain them fully.

It has scored positively on certain obligations, such as setting up an EU-wide framework for the protection of marine biodiversity and the sustainable use of marine resources, and improved cooperation across Member States and marine regions.

It has also generated data and knowledge that have led to a better understanding of our seas and oceans and the impacts human activities have on them. This has supported the adoption of specific legislation, such as the Single-Use Plastics Directive. 

The intended goal of achieving good environmental status by 2020 has not been fully met, given that marine biodiversity continues to decline in several areas and the overall levels of pollution (notably from nutrients and chemicals) still cause harm to marine life. 

More information

Marine environment protection call for evidence | Have Your Say

Marine environment | European Commission

Commission evaluates sea protection and bathing water quality laws | European Commission