The aim of the project is to provide technical support and assistance for the tasks of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) in implementing the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the necessary cooperation on a regional, national and EU level. As a subsidiary authority of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), UBA plays a leading or lead role in the corresponding committees of the cooperation structures for all MSFD action areas (monitoring, assessment, quality and environmental objectives, measures) and EU reporting (electronic reporting, INSPIRE-compliant data provision).

The research project will, inter alia, test or develop assessment methods, derivations of quality standards and management objectives for the different descriptors for their applicability in national marine waters. Existing proposals for the assessment and management of activities will be reviewed for their conformity or consistency with existing environmental objectives and targets. The possibilities of harmonising the North Sea and Baltic Sea assessments will also be analysed and overarching issues such as the overall assessment of the environmental status of marine waters will be addressed.

In particular, the requirements of the UN "Sustainable Development Goals" should be examined in the development of indicators and taken into account in the national implementation in the sense of standardising and rationalising the indicator systems. The aim is to compare and exploit synergies between the MSFD requirements and other existing national indicator systems.

The Ecologic Institute is involved in the project in various work packages. For example, Ecologic Institute provides technical support on requirements for extension of deadlines and exceptions (defined under Art. 14 of the MSFD) or supports the implementation of national and international workshops. In addition, Ecologic Institute is also responsible for the work package 'Dissemination and Reporting', in which UBA is supported in the preparation of target group-specific technical content for MSFD implementation and in the development of communication products for dissemination activities.