Common Procedure
The OSPAR Commission’s strategic objective with regard to eutrophication is to tackle eutrophication, through limiting inputs of nutrients and organic matter to levels that do not give rise to adverse effects on the marine environment (Strategic Objective 1 of the North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy 2030). OSPAR Agreement 2022-07e Common Procedure for the Identification of the Eutrophication Status of the OSPAR Maritime Area (the "Common Procedure") provides a common, agreed and shared approach adopted by Contracting Parties to assess the eutrophication status in the OSPAR maritime area and to identify those areas for which actions are needed.
The Common Procedure characterises areas as:
- Problem areas if there is evidence of an undesirable disturbance to the marine ecosystem due to anthropogenic enrichment by nutrients;
- Non-problem areas if there are no grounds for concern that anthropogenic enrichment by nutrients has disturbed or may in the future disturb the marine ecosystem.
The assessment and classification are supplemented by common monitoring and reporting arrangements to attain harmonised information on the eutrophication status of OSPAR’s maritime area.
Eutrophication assessments
The Common Procedure comprises two phases: an initial ‘broad-brush’ screening to identify any obviously non-problem areas with regard to eutrophication; and an iterative assessment of the remaining areas. The Common Procedure consists of a set of quantitative and qualitative cause-effect related assessment criteria, which are linked to form a holistic assessment to classify the eutrophication status of each area.
The third application of the Comprehensive Procedure in 2016 confirmed that eutrophication is still a problem in 7% of the North-East Atlantic, mainly affecting coastal areas. The Greater North Sea had the largest problem area (approximately 98,000km2) with eutrophication extending along the coast from Belgium to Danish and Swedish waters. Small problem areas (5 to 400 km2) were found along the coast of France, Norway and the United Kingdom. In the Celtic Seas many small inshore and coastal areas were classified as problem areas (approximately 500 km2). In the Bay of Biscay two problem areas (approximately 800 km2) were identified.
- Third OSPAR integrated report on the eutrophication status of the OSPAR Maritime Area
- Second OSPAR integrated report on the eutrophication status of the OSPAR Maritime Area
- First OSPAR integrated report 2003 on the eutrophication status of the OSPAR Maritime Area based upon the first application of the Comprehensive Procedure
IA2017 Eutrophication status in areas assessed in Arctic Waters, the Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, and the Bay of Biscay, 2006–2014:
Data available here: https://odims.ospar.org/maps/1052/view
Third application of the Common Procedure national reports
Synergies in monitoring and assessment between OSPAR and the EU
OSPAR encourages use of the Common Procedure in other (maritime) areas and forums. The Common Procedure assessment framework and associated monitoring and reporting requirements seek synergies with obligations and commitments of Contracting Parties that are EU member states under relevant European Community legislation, especially under the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EU), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EU) and the Commission Decision on good environmental status (2017/848/EU). The third application of the Common Procedure proved it to be a good operational tool for the assessment of the eutrophication status and a useful instrument for addressing the requirements of the MSFD.
A fourth application of the Common Procedure will be undertaken in 2021/22 to follow up the effectiveness of measures within OSPAR and under relevant EU regimes, for the eutrophication status of the North-East Atlantic
