Within coastal and territorial waters GES is determined via contaminants selected in accordance with Directive 2000/60/EC: contaminants for which an en­vironmental quality standard is laid down in Part A of Annex I to Directive 2008/105/EC; River Basin Specific Pollutants un­der Annex VIII to Directive 2000/60/EC, in coastal waters; and regionally agreed HELCOM hazardous substances core indicators. Beyond territorial waters GES is determined via regionally agreed Helcom hazardous substances core indicators. GES is achieved if the indicator (contaminants) concentration values do not exceed the threshold values from Directive 2008/105/EC, national legislation of agreed River Basin Specific Pollutants and from Helcom core indicator reports.

GES under criteria D8C2 is determined via white tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) productivity. GES is achieved if all three parameters are above the threshold values. Threshold values for the parameters are: productivity: 0,97 nestlings (period average); brood size: 1,64 nestlings (period average); Breeding Success: 0,59 (59%).

GES under criteria D8C3 is determined via the number on significant acute pollution events. GES is achieved if no significant pollution event occurs in the assessment period. The significant acute pollution event is determined as follows: extent of the spill exceeds 4,5 km2; removal time of the spill exceeds 48 hours (from first alert of the spill until removal of the spill); volume of the spill exceeds 10 m3.

Adverse effect of significant acute pollution can be assessed only if a significant acute pollution event occurs. For the criteria D8C4 no specific indicators or GES threshold values have been determined. In case of significant acute pollution event the scale of assessment is as used for assessment of the species groups or benthic broad habitat types under descriptors 1 and 6. According to descriptors 1 and 6 an estimate of the abundance of each species that is adversely affected and an estimate of the extent of each broad habitat type that is adversely affected has to be given.