According to the OSPAR Common Procedure, the first step is to evaluate the annual mean of each parameter against the area-specific threshold. In a second step, the evaluation results are evaluated over the entire evaluation period. The final result depends on which evaluation result outweighs the single years. If e.g. the DIN concentrations were rated five times as good and four times as bad over an evaluation period of 9 years, the overall evaluation result is good.

No integration

The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a "One Out, All Out" integration between the three parameters "Quality Index - Subtidal Macroalgae", "Quality Index - Intertidal/Middle-littoral Macroalgae" and "Quality Index - Herbarium". For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).

The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).

For the rest of the assessment area (non-DMA), the baseline values defined in the previous Marine Strategy Framework Directive initial assessment were used as a threshold.

For criterion D5C5, it was considered to be BEPS when values higher than 5 mg L-1 were reached in more than 90 % of the records.

Qualitative evaluation: No integration rules applied

According to the OSPAR Common Procedure, the one-out principle has been applied between criteria D5C1, D5C2, D5C3, D5C6, D5C7, D5C8.
According to the OSPAR Common Procedure, the one-out principle is applied between D5C1, D5C2, D5C3, D5C4, D5C5.

No integration

At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.

At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.

Decision 2017/848/EC does not propose any method for integrating the evaluation of each of the criteria. Therefore, the integration criterion used in the first initial assessment based on the OSPAR Joint Procedure, which was also applied in the first cycle of the Member States, will be adopted. According to this scheme, the assessment area could be classified as “without eutrophication problems” if all the indicators (criteria) are in BEA. where the nutrient concentrations are not found in BEA but the rest of criteria are found, the zone is classified as “with potential eutrophication problems”. if the criteria of direct effect (chlorophyll) or indirect (oxygen concentration) are not found in BEA, the area would be classified as “With eutrophication problems”.

Qualitative evaluation: No integration rules applied