Good environmental status for marine litter is achieved when waste and its decomposition products do not have a harmful effect on marine life and habitats. In addition, waste and its decomposition products shall not contribute to the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species. The Commission Decision for D10C3 further specifies that waste and micro-litter should only be consumed by marine organisms in quantities that do not adversely affect the health of the species concerned.
The criteria for assessing GES for D10 set out in Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 are as follows: D10C1, D10C2, D10C3, D10C4.

Explanation: Germany does not update the general description of good environmental status (GES) from 2012 at descriptor level in this reporting exercise. During the reporting period, Germany has worked with the countries bordering the Baltic Sea in the framework of the EUs MSFD CIS process and HELCOM to develop methodological standards (indicators, evaluation procedures). Specific aspects of criteria and indicators that contribute to a quantitative assessment of good environmental status are reported in the reporting scheme Art. 8_GES. For the assessment of the criteria in Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 under Article 8_GES assessments under other EU directives are taken into account where relevant. Where possible regional evaluations that have been coordinated so far (currently HOLAS II) are taken into account and complemented by national assessments on a case by case basis.

For litter, good status is considered to be achieved by achieving 30 % litter reduction by 2025 compared to baseline. The baseline will be set in the course of 2018. The reduction is calculated separately for each type of waste (artificial polymers, rubber, textile, paperboard, treated wood, metal, glass and ceramics, chemicals, catering waste, other).


With respect to the amount of marine litter, the target is a downward trend in total and in different types of litter (see above). In order to verify this trend, a methodology is developed.

The composition, amount and spatial distribution of litter on the coastline, in the surface layer of the water column, and on the seabed, are at levels that do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment.
The status is assessed on the basis of the following indicators:
1) Average annual amount of shore-side litter.
2) Average annual amount of marine litter.

The composition, quantity and spatial distribution of litter along the coast and on the seabed are at levels that do not harm the coastal and marine environment.

The target for micro-litter is a downward trend both in total amount and per type of micro-litter (artificial polymers, others). The already developed methods will be implemented in 2018.

The composition, amount and spatial distribution of micro-litter in the surface layer of the water column and in the seabed sediment are at levels that do not harm the coastal and marine environment.

The amount of litter and micro-litter that marine animals consume is at a level that does not adversely affect the health of the species concerned.

D10C2: During the study period, micro-litter was observed only on the Lithuanian Baltic coast in order to apply cost-effective methods for micro-litter monitoring. Data on micro-litter polluting the Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast are not sufficient to establish a threshold value for Good Environmental Status. The amount of micro-litter in the surface layer of the water column and in the sediments of the seabed has not been studied. According to the methodological standards specified by the European Commission (2017/848/EU), the units of measurement describing the amount of micro-litter are defined as “number of units per kilogram (dry weight) (kg) of sediment”. In this respect, the obtained research results do not fully comply with the methodological standards proposed by the EC, but prove that coastal pollution with micro-litter exists in Lithuania and provides a preliminary amount of micro-litter. Regional indicator in the development stage.


D10C3: The amount of litter (except micro-litter) in the Lithuanian Baltic Sea environment does not pose a threat to populations of marine organisms, but is more related to the level of individuals. There is no regional list of marine species that are associated (detected ingested, entangled or killed possibly due to litter) with litter pollution. There is no methodology for data collection and condition assessment by indicator.


D10C4: There is no methodology for data collection and assessment of status by indicator.

D10C4: Indicators of marine waste impact on wildlife in the HELCOM or OSPAR area have not yet been developed. D10C4 is a secondary criterion, and since no indicators have been developed at present, good environmental status is not set in Marine Strategy II for this criterion.

D10C2: During the study period, micro-litter was observed only on the Lithuanian Baltic coast in order to apply cost-effective methods for micro-litter monitoring. Data on micro-litter polluting the Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast are not sufficient to establish a threshold value for Good Environmental Status. The amount of micro-litter in the surface layer of the water column and in the sediments of the seabed has not been studied. According to the methodological standards specified by the European Commission (2017/848/EU), the units of measurement describing the amount of micro-litter are defined as “number of units per kilogram (dry weight) (kg) of sediment”. In this respect, the obtained research results do not fully comply with the methodological standards proposed by the EC, but prove that coastal pollution with micro-litter exists in Lithuania and provides a preliminary amount of micro-litter. Regional indicator in the development stage.


D10C3: The amount of litter (except micro-litter) in the Lithuanian Baltic Sea environment does not pose a threat to populations of marine organisms, but is more related to the level of individuals. There is no regional list of marine species that are associated (detected ingested, entangled or killed possibly due to litter) with litter pollution. There is no methodology for data collection and condition assessment by indicator.


D10C4: There is no methodology for data collection and assessment of status by indicator. It is important to start drawing up a list of marine species that are associated with littering (detected bypass, entanglement or possibly killed as a result of litter).

D10: During the reporting period, regional cooperation focused on the development of methodological standards to assess the various aspects of stress and resilience on the basis of Commission Decision 2010/477/EU. Indicators vary in their degree of maturity and require further development and testing respectively. Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 establishes for the first time an explicit obligation for EU Member States to agree on evaluation elements, thresholds and integration rules in the framework of the EU MSFD (marine litter by Marine Litter) and regional or sub-regional cooperation. Germany is actively working with the countries bordering the Baltic Sea in the framework of the ongoing EU MSFD work programmes and HELCOM bodies, where a coordinated definition is still missing.

D10: There is not yet a sufficient scientific basis and consensus on the methods for setting thresholds for composition, quantity and distribution of litter and micro-litter, marine animals' intake of marine litter and marine litter's impact on wildlife. Going forward, thresholds for D10C1 and D10C2 must be established through cooperation at EU level. Work on setting EU thresholds has begun, and it is expected that thresholds for litter on beaches will be prepared first. Therefore, good environmental status for criteria D10C1, D10C2 and D10C3 in Denmark's Marine Strategy II is only determined descriptively in accordance with the GES Decision.


D10C1: There is not yet a sufficient scientific basis and consensus on the methods for setting thresholds for composition, quantity and distribution of litter and micro-litter, marine animals' intake of marine litter and marine litter's impact on wildlife. Going forward, thresholds for D10C1 and D10C2 must be established through cooperation at EU level. Work on setting EU thresholds has begun, and it is expected that thresholds for litter on beaches will be prepared first. Therefore, good environmental status for criteria D10C1, D10C2 and D10C3 in Denmark's Marine Strategy II is only determined descriptively in accordance with the GES Decision.


D10C2: There is not yet a sufficient scientific basis and consensus on the methods for setting thresholds for composition, quantity and distribution of litter and micro-litter, marine animals' intake of marine litter and marine litter's impact on wildlife. Going forward, thresholds for D10C1 and D10C2 must be established through cooperation at EU level. Work on setting EU thresholds has begun, and it is expected that thresholds for litter on beaches will be prepared first. Therefore, good environmental status for criteria D10C1, D10C2 and D10C3 in Denmark's Marine Strategy II is only determined descriptively in accordance with the GES Decision.


D10C3: There is not yet a sufficient scientific basis and consensus on the methods for setting thresholds for composition, quantity and distribution of litter and micro-litter, marine animals' intake of marine litter and marine litter's impact on wildlife. Going forward, thresholds for D10C1 and D10C2 must be established through cooperation at EU level. Work on setting EU thresholds has begun, and it is expected that thresholds for litter on beaches will be prepared first. Therefore, good environmental status for criteria D10C1, D10C2 and D10C3 in Denmark's Marine Strategy II is only determined descriptively in accordance with the GES Decision.


D10C4: There is not yet a sufficient scientific basis and consensus on the methods for setting thresholds for composition, quantity and distribution of litter and micro-litter, marine animals' intake of marine litter and marine litter's impact on wildlife. Going forward, thresholds for D10C1 and D10C2 must be established through cooperation at EU level. Work on setting EU thresholds has begun, and it is expected that thresholds for litter on beaches will be prepared first. Therefore, good environmental status for criteria D10C1, D10C2 and D10C3 in Denmark's Marine Strategy II is only determined descriptively in accordance with the GES Decision.