ABI-EN-MS-GDG: Good environmental status is the good functioning of marine ecosystems, their good health and the environmental sustainability of their use for human activities. The definition of good environmental status takes into account the existence of human activities at sea or on land that have an impact on the environment. As such, it is not a state that is not impacted by human activities, sometimes referred to as "pristine". In the definition of good ecological status, certain contextual elements must be taken into account. In addition to the existence of anthropogenic pressures, it is therefore necessary to consider their impacts on the environment, the long-term or short-term natural variability of ecosystems and their capacity for resilience, and global changes, particularly climate change. On the basis of the content elements of the Directive, France has chosen to define good environmental status as the long-term level of ambition for the environmental status of the marine environment, i.e. the acceptable level of impact of human activities on environmental status that does not affect the proper functioning of ecosystems. The methodology for defining good environmental status distinguishes between two bases: 1: the description of Good Environmental Status at the level of the descriptors and, where appropriate, at the level of the criteria. 2: the characterization of Good Environmental Status, which includes several elements: - the determination of "units of assessment" and relevant scales; - the definition of the method for identifying issue areas/characteristic zones; - the development of indicators to judge the achievement of GES of the marine environment, based on the previous choices; - the definition of levels/thresholds/trends associated with these indicators and their setting; - the development of an intra-descriptor aggregation method. It should be noted that the proper functioning of an ecosystem is a scientific concept, based on an ecosystem approach, which can be qualified or even quantified, in some cases today, in other cases in the future, subject to further studies, research and data acquisition. This definition will have to be revised every 6 years on the basis of new knowledge and data and will have to take into account the evolution of anthropogenic pressures and global changes. The effects of climate change are being felt on the marine environment and its functioning: they will be taken into account in the revision of the definition of Good Environmental Status as part of the context.

ABI-EN-MS-GDG: Good environmental status is the good functioning of marine ecosystems, their good health and the environmental sustainability of their use for human activities. The definition of good environmental status takes into account the existence of human activities at sea or on land that have an impact on the environment. As such, it is not a state that is not impacted by human activities, sometimes referred to as "pristine". In the definition of good ecological status, certain contextual elements must be taken into account. In addition to the existence of anthropogenic pressures, it is therefore necessary to consider their impacts on the environment, the long-term or short-term natural variability of ecosystems and their capacity for resilience, and global changes, particularly climate change. On the basis of the content elements of the Directive, France has chosen to define good environmental status as the long-term level of ambition for the environmental status of the marine environment, i.e. the acceptable level of impact of human activities on environmental status that does not affect the proper functioning of ecosystems. The methodology for defining good environmental status distinguishes between two bases: 1: the description of Good Environmental Status at the level of the descriptors and, where appropriate, at the level of the criteria. 2: the characterization of Good Environmental Status, which includes several elements: - the determination of "units of assessment" and relevant scales; - the definition of the method for identifying issue areas/characteristic zones; - the development of indicators to judge the achievement of GES of the marine environment, based on the previous choices; - the definition of levels/thresholds/trends associated with these indicators and their setting; - the development of an intra-descriptor aggregation method. It should be noted that the proper functioning of an ecosystem is a scientific concept, based on an ecosystem approach, which can be qualified or even quantified, in some cases today, in other cases in the future, subject to further studies, research and data acquisition. This definition will have to be revised every 6 years on the basis of new knowledge and data and will have to take into account the evolution of anthropogenic pressures and global changes. The effects of climate change are being felt on the marine environment and its functioning: they will be taken into account in the revision of the definition of Good Environmental Status as part of the context.

Good environmental status is achieved when the following conditions are met : - species and habitat diversity, ecological structures and functions, such as connectivity, material flows or species habitats, are maintained and consistent with existing natural environmental conditions; - human activities and induced pressures are at a level compatible with the ecological resilience of the ecosystem. The concept of "existing natural environmental conditions" incorporates the natural variability of populations and communities, as well as that due to climate change. This implies in particular and cumulatively that good ecological status is achieved when: - diversity at all levels of life organisation (populations, functional groups, communities and habitats) does not decrease significantly, in terms of composition (number and nature of taxa, functional groups or basic habitats) and proportion (relative abundances/extent), under existing natural environmental conditions; - the spatial distributions of naturally occurring populations and habitats are adapted to existing natural environmental conditions. Spatial and functional connectivity is preserved, particularly for species habitats (all the geographical areas necessary for the completion of the natural life cycle of a species); - the size, demographic characteristics (fertility, mortality) and health status of naturally occurring populations allow their long-term maintenance and survival, according to existing natural environmental conditions; - the quality of the basic habitats, described by biotic (such as the specific composition and abundance of the naturally associated biological community) and abiotic (structural and environmental conditions) parameters, is at a sufficient level to ensure the integrity of the naturally associated ecological functions.

Good ecological status is achieved when the quality of basic habitats, described by biotic (such as the specific composition and abundance of the naturally associated biological community) and abiotic (structural and environmental conditions) parameters, is at a sufficient level to ensure the integrity of naturally associated ecological functions.

At the habitat level, the indicators related to criterion 1.6 that are relevant for characterising good ecological status are defined as follows : Indicator 1.6.1: Status of typical species and communities. Indicator 1.6.2: relative abundance and/or biomass. This indicator corresponds to quantitative parameters, the relevance of which is linked to the developments of indicator 1.6.1 and other descriptors (including descriptors 2 - non-native species - and 4 - food webs -). Indicator 1.6.3: Physical, hydrological and chemical conditions.

The aggregation rules at the level of the descriptor will be clarified, where appropriate, as a result of additional studies, as provided for in Article 4 of the Order of 17 December 2012 concerning the definition of good environmental status of marine waters. These elements will be developed with a view to updating the definition of good environmental status by 2018.

The parameters associated with the indicators, as well as the levels and trends corresponding to good environmental status and that the aggregation rules at criterion level will be specified for the indicators associated with criterion 1.6 following further studies, as provided for in Article 4 of the Order of 17 December 2012 on the definition of good environmental status of marine waters. These elements will be developed with a view to updating the definition of good environmental status by 2018.