ACS-EN-MS-MC: 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 the GES of the marine environment, based on the above 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 marine litter and its decomposition products do not cause or no longer cause significant impacts noted below in order of importance: 1) The litter and its degradation products present and entering the marine sub-region are significantly reduced over time and do not pose a significant risk to marine life at the population level, either a risk of direct mortality or a risk of indirect impacts such as reduced fecundity or mobility, or bioaccumulation in trophic chains. 2) Wastes and their degradation products present and entering the marine sub-region are not a significant vector for the introduction of invasive species. 3) Marine litter present and entering the Marine Sub-region does not pose a direct or indirect risk to human health. (4) The waste and its degradation products present and entering the waters of the Marine Sub-region do not cause significant adverse economic impacts on marine activities, industries and coastal communities. (5) Wastes at sea do not pose an unacceptable risk to navigation.

The indicators related to criterion 10.1 that are relevant for characterising good environmental status are defined as follows : Indicator 10.1.1: Trends in the amount of waste spread and/or deposited on the shoreline, including analysis of the composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, source of the waste. The indicator consists of the amount of waste larger than 2.5cm on selected beaches in the marine sub-region, taking into account the existence of specific inputs, natural or anthropogenic, and allowing analysis at the scale of the marine sub-region. The origin of the waste shall be identified as far as possible. Indicator 10.1.2 Trends in the quantities of wastes in the water column (including those floating on the surface) and resting on the seabed, including analysis of the composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, the source of the waste. The indicator consists of the amount of waste of each of the size categories described above present in the water column and resting on the seabed, estimated from systematic or opportunistic monitoring. The origin of the waste will be identified as far as possible. Indicator 10.1.3 Trends in the quantity, distribution and, where possible, composition of microparticles [including microplastics]. The indicator consists of the quantity of microparticles, less than 5mm in size, and their distribution in the marine sub-region. The composition of the microparticles shall be specified as far as possible. The indicator for criterion 10.2 relevant to characterising good environmental status is defined as follows: Indicator 10.2.1 Trends in the quantity and composition of waste ingested by marine animals [e.g. stomach content analysis].

The parameters associated with the indicator associated with criterion 10.2, the levels and trends characterising good environmental status for the indicators associated with criteria 10.1 and 10.2, as well as the aggregation rules at the level of the criteria and, where appropriate, the descriptor will be specified 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.