DIRECTORATE-GENERAL ENVIRONMENT
Directorate B - Nature
ENV.B.2- Biodiversity
ENV.B.3 - Natura 2000
CGBN
Co-ordination Group
for Biodiversity and Nature
9thmeeting – 18/11/10
/
Agenda item 6
Streamlining and modernising reporting
under the Nature Directives
(InfoDoc.6-3)
Activity #5 - To streamline and modernise the reporting tasks under the Habitats and Birds directives including the dataflow on the Natura 2000 network (ENV.B.3 – Angelika Rubin)
Progress of the Expert Group on Reporting under the Nature Directives
This group was established in early 2008 in order to streamline and modernise the reporting tasks under the Habitats and Birds Directives, including the dataflow on the Natura 2000 network. Its work is structured in 7 work-packages. Seven meetings have taken place so far and the next one is planned for 2nd December 2010. All relevant material discussed in these meetings can be found on the public CIRCA-Reporting site:
An overview on the ongoing work and dates of sub-group meetings can be found in the table in annex.
Important points currently under debate:
- A debate on the strategic approach of the work of the reporting group concluded that the work carried out has a crucial role in the implementation of the nature directives but is now becoming even more important since the adoption of the new 2020 biodiversity target by the European Council and the need to monitor progress towards achieving a favourable conservation status of EU's most important species and habitats. Defining 2020 sub-targets and measuring progress on them ensures that the investments made in implementing the Nature Directives are acknowledged at the highest political level.
- A new strategic cooperation with Birdlife's 'Birds in Europe 3' exercise is in preparation and received, subject to clarifying a few aspects, strong support from Member States experts so far. It will ease the reporting of data on status and trends of birds and lower the burden on Member States.
- The Art.17 review is the most extensive work-package and has already come to important conclusions, a first debate of the revised reporting format took place in the last Habitats Committee meeting on 15 November.
- A revised SDF proposal has been submitted for final comments (2nd consultation) to the Habitats Committee and was discussed in the last meeting on 15 November.
- The sub-groups of WP1, WP2, WP3 and WP4 are actively working in close collaboration in order to modernize the main dataflows on species, habitats and sites and making them fully compatible and accessible to policy analysis. WP5 and 7 have already finalised their products (Habides, public Natura 2000 viewer).
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Expert Group on Reporting under the Nature Directives
Work-plan in progress, version 13 (November 2010)
Work-package / Title(Coordinators) / Subgroup
(Task-sheet) / State of Progress / Meetings / Events
WP1 / Review of the Art.17 (Habitats Directive) reporting exercise 2001-2006
(ETC-BD) / Yes
(Vers.5) / Sub-group is finalising work on following priority tasks:
- Improve harmonisation of data (GIS specifications, population units, determination of range, pressures & threats, trends)
- Improve definition of concepts (favourable reference values, structure & functions, suitable habitat for a species, future prospects, typical species, marine environment)
- Revision of reporting format & guidelines
7 May 2009, Paris
9-11 Sept. 2009, Finland
8-9 Feb. 2010, Paris
31 May-1 June 2010, Brussels
4-6 October, 2010, Uppsala
25 Oct. 2010, Brussels (Marine aspects only)
WP2 / Align / synchronise progress reporting under Birds and Habitats directives
(DG ENV) / Yes
(Vers.6) / A scoping report was finalised end 2008 & work on the development of a reporting format for status and trends of birds startedin mid 2009, incl. testing of the format.
Current state:A strategic approach to data-collation was discussed in the last Expert Group meeting, which would allow a strong reduction of workload for Member States due to close collaboration with BirdLife's "Birds in Europe 3" exercise. Member States efforts would focus on a few additional data-fields for Annex 1 and key migratory species (threats and pressures, impact of the SPA-network).A first consultation of the ORNIS Committee on the direction of the work and the draft reporting format took place and received overallpositive feedback but more work on the details are needed. A first draft reference list is being consulted with the ORNIS Committee now. A note on the cooperation with BiE3 and a revised reporting format will be discussed in the Expert Group of 2nd December. Guidelines will be drafted early 2011 and an approval of the format by the ORNIS is planned for spring 2011. / Subgroup meetings:
19 Jan. 2009, Brussels
10 June 2009, Brussels
3 Nov 2009, Brussels
13 April 2010, Brussels
26 Oct. 2010, Brussels
WP3 / The evaluation of Natura 2000 impact on conservation status
(EEA) / Yes
(Vers.5) / Anoutline paper was prepared followed by a 1st draft of a scoping study. Three sub-group meetings took place focusing on the issue what are the minimum data-requirements to make an assessment of the impact of the Natura 2000 network on conservation status. Current focus is on information estimating the amount of the resource covered by the network, trend in the network (optional) and basic information on the most important management measures for the network.
Current state: The last sub-group meeting discussed the enlargement of its scope to SPAs under the Birds Directive, which was given a basically positive opinion. The parameters to be reported were worked out in greater details and will flow in the next versions of the reporting formats of WP1 & WP2 / Subgroup meeting:
24 Sept. 2009, Brussels
3 March 2010, Brussels
28 September 2010, Brussels
WP4 / Revision of Natura 2000 dataflow
(ETC-BD) / Yes
(Vers.5) / Work on revision of SDF and data transmission and quality assurance is ongoing. Drafts of revised SDFs were discussed in several expert group meetings and two Habitats Committee meetings so far.
Current state:A second consultation of the Habitats Committee took place and again numerous comments were made by MS of which main ones were discussed in the Committee meeting of 15 November. A final version shall be elaborated now. A vote by written procedure is envisaged. / Subgroup meeting:
26/27 March 2009, Paris
WP5 / Finalise HaBides (derogation reporting)
(DG ENV) / -
(Vers.4) / After consultation and testing the Habides draft tool in the Reporting Group and with the Habitats Committee, version 1.0 of the tool was launched in mid September 2009. Member States were encouraged to use the tool for the derogation reports due in 2009. The format (content) was put forward for agreement of the Habitats Committee on 1st of March and will be used for the upcoming reporting periods. A version 2 of the tool in Java (open source) was released mid April 2010 responding to comments made by Member States and another version responding to further comments by MS (option to translate the tool, option to export data for Bern Convention reporting) was released in October 2010.
Current state:The work is basically terminated and the tool available now for use. However MS are encouraged to report about any possible problems with the tool, which can be improved further in the future.
WP6 / Notification of compensatory measures under Art. 6.4 (HD)
(DG ENV) / -
(Vers.1) / A first task-sheet was presented to the expert group meeting in June 2009. A first discussion paper was prepared for the Expert Group meeting on 18 November 2009. MS were asked for written comments.
Current state:No comments were received so far. Further steps to be defined.
WP7 / Develop vision for the presentation & access to data / Yes
(Vers.2) / Work started in May 2009 with a first draft version of the Natura 2000 public viewer application available for comments and testing (development by EEA). Questions in relation to public access to Natura 2000 geo-database on EU-level were discussed in sub-group meeting on 17 June 2009. After further improvement of the tool, the public Natura 2000 viewer went online in February 2010.
Current state:EEA and ETC/BD in close cooperation with DG ENV work on a range of tools / systems (e.g. Biodiversity Data Centre, BISE, Update of EUNIS, etc.) all including data stemming from reporting under the nature directives. A dedicated meeting on these processes (especially the planned viewers) might take place in 2011 / Subgroup meeting:
17 June 2009, Brussels
Reporting Group Meetings: 11 April 2008, 26 June 2008, 7 November 2008, 5 March 2009, 18 June 2009, 18 November 2009, 18 May 2010,2 December 2010 (prov.), 7 April 2011 (prov.), 24 November 2011 (prov.)
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