EU request on revisions to Marine Strategy Framework Directive manuals for Descriptors 3, 4, and 6

Revisions to three MSFD manuals were carried out based on the results of three workshops. These revisions are annexed in the requested format to this advice. Broadly these revisions have followed the templates and texts supplied to ICES following  discussion  by  the  EU’s  Working  Group  on  Good  Environmental  Status.  For  Descriptors  3  and  4,  no  major  changes  were  made  to  the  manuals,  but  revision  was  deeper  for  Descriptor  6  following  comments  from  many  EU Member States. EU Member States (supported by the European Commission) asked also for advice on the next steps for implementation of the Descriptors for the period 2015–2018.