This dataset presents the resulting assessment grid (based on the EEA reference grid) with the classification of ecosystem health of the transitional, coastal and marine waters in the context of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). This classification has been performed using the MESH+ (Marine EcoSystem Health) tool. The MESH+ tool builds on the EEA assessment tools developed and applied in the context of assessing the degree of contamination (CHASE+), eutrophication (HEAT+) and biodiversity (BEAT+) in Europe's seas (EEA, 2018a, 2019c; Vaughan et al., 2019). MESH+ makes use of the same data sets and threshold values used in these assessments but recombines these in a new framework that addresses 'ecosystem condition'. The overall area of interest used is based on the marine regions and subregions under the MSFD. Additionally, Norwegian (Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea) and Icelandic waters (’Iceland Sea’) have been added (see Surrounding seas of Europe). Note that within the North East Atlantic region only the subregions within EEZ boundaries (~200 nm) have been included. The spatial resolution of the assessment grid is 20 km x 20 km in coastal areas and 100 km x 100 km in offshore areas. This dataset underpins the findings and cartographic representations published in the report "Marine Messages II" (EEA, 2020): https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/marine-messages-2

The bathing water quality data services include all coastal and inland bathing waters reported and assessed in the European Union Member States, Albania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The data is reported annually in the scope of the Bathing Water Directive (Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2006, BWD) reporting obligations. The map services in https://water.discomap.eea.europa.eu/arcgis/rest/services/BathingWater show the location of the bathing waters and the assessment of bathing water quality for the last reported bathing season, as well as for the ten previous bathing seasons. Each bathing water is assessed for three statuses: 1) monitoring calendar status, 2) management status, 3) bathing water quality status. The monitoring calendar status evaluates the implementation of the monitoring calendar in the last reported season (as defined in Annex IV of the Bathing Water Directive). The management status evaluates the management in the last assessment period, whether the bathing water was continuously monitored or not. The bathing quality status evaluates the quality of bathing waters according to the two microbiological parameters: Escherichia coli and Intestinal enterococci (as defined in Annexes I and II of the Bathing Water Directive). The bathing water quality is classified in one of four classes: “Excellent”, “Good”, “Sufficient” or “Poor”. The status “Not classified” is applied if there are not enough available samples to evaluate the water quality. The data service in https://discodata.eea.europa.eu/ contains the results of the bathing water status since 1990: [WISE_BWD].[latest].[assessment_BathingWaterStatus] It also contains the reported data in the following tables: [WISE_BWD].[latest].[timeseries_Characterisation] [WISE_BWD].[latest].[timeseries_SeasonalPeriod] [WISE_BWD].[latest].[timeseries_MonitoringResult] [WISE_BWD].[latest].[spatial_SpatialProtected]

The BEAT+ tool builds on the EEA assessment tools developed and applied in the context of assessing the degree of contamination (CHASE+), eutrophication (HEAT+) and biodiversity (BEAT+) in Europe's seas. BEAT+ makes use of the same data sets and threshold values used in these assessments but recombines these in a new framework that addresses 'biodiversity condition'. BEAT+ has been designed to provide an assessment of the spatial variability of a range of biodiversity components by combining existing biodiversity indicators. The tool integrates data from normalised indicators to identify worst case status measures for different biodiversity components. The results are then linked to a standard gridE based Spatial Assessment Unit (SAU) which is used both for biodiversity and for pressures assessments (Andersen et al., 2014). These grid-based SAUs not only allow alignment of indicators for biodiversity and for pressures but provide a means for combining large assessment areas (e.g. for wide‐ranging species) with point data collected from biological surveys e.g. WFD monitoring. BEAT+ tool works by calculating a Biological Quality Ratio (BQR) which is an aggregated score of indicator outcomes within a grid square. To allow objective comparison, the indicator outcomes are normalised to a scale of 0 to 1, with five status classes at equal intervals on that scale (from Bad starting at 0, Poor at 0.2, Medium at 0.4, Good at 0.6 and High at 0.8). By this means, indicators based on different biological criteria can be aggregated in a consistent way. This metadata refers to dataset providing the results of classification of biodiversity status using the BEAT+ tool. The status is evaluated in five classes, where High and Good are recognised as ‘non-problem areas’ and Moderate, Poor and Bad are recognised as ‘problem areas’. The dataset covers: - BQR Assessment of all marine mammals combined (mainly focused on coastal and relatively stable inshore populations of seals, dolphins and porpoises) - BQR Assessment of seabirds and wading birds - BQR Assessment of commercial fish (as these have agreed targets defined on biomass and fishing mortality) - BQR Assessment of pelagic habitats - BQR Assessment of benthic habitats - BQR Assessment of worst-performing biodiversity groups - An overall synthesis of the Biological Quality Ratios (BQR) values (showing which are the worst -lowest- BQR values in each assessment grid cell. The ‘worst’ value is used here to identify the biological group most at risk, rather than averaging over all groups to avoid over-­emphasis on groups with more intensive monitoring). As reference, please consult the ETC/ICM Report 3/2019: Biodiversity in Europe's seas: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-icm/products/biodiversity-in-europes-seas. The indicator BEAT+ Integrated Assessment Worst Case BQR has been used in the EEA report 17/2019 "Marine Messages II": https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/marine-messages-2.

The service contains information about the ecological status or potential of European surface water bodies, delineated for the 2nd River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Quality Element status is the poorest of the known quality element status values per water body. For example, the nutrient conditions status (QE3-1-6) is based on the following two quality elements: Nitrogen conditions (QE3-1-6-1) and Phosphorus conditions (QE3-1-6-2). The ecological status or potential is presented for the following quality elements: QE1 - Biological quality elements; QE1-1 - Phytoplankton; QE1-2 - Other aquatic flora; QE1-2-1 - Macroalgae; QE1-2-2 - Angiosperms; QE1-2-3 - Macrophytes; QE1-2-4 - Phytobenthos; QE1-3 - Benthic invertebrates; QE1-4 - Fish; QE2 - Hydromorphological quality elements; QE2-1 - Hydrological or tidal regime; QE2-2 - River continuity conditions; QE2-3 - Morphological conditions; QE3 - Chemical and physico-chemical quality elements; QE3-1 - General parameters; QE3-1-1 - Transparency conditions; QE3-1-2 - Thermal conditions; QE3-1-3 - Oxygenation conditions; QE3-1-4 - Salinity conditions; QE3-1-5 - Acidification status; QE3-1-6 - Nutrient conditions; QE3-1-6-1 - Nitrogen conditions; QE3-1-6-2 - Phosphorus conditions; QE3-3 - River Basin Specific Pollutants. The information was reported to the European Commission under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) reporting obligations. The dataset compiles the available spatial data related to the 2nd RBMPs due in 2016 (hereafter WFD2016). See http://rod.eionet.europa.eu/obligations/715 for further information on the WFD2016 reporting. Relevant concepts: Surface water body: Body of surface water means a discrete and significant element of surface water such as a lake, a reservoir, a stream, river or canal, part of a stream, river or canal, a transitional water or a stretch of coastal water. Surface water: Inland waters, except groundwater; transitional waters and coastal waters, except in respect of chemical status for which it shall also include territorial waters. Inland water: All standing or flowing water on the surface of the land, and all groundwater on the landward side of the baseline from which the breadth of territorial waters is measured. River: Body of inland water flowing for the most part on the surface of the land but which may flow underground for part of its course. Lake: Body of standing inland surface water. Transitional waters: Bodies of surface water in the vicinity of river mouths which are partly saline in character as a result of their proximity to coastal waters but which are substantially influenced by freshwater flows. Coastal water: Surface water on the landward side of a line, every point of which is at a distance of one nautical mile on the seaward side from the nearest point of the baseline from which the breadth of territorial waters is measured, extending where appropriate up to the outer limit of transitional waters.