Marine Strategy Framework Directive reporting resources Support files for reporting on MSFD programmes of measures, including establishment of marine protected areas (Art. 13), and exceptions (Art. 14), due by 31 March 2016.

Helpdesk FAQ

A FAQ is maintained through the course of the reporting phase to ensure issues raised and responses are made available to all.

Use your reporter login to get access to the FAQ

• MSFD Reporting phase issues FAQ

Reporting and announcement letter

Member States are required to upload their data files to the ‘Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Programmes of Measures' obligation in their national folder in Reportnet (CDR), as described in the announcement letter and guidance for the electronic reporting. Data files are validated XML files (Art 13/14 and, if relevant, geographic data) and text-based files. XML files can be generated automatically by completing webforms (only available for Art 13/14) or from Member State databases. The webforms will be accessible when creating an envelope in the relevant Marine region and/or sub-region sub-collection folder within the Member State folder. More information on the use of webforms can be found in the user guide for using web forms under the Help documents

• Announcement Letter 2015

Reporting package

The reporting requirements for MSFD Articles 13 and 14 are outlined in MSFD Guidance Document 10 which provides general information on the content and format of the reporting.

Detailed guidance on the reporting requirements and process is available in MSFD Guidance Document 12. Certain reporting information (the 'Reporting Sheet') is to be submitted as XML files. The XML schemas are available below and have been translated into web-forms which provide a user-friendly way to complete the XML schemas. Guidance on completing the web-forms is given in Document No.1 Web-form guide.

Reporting of spatial data and metadata

Reporting of spatial data is required only in cases where the reporting areas (MarineUnitIDs) and associated GIS polygons are not already available from the 2012 MSFD reporting. In such cases, updated MSFD4Geo.XML and GIS polygon shapefiles (or gridded data) should be submitted as described in the Reporting package above (and further detailed in the Document n0. 2 MSFD 2012 reporting guidance including database and Document no. 3 on reporting spatial data).

Help documents

The CDR on EIONET contains a help section with a set of general help document.

• Document No.1: Marine Strategy Framework Directive reporting, Webform mini guide
• Document No.2: Guidance for 2012 reporting under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, using the MSFD database tool
• Document No.3: MSFD reporting: User Guide to reporting spatial data

Schemas

• MSFD4Geo_2p0.xsd
• Schema file for Article 13 - Programmes of measures: MSFD13_1p0.xsd
• Schema file for Article 14 - Exceptions: MSFD13_1p0_ex.xsd
• MSCommon_1p1.xsd

Submission

Submission of schemas is made through the ReportNet Common Data Repository, by choosing the “Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Programmes of Measures” reporting obligation under EU obligations. Guidance on uploading to ReportNet can be found in the Document section on this page.

• CDR
• Reporting obligation for: MSFD programmes of measures, including establishment of marine protected areas, and exceptions