AUTHORS: Andrew Farmer-James Brown-Clare Miller-Marc Pallemaerts

This briefing considers the following issues relating to the Thematic Strategy on the protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment: the adequacy of the proposal with reference to marine conventions, emissions from marine and land sources, integration with the CFP, ICZM and marine protected areas; the degree to which it will deliver environmental benefits; a comparison with an earlier draft produced by DG Environment; a consideration of how endocrine disruptors have been taken into account; the implications of the proposed use of comitology; and the use of the Commission impact assessment.