Revising the marine section of the EUNIS Habitat classification - Report of a workshop held at the European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity, 12 & 13 May 2016 - ETC/BD Working paper N°A/2016 revised 2017

13 May 2016

Iulian Petchesi

The EUNIS habitats classification has been developed since the mid-1990s and has not changed significantly since 2004. In October 2011 the European Environment Agency held a meeting to discuss the classification and it was agreed that a revision was necessary, particularly for the marine component. An expert workshop held in November 2013 agreed the principles for a revision leading to a revised classification which was the subject of an EIONET based consultation with interested parties in summer 2015. The classification was further revised to take into account comments received during the consultation but for several issues there had been conflicting comments which needed resolving before the revision could be completed. To address these issues the ETC/BD organised a workshop on the 12 and 13 May 2016. This report summarises the conclusions of the meeting, focusing on level 2 of the classification.


Prepared by: Douglas Evans (from Scottish Natural Heritage, UK, seconded to ETC/BD-MNHN, FR), Annabelle Aish and Noëmie Michez (from MNHN, FR), Arjen Boon (from ETC/ICM, DE), Sophie Condé and Dominique Richard (from ETC/BD-MNHN, FR), David Connor (from European Commission-DG Environment, BE), Eva Gelabert (from EEA, DK), Megan Parry (from ETC/BD partner JNCC, UK), Eva Salvati and Leonardo Tunesi (from ETC/BD partner ISPRA, IT)