Europe's law of the seas faces earthly hurdles

Agreed at the end of 2007 after protracted negotiations, the EU’s marine strategy framework directive is fast approaching the first crucial phase of implementation. Nadia Weekes looks at preparations in the UK

When the EU’s marine strategy framework directive (MSFD) hit the statute book in June 2008, nearly three years after the European Commission issued its original proposal, it did so as a “strikingly devolved directive”, David Mottershead of the Anglo-Welsh environment ministry said at a CMS conference in London in November.