The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) recently hosted a workshop on marine Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) within the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The workshop, which took place from 10 to 12 February 2026, gathered experts from Member States and representatives of marine Regional Sea Conventions to discuss progress on monitoring, measures, and targets related to NIS.
Experts acknowledged that progress has been made, but that challenges still exist in calculating monitoring efforts, setting effective targets, and assessing the impact of NIS on marine biodiversity, highlighting the need for further action to protect Europe's marine ecosystems.
In particular, researchers noted that current efforts to monitor the spread of NIS in Europe's seas are insufficient to fully understand the harm they cause, and that more work is needed to develop a shared approach to study their impact on marine ecosystems. A consensus was achieved on the need to assess the effects of NIS, which is a complex task that requires more research and cooperation. To address this challenge, the JRC will continue to work with countries experts to develop new methods and strategies for monitoring and managing NIS, with the ultimate goal of protecting Europe's marine biodiversity.