CEAF
There is also an international focus on a common approach for identifying the ecological effects of offshore wind farms. The Political Declaration made by North Sea energy ministers on energy cooperation between North Sea countries (June 2016) included agreements about the development of a common framework for reporting on environmental effects (CEAF = Common Environmental Assessment Framework). This instrument can be used to support collaboration (on a voluntary basis) in the area of marine spatial planning. It can also contribute to collaboration in the field of ecological research and monitoring.
The following countries are working together under the leadership of the Netherlands on the development of the CEAF; Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Norway and UK-Scotland.
This instrument will be tested in 2018-2019 in a Strategic Environmental Assessment on North Sea Energy (SEANSE) project co-funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund using a number of case studies.