• Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 established a framework for Community actions in the field of water policy (Water Framework Directive - WFD). In the meantime, the directive was several times amended.
• Similar to the water framework directive, Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 established a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive -MSFD).
• Recommendation 2002/413/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2002 sets the common principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Europe.
• In a communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions (COM(2011) 244 final) an EU biodiversity strategy until 2020 was formulated.
• Council Regulation (EC) No 708/2007 of 11 June 2007 deals with alien and locally absent species in aquaculture.