The JRC has recently published two of a series of thematic reports that give recommendations and guidance on how to monitor and identify sources of litter that reach the seas, in order to help design measures to tackle marine litter.
Marine litter is recognised as a threat to both the marine ecosystem and human activities, and therefore is regarded by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) as one of the Descriptors for measuring the "Good Environmental Status" of the Seas (D 10).
Further information: ec.europa.eu