In this report we present a survey of existing information for the assessment of loads of hazardous substances to the European coastal waters. Based on the information available, we select three example substances (PFOS, trifluralin and lindane) for which we perform an assessment of the baseline conditions and (limited) retrospective analysis using direct and inverse modeling. We also suggest criteria and methods to assess future scenarios of chemical loads in response to legislative provisions and accounting for the physico-chemical properties of the substances, based on the use of lumped models but accounting for the spatial variability of environmental processes and emissions.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource