This week, EMSA hosted the 18th CISE Stakeholder Group meeting, held in Lisbon and online. The event brought together representatives from Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, alongside EU agencies and bodies including the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, EDA, EFCA, Frontex, MARSUR, MAOC (N), SATCEN, EU NAVFOR IRINI and ESA, as well as the European Commission – with DG MARE co-chairing the meeting and DG MOVE and DG HOME offering strong words of support and endorsement.

The meeting reaffirmed the continued evolution of the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) – a voluntary and trusted network connecting Europe’s maritime authorities to share information securely and work together for safer seas.

Over one and a half days of lively exchanges, participants reflected on the progress of CISE and considered new ways to embed it more fully into everyday maritime operations across Europe’s sea basins.

Day 1 focused on operational progress and shared experiences:

• Opening remarks by EMSA and DG MARE highlighted the shared commitment to advancing the CISE network as a driver of European maritime cooperation.
• Presentations covered operational activities, national governance models and examples of ongoing information exchanges, including Multipurpose Maritime Operations (MMOs).
• Sea basin discussions, held in both plenary and breakout sessions, gave authorities from the Baltic and Black Seas, North Sea and Atlantic Coast, and Mediterranean regions the opportunity to exchange experiences, identify common challenges, and strengthen regional ties – reinforcing CISE’s collaborative community.

Day 2 looked at synergies and forward-looking developments:

• Updates on interoperability with other EU systems - SafeSeaNet, MARSUR and EUROSUR - presented by EMSA, EDA and Frontex.
• Insights on classified network developments, GNSS interference and AIS spoofing, shared by EMSA and ESA, addressing current and emerging security concerns.
• EU NAVFOR Operation IRINI shared operational needs, highlighting how CISE could potentially serve as a reliable daily tool for secure and effective information exchange in real operational settings.
• DG MARE shared funding opportunities particularly related to developments in subsea cable security, pointing to new areas for cooperation.

The meeting concluded with closing remarks by EMSA and DG MARE, acknowledging the progress achieved and encouraging greater use of CISE in daily operations, while reaffirming the shared ambition to strengthen it as a network of trust – designed by and for Europe’s maritime community.

The next meeting will build on these achievements, continuing to embed CISE into operational practices and shape the next phase of European maritime cooperation.