EMSA
  • This Is EMSA
      • Back
      • Agency structure
      • Administrative Board
      • Our Management
      • Mission Statements
      • Legal Foundation
      • Financial Management
      • Environmental Management
      • Quality Management System
      • Partnerships
      • Personal Data Protection
      • Work with us
      • Transparency Portal
  • What we do
      • Back
      • Sustainability Sustainability
      • Safety & Security Safety & Security
      • Digitalisation Digitalisation
      • Simplification Simplification
      • Surveillance Surveillance
      • Technical Assistance Technical Assistance
  • Events
      • Back
      • Workshop Materials
      • Training Materials
  • Newsroom
      • Back
      • Latest News
      • Newsletters
      • Video Gallery
      • Infographics
      • Press Area
      • COVID-19 Impact
      • Subscriptions
      • Connect with EMSA
  • Publications
      • Back
      • Annual Highlights 2024
      • Corporate Publications
      • Leaflets & Brochures
      • Guidelines & Inventories
      • Technical Reports
      • Documents
      • Financial Texts
      • Legislative Texts
      • Maritime Data
  • Contact us
      • Back
      • Practical Information
      • Contact Form
      • Advanced Search
      • Connect with EMSA
  1. Technical Assistance
  2. European Cooperation on Coast Guard functions

European Cooperation on Coast Guards functions

  • About
    • EMSA's role
    • Strategy and outcomes
  • Services and tools
  • European and international cooperation
  • European cooperation on coast guard functions [leaflet]
  • Greening Award Initiative

European Cooperation on Coast Guard functions

banner coast guards

The European Union and its Member States have a strategic interest across the global maritime domain in identifying and addressing relevant challenges linked to the sea.

European citizens expect effective and cost-efficient responses to ensure the protection of the maritime domain, including borders, ports and offshore installations. They also expect secure seaborne trade, that potential threats from unlawful and illicit activities at sea are addressed, and that the sea’s potential for growth and jobs is maximised, while at the same time safeguarding the marine environment.

To this end, within the EU, there are more than 300 civilian and military authorities responsible for carrying out coast guard functions. These functions comprise tasks related to safety and security at sea, search and rescue, border control, fisheries control, customs activities and environmental protection and response.

Three EU agencies in cooperation

European cooperation on coast guard functions refers to the joint work of three EU agencies – the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the European Fishery Control Agency (EFCA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) - to support national authorities in carrying out coast guard functions at national and EU level and, where appropriate, at international level.

 

emsa350 efca350 frontex350

 

The Founding Regulations of each of the three agencies were amended in 2016 with a common article identifying five areas for cooperation. Here, projects are constantly developed to ensure a close cross-border and cross-sector collaboration and coordination between the three agencies and Member State authorities, to avoid duplication and redundancy of efforts and to build up synergies.

This provides an explicit legal basis for the three agencies to join forces and streamline activities in order to increase maritime situational awareness and provide tailored services to Member State authorities carrying out coast guard functions.

Watch EMSA video

Annual Coast Guard Event

annual coast guard
The Annual European Coast Guard Event (AECGE) consults the national authorities performing activities falling under the remit of the coast guard functions and strengthens cooperation with other EU and international partners on the three agencies’ relevant activities.

 

ecgf leaflet

European cooperation on coast guard functions [leaflet]

Available in 20 languages

As part of the projects for technical assistance funded by the European Commission, EMSA offers cooperation and assistance in the fields of maritime safety and security, prevention of pollution from ships and marine environmental issues to:

Europen Union flag
An Agency of the European Union
Working with us
Open vacancies
Traineeships
Public Procurement
Experts and Speakers
Transparency portal
Data protection
Access to documents
Legal notice
Contact
European Maritime Safety Agency
Praça Europa 4
Cais do Sodré
1249-206 LISBOA
Portugal
Access our contact form
Facebook linkedin X instagram Youtube
© 2025 European Maritime Safety Agency All Rights Reserved.
Information on this site is subject to a disclaimer, a copyright and personal data protection.