2. The Tripartite Working Arrangement (TWA) of EFCA, EMSA and Frontex
20 April 2017 Rome, ECGFA NET II

3. European Cooperation on Coastguard functions
Timeline
2009:
- EMSA-Frontex-EFCA Cooperation Arrangement
- EFCA Council Reg 768/2005, Maritime Affairs included
2014:
- Commission Feasibility Study on Coastguard Functions
- Council adopts EU Maritime Security Strategy
Sept 2015:
- Com. Pres. Juncker State of the Union
- Commission Non Paper on Coastguard Functions
Dec 2015:
- EP Adopts Pilot project
- Commission proposal for amending EMSA and EFCA Founding Reg. & New Frontex Founding Reg. :
Frontex-EMSA-EFCA
Pilot Project
- Sept 2016: amending Founding Reg. of EFCA and EMSA & New Frontex Founding Reg. approved and published
- 17 March 2017:
TWA entered into force
July 2014:
- Com. Pres. Juncker
Pol. guidelines
- Towards a new Policy on Migration
- A Stronger Global Actor
European Cooperation on Coastguard functions
2005:
Council Reg. 768/2005 establishing EFCA
2004:
Council Reg. 2007/2004 establishing Frontex

4. Legal basis for TWA
In September 2016 the amending founding regulations of EMSA and EFCA, and the creation of a new European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), were adopted and published.
They all include a similar article to give the 3 agencies a role for establishing a European cooperation on coast guard functions*.
* Regulations (EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council 1624/2016, 1625/2016 and 1626/2016.

5. What is TWA? An overarching agreement:
serving as a basis for the cooperation between the Agencies;
providing the basis for additional implementing agreements between the Agencies.
TWA establishes:
the objectives of the cooperation;
a structure for the governance including the 3 Agencies;
the need to agree each year on a strategic document on the cooperation.

6. Benefits of TWA
Effective and cost-efficient support from the 3 Agencies to the activities of more than 300 civilian and military authorities in the Member States responsible for carrying out coastguard functions in a wide range of areas such as:
maritime safety, security, search and rescue;
border control;
fisheries control;
customs control;
general law enforcement;
environmental protection.

7. 5 main areas of interagency cooperation
Capacity building (training, briefings, criteria for exchanges of personnel)
Information sharing, fusing and analysing (VMS, VDS, Incidents report, RPAs…)
Exchange of information on operational challenges and emerging risks in maritime domain
Capacity, assets and capabilities sharing in multipurpose operations
Surveillance and communication services
five main areas:
sharing, fusing and analysing information available in ship reporting systems and other information systems hosted by or accessible to those agencies, in accordance with their respective legal bases and without prejudice to the ownership of data by Member States;
providing surveillance and communication services based on state-of-the-art technology, including space-based and ground infrastructure and sensors mounted on any kind of platform;
building capacity by drawing up guidelines and recommendations and by establishing best practices as well as by providing training and exchange of staff;
enhancing the exchange of information and cooperation on coast guard functions including by analysing operational challenges and emerging risks in the maritime domain;
sharing capacity by planning and implementing multipurpose operations and by sharing assets and other capabilities, to the extent that these activities are coordinated by those agencies and are agreed to by the competent authorities of the Member States concerned
TWA

8. State of play of cooperation
First meeting of the steering Group between the three agencies foreseen in June 2017
Strategic document for SPD 2018 to be agreed by three agencies and foreseen to be approved in October 2017
The TWA between the three agencies entered into force on 17 March 2017
The development of an Outline of Guidelines/Handbook on interagency cooperation is in its final stages
Cooperation with MS through the Regional Steering Groups
The CG Pilot Project is being implemented until the end of June In that respect:
ECGFA NET, CGFSQF
Cooperation with the ECGFF

9. The CG Pilot Project "Creation of a European coastguard function"
Task
Topics
Activities
Agency coordinating
TASK 1
Sharing information
Fusing and analysing data
EMSA
TASK 2
Surveillance services
Remotely piloted aircraft systems
Maritime Patrol Aircraft etc.
FRONTEX
TASK 3
Capacity building
Guidelines, recommendations & best practices
EFCA
TASK 4
Capacity sharing
Multipurpose operations
The three agencies continue working together with the three “partner” Commission Directorate-Generals (MARE, HOME and MOVE) in the implementation of the pilot project "Creation of a European coastguard function", that will be implemented until the end of June 2017.

10. Closure event of CG Pilot Project
Closing workshop of the pilot project which will be held at EMSA’s premises in Lisbon on 2 June 2017
Attended by the Members of the respective Governing Bodies from the three Agencies, representatives from the European Coast Guard Functions Forum (ECGFF), relevant Commission services and representatives of the European Parliament.
The purpose and goal of the workshop is to present the results of the cooperation under the pilot project for the different tasks, lessons learnt and recommendations for further cooperation.

11. THANK YOU! 11