Mission
The mission of the Agency shall be:
(a)
to coordinate control and inspection by Member States related to the control and inspection obligations of the Union;
(b)
to coordinate the deployment of the national means of control and inspection pooled by the Member States concerned in accordance with this Regulation;
(c)
to assist Member States in reporting information on fishing activities and control and inspection activities to the Commission and third parties;
(d)
in the field of its competences, to assist Member States to fulfil their tasks and obligations pursuant to the rules of the common fisheries policy;
(e)
to assist Member States and the Commission in harmonising the application of the common fisheries policy throughout the Union;
(f)
to contribute to the work of Member States and the Commission on research into and development of control and inspection techniques;
(g)
to contribute to the coordination of the training of inspectors and the exchange of experience between Member States;
(h)
to coordinate the operations to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (‘IUU’) fishing in conformity with Union rules;
(i)
to assist in the uniform implementation of the control system of the common fisheries policy, including in particular:
—
the organisation of the operational coordination of control activities by Member States for the implementation of specific control and inspection programmes, control programmes related to IUU fishing and international control and inspection programmes,
—
inspections as necessary to fulfil the Agency's tasks in accordance with Article 19;
(j)
to cooperate with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, established by Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 12 ) , and the European Maritime Safety Agency, established by Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 13 ) , each within its mandate, to support the national authorities carrying out coast guard functions as set out in Article 8 of this Regulation, by providing services, information, equipment and training as well as by coordinating multipurpose operations.
Tasks relating to the international obligations of the Union relating to control and inspection
1. The Agency shall, at the Commission's request:
(a)
assist the Union and Member States in their relations with third countries and regional international fisheries organisations of which the Union is a member;
(b)
cooperate with the competent authorities of regional international fisheries organisations regarding the control and inspection obligations of the Union in the framework of working arrangements concluded with such bodies.
2. The Agency may, at the Commision's request, cooperate with the competent authorities of third countries in matters relating to control and inspection in the framework of agreements concluded between the Union and such third countries.
3. The Agency may, within its field of competence, carry out, on behalf of Member States, tasks under international fisheries agreements to which the Union is a party.
Tasks relating to operational coordination
1. Operational coordination by the Agency shall cover control of all activities covered by the common fisheries policy.
2. For the purpose of operational coordination, the Agency shall establish joint deployment plans and organise the operational coordination of control and inspection by Member States in accordance with Chapter III.
3. For the purpose of enhanced operational coordination between Member States, the Agency may establish operational plans with the Member States concerned and coordinate their implementation.
Provision of contractual services to Member States
The Agency may provide contractual services to Member States, at their request, relating to control and inspection in connection with their obligations concerning fisheries in Union and/or international waters, including the chartering, operating and staffing of control and inspection platforms and the provision of observers for joint operations by the Member States concerned.
Assistance to the Commission and the Member States
The Agency shall assist the Commission and the Member States for the purpose of ensuring a high level of uniform and effective fulfilment of their obligations under the rules of the common fisheries policy, including as regards the fight against IUU fishing, and assist them in their relations with third countries. The Agency shall in particular:
(a)
establish and develop a core curriculum for the training of the instructors of the fisheries inspectorate of the Member States and provide additional training courses and seminars to those officials and other personnel involved in control and inspection activities;
(b)
establish and develop a core curriculum for the training of Union inspectors before their first deployment and provide updated additional training and seminars on a regular basis to those officials;
(c)
at the request of Member States, undertake the joint procurement of goods and services relating to control and inspection activities by Member States as well as the preparation for and the coordination of the implementation by Member States of joint pilot projects;
(d)
draw up joint operational procedures in relation to joint control and inspection activities undertaken by two or more Member States;
(e)
elaborate criteria for the exchange of means of control and inspection between Member States and between Member States and third countries, and for the provision of such means by the Member States;
(f)
conduct risk analysis on the basis of fisheries data on catches, landings and fisheries effort, as well as risk analysis of unreported landings including, inter alia, a comparison of data on catches and imports with data on exports and on national consumption;
(g)
at the request of the Commission or of Member States, develop common inspection methodologies and procedures;
(h)
assist Member States, at their request, to comply with their Union and international obligations, including the fight against IUU fishing, and those arising in the framework of regional fisheries management organisations;
(i)
promote and coordinate the development of uniform risk management methodologies in the field of its competence;
(j)
coordinate and promote cooperation between Member States, and common standards for the development of sampling plans provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.
European cooperation on coast guard functions
1. The Agency shall, in cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency, support national authorities carrying out coast guard functions at national and Union level, and, where appropriate, at international level, by:
(a)
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;
(b)
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;
(c)
building capacity by drawing up guidelines and recommendations and by establishing best practices as well as by providing training and exchange of staff;
(d)
enhancing the exchange of information and cooperation on coast guard functions, including by analysing operational challenges and emerging risks in the maritime domain;
(e)
sharing capacity by planning and implementing multipurpose operations and by sharing assets and other capabilities, to the extent that those activities are coordinated by those agencies and are agreed to by the competent authorities of the Member States concerned.
2. The precise forms of cooperation on coast guard functions between the Agency, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency shall be determined in a working arrangement, in accordance with their respective mandates and the financial rules applicable to those agencies. Such arrangement shall be approved by the Administrative Board of the Agency, the Management Board of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the Administrative Board of the European Maritime Safety Agency.
3. The Commission shall, in close cooperation with the Member States, the Agency, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency, make available a practical handbook on European cooperation on coast guard functions. That handbook shall contain guidelines, recommendations and best practices for the exchange of information. The Commission shall adopt the handbook in the form of a recommendation.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
