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Legal Basis

The current Regulation (EU) 2019/473 on the European Fisheries Control Agency is in force since 14 April 2019. In the interests of clarity, EFCA’s Founding Regulation of 2005 was replaced by a codified text, which incorporates the initial Founding Regulation and subsequent amendments as listed below:

  • The EFCA was established by Council Regulation (EC) 768/2005 of 26 April 2005.  
  • In the context of the new control regime for the Common Fisheries Policy, EFCA’s Founding Regulation was first amended by Council Regulation (EC) 1224/2009. 
  • The aim of the second amendment by Regulation (EU) 2016/1626 of the European Parliament and of the Council was to increase European cooperation on coast guard functions, as well as to strengthen cooperation at EU and international level between EFCA, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).

The seat of EFCA is Vigo, Spain, as established in Article 27(4) of EFCA’s Regulation.

Background

In the wake of the Common Fisheries Policy reform in 2002, European Union governments deemed necessary to establish the Agency in an effort to instill a culture of compliance within the fisheries sector across Europe. The new permanent structure was to ensure the coordination of inspection and control activities by the Member States and to assist them to cooperate so as to comply with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy. The European Fisheries Control Agency was the result of this need.

Other relevant instruments

EFCA Legal Repository

Extract of EU legislation related to EFCA´s international dimension