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Conclusions of the Advisory Board Meetings
- Meeting held on 19 October 2023
- Meeting held on 19 April 2023
- Meeting held on 24 October 2022
- Meeting held on 4 April 2022
- Meeting held on 8 October 2021
- Meeting held on 15 April 2021
- Meeting held on 9 October 2020
- Meeting held on 17 March 2020
- Meeting held on 21 October 2019
- Meeting held on 27 February 2019
- Meeting held on 9 October 2018
- Meeting held on 23 February 2018
- Meeting held on 20 September 2017
- Meeting held on 3 March 2017
In addition to other learning materials, the EFCA has developed an e-learning platform for the training of fisheries inspectors (including from non-EU countries), Union inspectors, and Fisheries monitoring centres’ operators.
The e-learning modules and other training material such as video tutorials are now available in various languages on the EFCA e-learning platform under:
https://training.efca.europa.eu/
Member States, European Commission and other EU-Agencies officials are invited to register by using their professional e-mail address and by generating their own password.
This short video will give you an overview of the content and learning possibilities offered by the EFCA e-learning platform.
Regulation (EU) 2019/473 on the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA’s Founding Regulation) 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:
- EFCA was established by Council Regulation (EC) No 768/2005 of 26 April 2005 and later amended by Council Regulation (EC) 1224/2009.
- In 2016, Regulation (EU) 2016/1626 of the European Parliament and of the Council introduced a second amendment aimed at increasing 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).
- In 2024, new amendments have been introduced by Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council with landmark changes widening the mission and the activities of the Agency. In addition, as from 2024, EFCA’s Union inspectors have been given powers to conduct inspections in the Economic Exclusive Zone of EU Member States. Besides, as from 2024, the European Parliament may appoint one member and one alternate to the Administrative Board, without the right to vote.
The seat of EFCA is Vigo, Spain, as established in Article 27(4) of EFCA’s Founding Regulation.
Background
In the wake of the 2002 Common Fisheries Policy reform, European Union governments deemed necessary to establish the Agency in an effort to build 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.
Relevant legal instruments
- Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023
- Regulation (EU) 2019/473 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the European Fisheries Control Agency
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy.
- Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy.
- Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
EFCA Legal Repository in the international dimension
Improved regional fisheries governance in western Africa (PESCAO)
The project ‘Improved regional fisheries governance in western Africa (PESCAO)’ was adopted by Commission Decision C(2017) 2951 of 28 April 2017.
Overall objective
The overall objective is to enhance the contribution of fisheries resources to sustainable development, food security and poverty alleviation in west Africa. The specific objective is to improve regional fisheries governance in the region through better coordination of national fisheries policies.
Expected results
The expected results or outputs are as follows:
Result 1: A west African fisheries and aquaculture policy is developed and coordination of regional stakeholders is improved.
Result 2: Prevention of and responses to IUU fishing are strengthened through improved monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) at national and regional levels.
Result 3: Marine resources management at the regional level is improved, building resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems to perturbations.
Contribution of EFCA
The agency will support the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC/CSRP) and the Fisheries Committee for the West Central of Gulf of Guinea (FCWC/CPCO) in attaining the second result, including the specific results indicated below.
Result 2: Prevention of and responses to IUU fishing are strengthened through improved monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) at national and regional levels.
- Result 2.1. Fisheries’ legal frameworks are harmonised and consistent with international standards to ensure proper fight against IUU fishing.
- Result 2.2. Cooperation between countries, administrations and organisations is facilitated.
- Result 2.3. Infrastructure and equipment of a regional centre for MCS is improved as well as linkage with national MCS structures.
- Result 2.4. Countries’ and regional fisheries bodies’ (RFB’s) capacities in operational MCS are strengthened, along with their ability to sustain this in the long term through enhanced training programmes.
- Result 2.5. Joint regional fisheries/patrol missions are organised in the Gulf of Guinea.
- Result 2.6. A network of regional observers is set up to improve the monitoring of the industrial fleet operating in the region.
Duration and regional scope
The duration of the EFCA contract for implementing this project is 5 years (January 2018 to December 2022) and it covers the SRFC/CSRP and FCWC/CPCO areas. Actions will be carried out in close cooperation with these two organisations and will specifically target 13 countries that are members: Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Leaflet Contribution of the European Fisheries Control Agency to “Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa" in EN, FR and PT.
EFCA Videos
Other videos
This week EFCA is conducting a 'training for trainers' session on Fisheries control and inspection for GFCM countries. 13 trainers from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria are participating in the training session.
Last week (23-26/05/2017), representatives from 20 European countries with sea borders joined Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, along with officials from the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Portugal to move forward with the cooperation on European coast guard functions.
During the three-day Coastex2017 Coast Guard exercise hosted by the Portuguese presidency of the European Coast Guard Functions Forum, vessels, helicopters, airplanes and 90 observers from European Coast Guard authorities conducted exercises to test different coast guard functions. The scenarios tested were: detection of migrants, search and rescue, medical evacuation, pollution, illegal fishing, boarding of a ferry transporting a dangerous person, seizure of drugs and arrest of the traffickers.
“I am delighted to see vessels and helicopters from Italy, Spain and Portugal as well as coast guard officers coming from Germany and observers from 20 European maritime countries taking part in this exercise,” said Berndt Koerner, Frontex Deputy Executive Director.
“Running exercises is crucial if we want to be effective at sea because it helps us test the best ways of working together in a variety of scenarios. The aim of this particular exercise, and the numerous seminars taking place behind the scenes, is to develop the best way of conducting coast guard operations together,” he added.
Coast Guard organisations differ from country to country in Europe. In some, the coast guard is mainly responsible for search and rescue, while other national authorities also cover responsibilities related to law enforcement, fisheries, maritime safety or pollution control.
Frontex has been working hand in hand with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) to cover the full scope of coast guard functions that go beyond border management.
This week in EFCA's premises a group of inspectors from the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) from the EU and Canada are participting in a workshop about conservation and enforcement measures. International cooperation strenghtens as participants discuss recent infringement cases to improve procedures.