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DENMARK

Copenhagen Agreement on the Cooperation in Combating against Pollution Incidents at Sea

Source: Copenhagen Agreement Website

Denmark including Greenland and the Faroe island, Iceland, Finland including Åland island, Sweden and Norway are parties to this agreement, which covers mutual notification, assistance and aerial surveillance of oil and other chemicals at sea. Very few countries have sufficient resources for combating oil spills and other pollution incidents on their own, and for that reason, it is important that nations cooperate closely with other nations on mutual assistance.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response

Bonn Agreement - Cooperation in Dealing with Pollution in the North Sea

Source: Bonn Agreement Website

The Bonn Agreement is the mechanism by which ten Governments, together with the European Union, cooperate in dealing with pollution of the North Sea by oil and other harmful substances. The signatories to the Agreement are the Governments of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the UK, and the European Union. Spain joined as a Contracting Party in 2019.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response

Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (BSTF-OC)

Source: Council of the Baltic Sea States Website

The Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (BSTF-OC) was created in 1996 in Visby (Sweden) through a decision of the Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States. It comprises 11 personal representatives of the Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden). Officials from Interpol, Europol, the EU Council and the Secretariat of the Council of the Baltic Sea States have the status of observers at the BSTF meetings.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Border Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement

Baltic Sea Fisheries Forum (BALTFISH)

Source: EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EU SSBSR) Website

BALTFISH was initiated in 2009 as a flagship project within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSBSR. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in December 2013 by the ministers in the eight member states in the Baltic Sea Region, and thus changing the status of BALTFISH from a flagship project to a permanent fisheries forum. BALTFISH works on two levels. There is a high-level group (HLG) composed of the Member States fisheries directors and invited officials from the European Commission. There is also the BALTFISH Forum Seminar composed of representatives from Member States, the European Commission and the Baltic Sea Advisory Council as well as representatives from other relevant stakeholders in the Baltic Sea fisheries.

Coast Guard Functions
Fisheries Inspection & Control

Baltic Sea Region Border Control Cooperation (BSRBCC)

Source: BSRBCC Website

The Baltic Sea Region Border Control Cooperation (BSRBCC) is a flexible regional tool for daily inter-agency interaction in the field of environmental protection. It also aims to combat cross-border crime in the Baltic Sea region, with a particular focus on the maritime environment. Cooperation Partners are Police, Border Guards, Coast Guards and Customs Authorities. The BSRBCC Border Guard Chiefs meet annually and is responsible for the cooperation initiative, and approving the operational strategy. It also has an operational and economic mandate for cooperation. The BSRBCC presidency, which is for one year, is supported by a secretariat, which includes representatives from the last, current and next Presidency, thereby ensuring continuity. The Baltic Border Committee (BBC) prepares and implements the cooperation strategy through joint operations, where national representatives integrate national action and local cooperation into wider cooperation as necessary. Each MS operates a 24/7 National Coordination Centre (NCC), whilst the Presidency maintains an International Coordination Centre (ICC).

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Customs Activities
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response

Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (Helcom)

Source: HELCOM Website

HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission) is the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, known as the Helsinki Convention. The Contracting Parties are Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden. HELCOM was established about four decades ago to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental cooperation. Its vision for the future is a healthy Baltic Sea environment with diverse biological components functioning in balance, resulting in a good ecological status and supporting a wide range of sustainable economic and social activities. It also includes cooperation mechanisms for fisheries and navigation safety.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement

Arctic Regional Hydrographic Commission (ARHC)

Source: Union of International Associations Website

The ARHC aims to promote technical cooperation in the domain of hydrographic surveying, marine cartography and nautical information as well as examining the implications in the Arctic Ocean Region of matters of general interest. It also aims to stimulate the widening of hydrographic activity in the Arctic Ocean Region and encourage seeking technical advice and assistance in establishing and strengthening hydrographic capabilities. It helps to define the needs for new hydrographic products and services, facilitates information exchange, and aids in the planning and organization of hydrographic activities. The following are member countries of the ARHC: Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, United States of America, and Iceland.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Countries involved

Arctic Council

Source: Artic Council Website

The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. The Council Member States are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the US. In addition, six organisations representing Arctic indigenous peoples have status as Permanent Participants. The Council operates a number of different Task Forces on issues such as Marine Cooperation, Search and Rescue, Oil Pollution Prevention, Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response etc.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security

Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF)

Source: ACGF Website

The Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) is an independent, informal, operationally driven organization, not bound by treaty, to foster safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity in the Arctic. All Arctic countries, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States are members of the forum. The ‘Chair’ duties of the ACGF rotate every two years in concert with the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Iceland is the chair for the Forum in 2019 - 2021. The work of the ACGF is headed by the ACGF Chair and supported by the Secretariat and Working Groups. The Secretariat is responsible for implementing strategic direction and the operation of the ACGF and its Working Groups.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Customs Activities
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security

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