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European Association of Airport and Seaport Police (EAASP)

Source: EAASP Website

The EAASP aims to work in partnership through the mutual exchange of knowledge and practices to make the ports of Europe a safe environment for the communities they serve. The responsibility for the control of seaports within EAASP member countries lies, as it does with aviation, with national organisations. However, the EAASP Maritime Group (EMG) can, and does, play an important role in the coordination and implementation of joint security operations carried out by those organisations, as well as legislative changes relating to the management and security of seaports. The EMG promotes common standards and inter-operability, and aims to develop the exchange of information and intelligence.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Ship and Port Security

Marine Accident Investigators International Forum (MAIIF)

Source: MAIIF Website

The Marine Accident Investigators’ International Forum (MAIIF) is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the advancement of maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution through the exchange of ideas, experiences and information acquired in marine accident investigation. It aims to promote and improve marine accident investigation, and to foster cooperation and communication between marine accident investigators. It aims to develop and sustain a co-operative relationship among national marine investigators in order to share knowledge in an international forum, and to improve maritime safety and the prevention of pollution via the dissemination of information from the investigative process. 

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)

Source: CBSS Website

The Council of the Baltic Sea States is an overall political forum for regional cooperation. Consisting of 11 Member States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia & Sweden), as well as a representative of the European Union, it supports a global perspective on regional problems. The Council of the Baltic Sea States functions as a coordinator of a multitude of regional actors in the areas of its three long-term priorities: Regional Identity, Sustainable & Prosperous Region, and Safe & Secure Region. Set up in 1992 to ease the transition to a new international landscape, the organisation today focuses on themes such as societal security, sustainability, research & innovation, as well as countering human trafficking.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Border Control

North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF)

Source: Defense Media Network

The North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF), formed in 2007, aims to increase cooperation amongst member countries on maritime safety and security in the region. The NACGF is not policy or regulatory oriented, is non-binding, voluntary, and operates within existing legal frameworks. Its members are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland have observer status.

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

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

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

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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