Interagency Cooperation

A number of service level agreements (SLAs) already exist between the three agencies. These SLAs concern the agencies’ day-to-day operational support for coast guard functions.

With the aim of supporting national authorities carrying out coast guard functions at national and the Union level and, where appropriate, at international level, EFCA, EMSA and Frontex have established an inter-agency cooperation, in accordance with the Agencies’ respective mandates and with the financial rules applicable to those Agencies.

In the EU and the European Economic Area, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) support national authorities in carrying out coast guard functions. To provide this support at national and EU level and, where appropriate, at international level, the founding Regulations of each of the three agencies were amended in 2016 with a common article on European cooperation on coast guard functions.

The Greening Award Initiative aims to celebrate the sustainability actions that are carried out and developed across the more than 300 authorities that make up the European coast guard community. The initiative recognises projects and activities developed by authorities carrying out coast guard functions which empower a green transition, contribute to a more sustainable future, and which directly or indirectly support the goals of the European Green Deal.

To strengthen the cross-border and cross-sectoral cooperation between coast guard authorities from EU member states, Iceland, and Norway, an exchange programme is implemented from February 2024 until January 2025.