The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) which centralises and coordinates EU member states’ fisheries inspections, is to be empowered to use the data provided by its vessel reporting systems to detect vessels carrying migrants under updated rules approved by the European Parliament Fisheries Committee. It will also be able to and conduct new types of operations to disrupt people smuggling routes.
Under the updated regulation, which the Fisheries Committee approved by 14 votes in favour and with and 4 abstentions, the EFCA will cooperate with the future European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency to support national authorities carrying out coastguard duties at national and EU levels, and also at international level where appropriate. The proposed law aims to improve synergies between the agencies’ services.
‘Co-ordinating all EU coastguard functions is a necessity in the current migration context. Europe must be effective in preventing disasters at sea. The tools and means for action are national, but the co-ordination can only be European,’ said Fisheries Committee chair and rapporteur, Alain Cadec.
The new EFCA responsibilities include sharing information generated by data from reporting systems such as the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and the Electronic Reporting System (ERS). VMS data can show the real-time position and history of movement of any vessel at any time. These data could help migration control by detecting vessels that stop in a port to take immigrants on board or move unusually slowly because they are heavily loaded with migrants.
Further responsibilities capacity sharing, including the planning and implementation of multipurpose operations and the sharing of assets and other capabilities across sectors and borders. The EFCA will be able to conduct new types of operations to detect criminal activities and disrupt trafficking routes
Providing surveillance and communication services that use state-of-the-art technology, including space-based and ground infrastructure and sensors mounted on any kind of platform, such as drones, is part of the package.
